Talk about irony! After selling their brother into slavery so many years earlier, Joseph’s brothers now kneel before him. As they seek forgiveness, they could have said so many other things. “Please forgive us, brother!” “Have mercy on us!” Instead, they proclaim, “We are YOUR slaves.”

Their words were carefully chosen. In this moment, they see the whole picture. And in seeing it, they fully humble themselves, lowering themselves in posture and position. They ask for forgiveness from the brother they had betrayed, abandoned, and forsaken.

Forgiveness is far easier in the presence of humility. Humility is the soil in which reconciliation can be sown, cultivated, and harvested. Humility draws God’s presence into our lives and brings true freedom.

Paul had this to say about human relationships in Philippians 2:5-11:

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Reflection: Who do you need to seek forgiveness from? In what ways do you need to humble yourself in that relationship?