Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
The closest thing I’ve experienced to a knock-down-drag-out happened in eighth grade. I take responsibility for instigating it although some of the details are blurry. Obviously, my mouth had gotten the best of me and I was blabbing some irritating things to one of my boy classmates. While I stood there with my little blue suitcase in hand, I irked him beyond control. I could tell he was fixin’ to punch me, so I lifted up my suitcase to ward off the blow and JG punched a big fist-sized hole in it. I don’t remember if either one of us apologized to each other the next day. But he did replace the busted suitcase with money for a new one. I was grateful I didn’t get a busted lip out of the deal, although I would have deserved it. I called Jonita to see if she recalled this incident. When I told her the story from 1972, she said she didn’t remember it, nor did she remember JG being a violent person. We both shrieked with unrestrained laughter.
It’s important that we get along with people and live in unity with one another. We’re familiar with the Old Testament story of Joseph. He was favored by his father who made him a special coat of many colors. This favoritism caused the other ten brothers to be guilty of jealous hatred toward Joseph. It was so severe that they couldn’t even speak a peaceful or kind word to him. They sold him as a slave to a caravan of Midianites traveling to Egypt. Then the brothers killed a goat, dipped Joseph’s coat in it and presented it to their father who assumed a wild animal killed him. This was exactly what the ten brothers schemed and wanted their father to think as they pocketed the 20 pieces of silver.
After more than 22 years later, Joseph had become Egypt’s supreme ruler, next to the Pharaoh himself. Due to the severe famine, his brothers had traveled to Egypt, met and done business with him (while not knowing he was their brother). He later revealed himself to them, wept with them, and forgave them. Joseph sent his brothers back to Canaan to bring his father Jacob and all the family so they could settle in Egypt.
As the brothers left Egypt, Joseph gave them a much-needed caution: “So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, ‘Do not quarrel on the way‘” (Genesis 45:24 MEV). Most translations use “quarrel,” but some use “argue, fight, disagree.” Joseph knew there was a colossal probability for them to become involved in disunity on their dusty trip home. The brothers could certainly argue about the best approach to tell their father that they had actually sold Joseph. They were totally responsible for all those many years that Jacob had pined away for him. Pointing fingers, playing the blame game, and having a knock-down-drag-out would serve no purpose.
Instead, Joseph wanted them to be joyful that family unity had been restored. The brothers had faced up to their wrongdoing and confessed their sins, so now they could experience freedom from guilt and fear. Releasing jealousy and hatred was surely a much-needed relief. Busted relationships cause us to lose our joy and feel burdened down.
No one in his right mind can argue with Peter‘s rich teaching of the importance of living in harmony with one another. “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind” (1 Peter 3:8 RSV).
The Key: Busted relationships cannot exist where there is unity.