One of my favorite stories in the Bible is of Joseph . . . the younger son of Jacob, great-grandson of Abraham.
God gave him a vision of his future as having great governmental authority, a mighty leader, that even his brothers would bow to. Shortly after this vision he was sold into slavery by his own brothers, sent to a foreign land, where his master’s wife tries to seduce him, and he is put in prison for almost twenty years.
But God’s word was sure and true, and because of a variety of events, he was put in charge of Egypt, just under the Pharaoh. And indeed, his brothers did bow down to him as a leader who held their lives in the palm of his hand. But he didn’t return evil for evil .. . he blessed them and forgave them. And this blessing saved generations of Jews from starvation and disaster.
He could have been bitter about how his own brothers sold him into slavery and he was taken from his land, separated from his parents. Instead . . .he rejoiced. Sometimes God transplants his chosen from one land to another . . . for reasons unknown that may be manifest generations later. But we may never see that reason if bitterness and anger continue to blind us.
This is Nina May.