The story of Joseph and his brothers is one of the most recognizable stories from the Bible. Non-believers know about the “coat of many colors.” Most know about the pit, Potiphar’s house, and the palace. Most know the story of the Butler and the Baker. The familiarity of stories like the one of Joseph can lull us into overlooking details that make great application.
Tucked away inside this famous story is a marvelous example for all of us. Rueben, the oldest brother of Joseph, comes to the defense of his younger brother. Notice the role played by Rueben in this story:
And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”–that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. –Genesis 37:17-22
The other ten brothers had conspired to kill Joseph. They wanted to remove their greatest problem and challenge—their father’s favorite son. Reuben convinces them to spare his life and cast him into a pit. Rueben’s intentions were never to sell his brother but rather he planned on saving Joseph and returning him to Jacob. We read that Reuben grieves when he returns and finds his brother to be missing (Genesis 37:29-30). The example of Reuben and his desire to do what is right should encourage us all to do likewise.
Consider what Reuben could have done. He could have led the conspiracy to get back at his brother. He had as much right as any. As the oldest brother, it certainly had to be frustrating to see his father constantly dote over his obnoxious younger brother. At this point, Reuben has heard the same visions that the other ten brothers had. He had been told that one day he would bow down to Joseph. He could have led the brothers in killing Joseph. But he chose not to.
Reuben could have also chosen to do nothing. He could have had the same attitude of Cain—“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Reuben could have convinced himself to just “stay out of it” and allow his brothers to do whatever they wished. Yet, Reuben chose not to. Instead, he chose to intervene and save his brother’s life despite any feelings of ill-will he might have.
Today, many of us have the same opportunities. We are witnesses to conspiracy against brethren. It may be a gossip based smear campaign or perhaps just an attempt to ostracize another unjustly.
Such activities of injustice can occur among our social circles in the world or among our spiritual families. We can choose to participate in such attempts, we can choose to side idly by because we aren’t our “brother’s keeper,” or we can intervene and stop such ungodly attitudes.
To understand the right choice, consider why Reuben made his choice. Why did he choose to intervene? The answer is hidden in his reasoning—“…that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father…” (Genesis 37:22). Reuben was willing to interfere in the plans of his brethren because he knew it was what his father would want. He wanted to please Jacob.
Brothers and sisters, we should defend the helpless because we know it is what the Father would want us to do. Follow the example of Reuben. Stop the unjust actions of others and help restore the helpless to the Father.
