Kevin Bemel ·
What to Do When Another Sees Your Life More Clearly
2-1/2 minutes to read
Parsha [Passage of Scripture] Nugget [Precious Idea] Yayeishev – Genesis 37:1-40:23
As a staff officer, one of the most crucial jobs I have is making my commander aware of issues that have escaped his attention. You’ll often hear people say, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” It applies to life well beyond the battlefield as can be seen in Parshas Vayeishev:
“Joseph dreamt a dream which he told to his brothers.” (Bereshis/Genesis 37:5).
In this week’s parsha we learn about Joseph’s prophetic dreams. As a result, his brothers sell him to a caravan that takes him to Egypt where he becomes a slave. All the while Jacob thinks he is dead. In the midst of these travails is the story of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar. Joseph rises to run Potiphar’s household but is jailed when Potihpar’s wife slanders him. The parsha ends with Joseph being the conduit for the interpreting the Chief of Butler’s and Chief of Baker’s dreams.
The stage is being set for the Israelite’s decent into Egyptian slavery.
Anger at Joseph’s Prophecy
When Joseph related his dreams to his brothers they became furious. How dare this pipsqueak daddy’s favorite suggest they will bow down to him? Their hatred flared. Even Jacob, normally even-tempered, scolded him though he did not go so far as to reject it out of hand.
These responses show a different awareness. Already jealous of Joseph, the brothers could not be sufficiently objective about their own lives. So their jealousy deepened. But the wiser Jacob realized events are in G-d’s hands and sometimes he reveals to others matters that remain hidden to people who will be affected.
Are You Seeing Your Life Clearly?
You need not have your outlook clouded by resentment to fail to clearly see where your life is headed. Gaining perspective when you are in the midst of events is difficult even without overwrought emotions. Inexperience or distraction can cause you to miss issues or opportunities that are obvious to an outsider.
That being the case, it’s crucial for you to get input from people who have the experience you lack. They can help you interpret events, identify options, and help you succeed.
Keep an open mind. When a friend or colleague offers you a perspective on your life don’t reject it out of hand. Take a few minutes to explore his rationale. Even if you conclude the insight is off-base, you’re well advised to follow Jacob’s example and keep the matter in mind.
Down life’s road, you may find someone else saw your life more clearly than you did. Now you know the person who can show you how to proceed.
Question – How do you manage to see your life clearly? Please leave a comment below.
Every year beginning on Simchas Torah, the cycle of reading the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, ends and begins again. Each Sabbath a portion known as a sedra or parsha is read. It is named after the first significant word or two with which this weekly reading begins.
What verse in the Old Testament would you like to know more about? Ask a question and I will answer it in a future Parsha Nugget!
