You Cannot Keep A Good Man Down (August 13, 2023 Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost).

YOU CANNOT KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN (2023 version).

Text: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Genesis 37:1-4 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan.  (2)  This is the story of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.  (3)  Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves.  (4)  But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.  

Genesis 37:12 - 28  (12)  Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.  (13)  And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." He answered, "Here I am."  (14)  So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He came to Shechem,  (15)  and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, "What are you seeking?"  (16)  "I am seeking my brothers," he said; "tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock."  (17)  The man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan.  (18)  They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him.  (19)  They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.  (20)  Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams."  (21)  But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."  (22)  Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him"—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father.  (23)  So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore;  (24)  and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.  (25)  Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.  (26)  Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?  (27)  Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed.  (28)  When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

"Ida Eisenhower, mother of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, was asked in an interview if she was proud of her son. She answered, "Yes, I am very proud. Which son?" (Robert H. Spain. How To Stay alive As Long As You Live. Nashville: Dimensions For Living, 1992, p. 29). Based upon her answer to that question, we can conclude that Ida Eisenhower loved all of her sons equally. She had six sons in all. Dwight was her third son.

I know of a father who got in a disagreement with one of his daughters. His oldest daughter Thelma said in anger, “I bet Priscilla is your favorite daughter”. Her father Mortimer responded, I have three favorite daughters” as he called out their names in birth order “You---Thelma are my favorite first daughter, Priscilla is favorite second daughter, and Mary Anne is favorite third daughter. I love and favor them all! Any questions?” he retorted.

Jacob was the father of twelve sons. He loved them all, but he favored his son Joseph. "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more" (Genesis 37:3-5 ASV). Joseph’s favoritism caused friction among the other sons and how they treated Joseph.