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In The Republic, Plato attempts to outline a Utopian society. The fifty-year education of the upper class would give the leaders the wisdom to eliminate poverty, live in a just society without lawyers, and rarely send people to war. The wise philosopher-kings would bring about a harmonious society free from the vices common to humankind.

Our Scripture passage today is a story about recognition. Judah comes to know himself more truthfully, which leads to a significant change in his life.

The Blue Heart Campaign is the United Nations’ attempt to raise awareness about the global epidemic of human trafficking. This persistent abuse has lingered for millennia; in our passage today, we see that Joseph has been sold to slave traders, who in turn sold him to a wealthy Egyptian.

Joseph made the case to Pharaoh that the leadership of Egypt needed to prepare for the famine to come. The fact that this dream had been given in two variations underscored that the matter had been firmly decided by God and would happen soon (v. 32).

Our passage includes several time markers. Joseph is thirty years old (v. 46). It has been thirteen years since his brothers had sold him into slavery (37:2). As promised in the dream, seven years of plenty come and go. Joseph had a flurry of activity during these years. He traveled the country, collected the food, stored it, kept records,...

Joseph finally came face to face with his brothers after twenty long years. Undoubtedly, the memory of how they treated him came to the surface. But Joseph also remembered something else: the dreams that God had given him (v. 9).

The first time Joseph’s brothers were in Egypt, they were treated harshly, falsely accused, and thrown in prison. During their second visit, the generosity they received put them even more on edge.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado includes the tallest sand dunes in North America. The ascent to the top can be deceptive. After what seems like an excruciating hike, the peak approaches—only to unveil another small plateau followed by another steep incline. Climbers are in fact only halfway up to the peak.

When the apostle Paul wanted to encourage Timothy in his faith and ministry, he wrote, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Tim. 1:5). He reminded Timothy of his legacy of faith from the blessing of his family.

Simon Wiesenthal recounts a time during his confinement in a concentration camp when a nurse approached him and asked him to come to the hospital to see a dying German soldier. This soldier was an SS officer, who grabbed Simon by the hand and recounted all of the horrible deeds he had done against the Jews. He could not live with the guilt,...