August 25, 2003

POOR ME!

Poor old Jacob! Years ago his favorite son Joseph had been killed (or so he thought). Simeon, his second oldest, was bound in an Egyptian prison. Now, the Egyptians demanded that his youngest, Benjamin, be turned over as a hostage in exchange for the grain needed to keep their families from starving. It all seemed to be caving in on him.

Jacob said:
“I am the one you have bereaved of children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has happened to me!” (Genesis 42:36)

Notice that this complaint begins and ends with a reference to himself—“I am the one you have bereaved . . . . All this has happened to me!” He didn’t say “I’m sad for Leah and Rachel, their mothers.” He didn’t express sorrow that Joseph, Simeon and Benjamin would all suffer early deaths and miss out on the joys of seeing their own children grow and mature. Jacob was fixated on his personal loss. He could not get beyond his “Poor me” feeling.

This is a very natural human response, and we probably all identify with Jacob. On learning that a loved one has an incurable, life-threatening disease, our first reaction is likely to be “What am I going to do without him?” Immediately, we feel guilt because our response was self-centered. If our love for the other person were more pure, we would think immediately of how he must feel facing the frightening news and his likely near death.

But we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. Personal survival is one of our most basic and primitive instincts. Without it we wouldn’t live long in a world full of danger.

In fact, Jesus presumed this impulse to care first about ourselves when he taught “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). And the Apostle Paul used the same logic when he exhorted “Husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies” (Ephesians 5:28). Even the abandonment to God’s care encouraged in Jesus’ words “Do not worry about your life . . . . strive first for the kingdom of God” is followed immediately by a sop for our self-interest . . . “and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 7:25, 33).

Jacob was just being true to his humanity when he expressed his “Poor me.” But what he didn’t realize was that God was using all these negatives to bring a positive climax into his life. In truth, Joseph was far from dead; he was in a position of power and would be their deliverer. Simeon would soon be released from prison, and Benjamin would be honored. The whole family would be fed, housed and clothed, and their future would be guaranteed.

The King James Version’s wording of Jacob’s lament is this:
“All these things are against me.”
This is in strikingly contrast to the triumph through faith expressed in a familiar New Testament passage:
“All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Is there a word of encouragement for you here? Maybe at the very moment when circumstances seem to lead to the conclusion
“All these things are against me”
the spiritual reality is
“All these things are working for me.”

An older member of ABC who has her share of aches and pains, as well as some stressful family concerns, has gotten into the habit of answering my “How are you?” with a simple “I’m blessed!” I know that means that she can’t honestly say “I’m fine!” She has plenty she could complain about, but she has consciously made a decision to express faith in God. She knows from experience and from God’s promises in Scripture that behind life’s curses are hidden God’s blessings.

–Pastor George Van Alstine

Please Note!
Because of the Labor Day weekend and vacationing staff, we will not produce a Messenger for the week of September 1.