Passage Read: Genesis 41-44
Meditation Verses: 44:32-34
Thought
Many years before, their jealousy and hated of Joseph led them to sell him into slavery into Egypt then to lie to their father, implying that Joseph was dead. Now they were desperate to keep from returning to their father without their youngest brother, for fear of what it would do to him. They didn't care what would happen to Joseph when they sold him, they didn't care what they're father would feel when they brought the false news of his likely death. Now they couldn't stand to see their father or their brother suffer. They had at least learned that lesson, if they weren't truly remorseful over what they did to Joseph. They were more concerned about their father than their own feeling of being slighted by their father's favoritism.
Application
That's a hard lesson, to be sure, to love and honor someone when they don't treat you with the same honor they have for a sibling or someone of equal stature, especially when their favoritism is based on something you could never compete with. It would be even harder without knowing the love of God. God does have greater love and honor for those who serve Him well, but it is based on our level of devotion and service to Him. That's a level playing field; it's not based on something I can't change, but on something I have complete control over. Because I can have His love and gain more of it, I don't need to be offended when people around me treat others with favoritism and leave me out. I am free to serve and honor them as their position deserves--or as they don't deserve, out of God's love for them.