What are you seeking?

Genesis 37:12-28
Joseph’s Dreams: The Sequel
 
I ended last week’s reflection with the question: “Where is God in this story?” I begin this week’s reflection with the same question. In the second half of this story in Genesis 37, there still is no outright mention of God. So, where IS God in this story?
 
Jacob/Israel continues to show Joseph favoritism. Joseph is not with his brothers working in the field and gets to stay behind while they do the hard work. He asks Joseph to go find his brothers and report back to him. Israel also continues to put Joseph in a “supervisory” role over his brothers by asking him to keep tabs on them. Even after Israel saw the brothers’ envy and hatred toward Joseph after the dream-sharing, Israel doesn’t alter his behavior. He sends his beloved son directly into harm’s way.
 
Israel may not know that he is sending Joseph into danger, but the text foreshadows it by saying the brothers are near Shechem. You have to read Chapter 34 to find out what happened to Shechem. It’s not pretty. But it shows what some of the brothers are capable of and their vengeful propensity to violence. Perhaps that is why Israel needs someone to keep an eye on them.
 
Joseph is either too naïve or too eager to please his father that he goes to find his brothers. Somewhere along the way, he gets lost. A nameless man finds him “wandering in the fields” (v.15). Apparently by his mannerisms, the stranger notices that Joseph is looking for something, and he asks, “What are you seeking?” (v.15). It is interesting that he asks, “What” instead of “Who.” Perhaps Joseph looked that lost. He thinks he is looking for someone, but the stranger suggests he is looking for something. Joseph doesn’t know that he's actually looking for trouble, but the stranger helps him along his way.
 
He points Joseph in the direction to find his brothers in Dothan, which is north of Shechem and further away from Egypt. Is the stranger being helpful by sending him further away from the place where he will end up as a slave? Or is the stranger delivering him into the brothers’ hands? I suppose that depends on who you think the stranger is in the story.
 
Is God the nameless stranger who helped the wandering Joseph find his way, even if that meant putting him in harm’s way? Or, is the stranger someone who just happened to be there and genuinely thought he was helping Joseph find what he was looking for? God could be in either of these scenarios.
 
God is sometimes the nameless stranger who notices that we are seeking something when we’re lost and wandering. We may think that we’re looking for someone when, in fact, God knows that we’re actually looking for something deeper. God hides in plain sight all around us to help us on our way, but God never promises that we won’t encounter life’s challenges.
 
God is sometimes present in the stranger who is minding their own business and just happens to overhear something that could help us. They are in the right place at the right time to be used by God. God is present when we’re the stranger too. We don’t know the whole unfolding of events the person will encounter, but we genuinely help them by pointing them in the right direction. If we knew the whole story, we might not help them on their way and choose to not get involved. God only asks us to be helpful to those that we can help, and trust God to do the rest.
 
Where is God in this story? Everywhere. God is in Israel’s instructions. God is in Joseph’s obedience and wandering. God is hidden as the stranger. God is the rescuer who works through Reuben. God is in Reuben’s secret intentions to save his brother. God is with Joseph in the empty cistern. God is with the Ishmaelites who pull Joseph out of the pit. God is bound with Joseph when he is sold into slavery. If you read the rest of Joseph’s story, you’ll see that God was with Joseph at every turn. Through each encounter with Potiphar and his wife, the baker and cupbearer, and even Pharoah, “The Lord was with Joseph” (Gen. 39:2). When God dreams a new dream for us, we will encounter many trials and tribulations along the way, but God will always be with us, moving us along to the next step.   
 
Reflection questions:
What are YOU seeking?
Who can help you find what you are looking for?
Remember a time when you were a helpful stranger to someone in need. How did it make you feel to be an anonymous helper? Has God been a helpful stranger to you?
Where do you see God in this story?
 
Action: Be a helpful stranger to someone who appears to be seeking.