What Should We Do When We Realize Our Wrongdoing Too Late?

What should we do when a past wrong suddenly comes back to mind? Genesis 42 shows Joseph’s brothers facing hardship and finally admitting that what they had done to their younger brother years earlier was a sin. When we recognize that we have done wrong, we should not simply blame other people or our circumstances. We need to look honestly and specifically at what we ourselves did.

Going to Egypt to Buy Food

When famine struck the land of Canaan, Jacob told his sons to go to Egypt and buy grain. Ten of Joseph’s brothers traveled down to Egypt to keep their family from starving. Fearing that harm might come to Benjamin, however, Jacob did not send him with them.

The man overseeing the sale of grain in Egypt was Joseph, who had become governor of the land. His brothers bowed down before him, but they did not recognize him. Joseph recognized them, yet pretended to be a stranger. He accused them of being spies and tested their story.

The brothers explained that they were sons of the same father and were not spies. They also said that, of the twelve brothers, one was no longer with them and the youngest remained at home with their father. To test whether they were telling the truth, Joseph demanded that they bring their youngest brother to him.

Remembering Past Wrongdoing in the Midst of Distress

At first, Joseph placed all the brothers in custody for three days. After three days, he told them that one of them would remain in prison while the others took grain home to relieve their families’ hunger. But they had to bring their youngest brother back. Only then would their words be proven true and their lives spared.

When the brothers heard this, they connected their present distress with what they had done to their younger brother years before. They remembered seeing his anguish and hearing him plead with them, yet refusing to listen. They admitted that they were being held accountable for their sin against him.

Reuben reminded them that he had warned them not to sin against the boy, but they had refused to listen. The brothers did not realize that Joseph could understand them without an interpreter. When Joseph heard what they said, he turned away from them and wept.

Fear Alone Does Not Resolve the Problem

Joseph had Simeon bound and kept behind. He ordered that the other brothers’ sacks be filled with grain and that each man’s money be returned to his sack. On their journey home, the brothers discovered the money and began to tremble. When they arrived home and found money in every sack, both they and Jacob were filled with fear once again.

But their fear did not mean that the problem had been resolved. Simeon was still in Egypt, and Joseph had made Benjamin’s arrival a condition of their return. Jacob believed that he had already lost Joseph and Simeon, and he feared losing Benjamin as well. In the end, he declared that he would not send Benjamin with them.

This chapter does not show the situation being resolved immediately. Instead, it leaves us with the brothers acknowledging their past wrongdoing, Jacob fearing the loss of another son, and Joseph’s demand that Benjamin be brought to Egypt.

Write Down One Specific Wrong Today

Today, do not stop at the vague thought, “I could have done better.” Write down one specific instance when you saw someone in distress but refused to listen. Do not add excuses or mention what the other person did wrong. Simply describe your own action in one sentence.

You may also want to read Genesis 42 again and see for yourself what the brothers acknowledged. Slowly read the passage in Read the Bible, and if there is a wrong you have been avoiding, begin by acknowledging it honestly and clearly.