WHERE DID REUBEN GO?

Genesis 37:17-30
17 Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. . . . 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. 22 "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, . . . they took him and threw him into the cistern. 26 Judah said to his brothers, . . . "Come, let's sell him." 28 So . . . his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver. 29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?"


More than three-quarters of Americans drive to work alone--and like it that way. In fact, the longer the commute the better. It's a chance to take a break, to get away from pressures and demands. To listen to music or just chill. But it's not always a good idea to take a break.

In one of the Bible's more dysfunctional families, Reuben was the oldest of 12 brothers--and Joseph, the second-youngest, was a tattle-tale. In Genesis 37:2 we're told that Joseph ratted on his brothers to their father. When the brothers saw him coming again later, they started planning how to get rid of the fink once and for all (v.18). But Reuben came up with an alternative. "Throw him into this cistern" (vv.21-22). He planned to come back and rescue Joseph later--but he would be too late.

Reuben was a firstborn. Maybe he had a bigger sense of responsibility than his brothers did. He wanted to look out for Joseph. But he took a time-out, and assumed that everything would be right where he left it when he came back. The Bible doesn't say where Reuben went, but he wasn't around when his brothers sold Joseph to slavers (v.28). Maybe he just needed a break from his angry, hateful siblings.

Working hard to be good all the time can get tiring. Sometimes you wish you could be irresponsible like that carefree friend or sibling who seems to get away with everything. If you're a firstborn like Reuben, you might feel added pressure to be a success and a good example, or to take care of everyone's problems.

When Reuben realized he had really messed up, he asked, "Where can I turn now?" (v.30). How would you answer that question for yourself? You can turn to Jesus, your Savior, no matter how many times you mess things up. Jesus said, "Whoever comes to Me I will never drive away" (John 6:37). He never takes a break from caring for you. --Tracy Carbaugh

DESTINATION POINTS

* Have I ever wanted to take a break from being good? What would happen if I did?
* Have I ever let Jesus down by taking a break from Him? What should I do about it?

LINKS:
Joseph: Overcoming Life's Challenges.
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0715

bottom line: Don't take a break . . . from what's right.

soul journey