The Ministry of Mistakes
Genesis 37:1-2, 5
 Dr. Larry Halsey
“The Ministry of Mistakes” is today’s title.

is today’s title.Genesis 37:1-5, 8, 11, 18-20, 24-25

I ran into a guy the other day who, in talking briefly with him, took me back to high and college days. We attended the same high school, and college—For less than a semester. Here’s the story.Bob (as I will call him) was a year behind me in high school. He stood out; He was bright—a 4.0 student; articulate, a good athlete. In retrospect I’m sure he was a joy to his teachers, and the envy of his classmates. It just seemed to come so easy for Bob.

When I graduated from high school, I spent a year at Beckley College (a.k.a. Mountain State University), at the end of the year I transferred to Marshall University. As I was moving onto the 4th floor of South Hall, who was walking down the hall but Bob? He was a freshman. I’m sure he had gotten some scholar-ships, but a mutual friend shared with me that a well-known physician in our home area— obviously recognizing Bob’s great potential—was footing the bill for college.

Sometime around late October, early November, I picked up that Bob seemed to be discontent; unhappy. And one day, right out of the blue, he came into my room and said, “Larry, I’m going home. I can’t handle this.” That’s all he said. He packed it up; headed for home; that was the end of college.

When I ran into Bob recently, I came that close to asking Him, as we chatted,

“Bob, what’s your take now on walking away from a ‘free ride,’ from the
potential and opportunity to get an education?”

As the years unfolded, and Bob married and raised a family, I wonder if he would say, “Larry, that the biggest mistake I ever made.”

I am sympathetic because, I, too, have made my share of what Webster defines as, “[a] blunder in choice; to misunderstand the meaning or intention of; a wrong judgment.”

I’m like Charlie Brown, who said: “Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong?’
Than a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.’”

A growing Christ-follower must think clearly about mistakes; how to avoid them; as well as how to deal with them when they occur. How to get free from baggage and bondage, and get on track toward a new beginning.

I find encouragement and instruction in studying the mistakes that major players in the bible made.

You may have heard the an imaginative story going around about President George W. Bush, who at some time in the future, dies and goes to heaven. He is greeted at the gate by—who else—Saint Peter. He says, “George, is there anyone here you would particularly like to meet?” “As a matter of fact,” Mr. Bush says, “I’ve been studying the leadership of Moses. I’d like to meet him.”

“Come with me,” Peter says. Together they go and, who do they find sitting on a bench beneath a tree, but Moses, the OT giant. “Moses,” Peter says,” this is George W. Bush, he would like to talk to you.”

“No, way,” Moses replies, “The last time I talked to a Bush, it cost me 40 years in the wilderness.”

Moses made mistakes.
David…Abraham…Paul made mistakes.
Samson, Jonah, Pilate, Judas made mistakes.Joseph, who has been called “the most attractive figure in the bible apart from Christ,’ made his mistakes. He is often referenced as one of only two biblical characters about whom nothing negative is recorded. The other person is…Daniel. Some bible students react to that, saying…

“No way! Right out of the shoot, Joseph shows evidence of pride in telling
his father and brothers his dreams.”

…visions of his having power and authority over them! The brothers got it! they are incensed!

It seems to me that Joseph’s failure was not his character…but his judgment. He was naïve. Coddled by dad, he was not in tune with his brother’s feelings about him. There were signs. (Read verse 4)

Jacob is a model of what parents must avoid at all costs. Joseph, the favorite son of his favorite wife, was the little emperor. He was pampered; Joseph wore designer clothes; he was reared to be self-centered; to think that he was the center of the universe; only he and his needs mattered; work was out of the question.

I recently happened upon this statement. Now does this grab you?

“Every child needs at least one person who’s crazy about him.”

The key is your definition of “crazy” isn’t it? If it means, made to feel loved unconditionally, supported and treasured, it’s a good thing. A mom took her 8 year old son bowling. He had only bowled a few times. He kept throwing gutter ball after gutter ball; only occasion did he score.
After three games he said: “Mom, add up my score. What’s my score?”

What could she do? Three games, his total was 28! She put a motherly spin on it. She said excitedly, “Honey, your score is 28!” As he was taking his shoes off, he said:

“And just think, mom. I used to stink at bowling!”

If “crazy” means self-indulgence, a can-do-no-wrong attitude that does not teach and model Jesus’ teaching on servant hood, and an others-first perspective, that child will be crippled spiritually and psychologically.

He or she will grow up very comfortable in a narcissistic, bored culture; and one has to feel sorry for the person the little prima donna rooms with or marries.

On the other hand, Jacob warns us against favoritism in a family. There is a sense in which dad set his son up for resentment and hatred by his siblings. Some kids are born with their hand extending saying, “I just want to be a blessing.” Others—in the same family— are born with a clinched fish. Compliant ones are easier to love.

The little emperor just didn’t know…he didn’t get it! He thought the brothers would be ecstatic about him.

Some mistakes are, of course, harmless and even humorous:

A woman named Valarie Collier writes: “For my birthday, my mother sent me a floral-print shirt with matching
bottoms. I wore my new outfit to the mall and elsewhere. Days later, Mom
phoned and asked, ‘How did you like the pajamas I sent you?’

Joseph reminds that some mistakes have long-term implications. He teaches you Seven Facts about Mistakes; And Ways to transform mistakes into spiritual muscle and ministries.

The starting place is to understand that: (First)

Mistakes Are Inevitable.Let’s get this one out of the way first for the benefit of the perfectionists among us. Those for whom always being right and doing right means deserving the Father’s smile and acceptance.

Let’s get this one out of the way first for the benefit of the perfectionists among us. Those for whom right and right means deserving the Father’s smile and acceptance. Some one said, “A lot of disappointed people have been left standing on the
street corner waiting for the bus marked ‘perfection.’’

Theodore Roosevelt said, “He who makes no mistakes, makes no progress.”

Since Adam made the mistake they are part and parcel to life in a Fallen World.

Second, Joseph teaches us thatMistakes and Failure Are Not Synonymous

Joseph’s mistake cost him dearly, but the little Emperor became God’s emperor! In any estimation, he became “successful” in every area of His life. I define “success” as fulfilling God’s mission and purpose in your life.

Joseph’s mistake cost him dearly, but the little Emperor became emperor! In any estimation, he became “successful” in every area of His life. I define “success” as fulfilling God’s mission and purpose in your life.Judas denied his Lord…and committed suicide.
Simon Peter denied his Lord…and became an Apostle and leader.

It’s what you do with your mistakes. Hold that thought.

Third. In Joseph, we learn that—Rightly Understood, Mistakes are Teaching Tools

This is incredibly! You turn ahead several pages in Genesis, Joseph’s dreams come true; watch him interact with his brothers in the palace. For instance, look at chapter 43:27: “Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, ‘Is your father well,
the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still well?”

He’s very discerning about what he says, when he says it, and how he says it. His first priority is God’s purpose, and how to bless the brothers.

Howard Hendricks says,

“Make ten mistakes a day! If you don’t you aren’t learning enough.”

I want to learn that badly!

In a business context, are you aware that Bill Gates prefers to hire people who have made major mistakes? He says:

“It shows that they take risks. The way people deal with things that go
wrong is an indicator of how they deal with change.”

Joseph encourages us that mistakes were not ‘the end,’ they were stepping stones to discovering God’s purpose for his life.

From God’s man in Egypt we discover:4. How You Respond To Others’ Mistakes Is Indicative of Your Spiritual
Maturity and the Depth of the Relationship.

Review the palace scene in your mind. Joseph’s brothers are at his mercy; he forgives, he encourages, he restores. The Mt Everest moment, the drum roll moment, is when he says (50:19-20):

“Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant
evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

Listen to “The Message”:

“Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against
me but God used those same plans for my good…”Mark in your margin: This is the Romans 8:28 of the Old Testament!

Let me share a principle that I’m learning: It’s not what happens to you, it’s what happens in you because of what’s happening to you.” (Say that with me.)

A lady went to her boss to ask for a raise. She was scared to death, and told her husband what she was going to do. He said, “Honey, you can do it and I support you.” She went in, got the raise; and in lieu of calling home to tell him, she rush home excitedly with the news.

She discovered that he had prepared a magnificent dinner for the two of them—Candle light, nice china…cloth napkins…He did the deal! There was a card at her place. Between courses, she opened it; this is what it said: “I knew you could do it honey! You’re the best!”

She was amazed that he knew even before she got home, until, when he was clearing the dishes another card fell out of his pocket. And it read:

“You’ll get the raise the next time, honey! You deserve the best!”

It could have gone either way. But either way she got the dinner! It’s that way with the Father— Either way, it may not be good but it’s working together for good!…Do you allow others to make mistakes?

…Are you learning the art of forgiveness?

…Do you keep mental records?

One clause in I. Cor 13 (verse 5) says, “Love thinks no evil…” The verb
translated ‘think’ (logizetai) is an accountant’s term. It means “to count up,
to take account of as in a ledger or notebook…”…Do you hold others’ noses to the grindstone!

…Do you hold others’ noses to the grindstone! Some one said: “Perfectionism says, ‘If I can’t be perfect, I’ll make you
perfect.”

How you deal with other’s mistakes says a great deal about you.

5. Others’ Mistakes Should Help Me Avoid Mistakes.

To say it another way, A wise person learns from the mistakes of others. The brothers allowed bitterness to consume them.Chapter 37:18-19:

“Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they
conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, ‘Look,
this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him
into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’”Joseph bathed his hurt in the sovereignty and grace of God. He is falsely accused and cast into prison. He meets who ex-members of Pharaoh’s staff there; he interprets the Butler’s dream about his release. And Joseph, “And when you are released, remember me…” (It was no luxury hotel! This is a real story abut about real man!) The butler says, “You can count on it.” 40:23, says, “yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

The old Presbyterian pastor from Pittsburg, Clarence Edward McCartney, had a sermon titled, “The man who forgot.”But Joseph’s future did not rest upon a man’s memory but God’s eye. Two long years creep by, Pharaoh has a dream, Mr. butler snaps his finger and says, “You know, Sir, I met a man once (carefully avoiding the word ‘in prison.’) who interpreted a dream for me.”

They send for Joseph. He takes a shower, shaves; I once heard an Egyptologist talk about how Joseph deferred to the culture. (Important principle.) It would have been an affront to Pharaoh to stand before him looking like Willy Nelson.

The king says, “I hear you’ve got the gift!” (41:16)— “It’s not in me: God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” This OT guy is so secure, so confident, so at peace with God’s plan and dealings with him!

In the face of the brother’s anger; Joseph learns humility.
From their blast of bitterness; Joseph learns forgiveness and patience.
From their conniving for control and revenge; he learns to surrender control to
God!

Do you know anybody who has made colossal mistakes? Have you learned from them?

Listen: More space is given in Genesis to Joseph’s story than to any other character— 25 % of the book! God is intent that we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others!

Number 6.

Joseph’s Story Teaches Us That Mistakes Need Not Sabotage The Future.

It all depends on what you do about mistakes! What you learn and the actions you take!Joseph’s brothers are rogues. They’re schemers…liars, …cruel, would-be murderers. If they lived in the US today, Hollywood would do a mini-series on them, and they would be instant multi-millionaires.If they had moved into your neighbor, a “for sale” sign would appear in your yard at dawn tomorrow…

It’s this bunch, the sons of Jacob, who have the 12 tribes of Israel named after them…There’s Judah, Dan, Zebulon, Dancer, Prancer and Vickson!How do you explain it? Jesus reveals his identity (“I am Joseph”- 45:3). He talks to them about what God has been doing in all this, and the bible says, “..and after that his brothers talked with him.” Their father dies, they are sure Joseph will reek revenge and they say:

“…please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did
evil to you.”

They call a spade a spade!The father waits for us to that. Mistakes, when confessed to God from a heart of repentance and surrender, are woven into the fabric of your future.

But repentance may not be enough. (You heard it right.) You need to change your habits, you may need to change your friends, you may need to get into “Celebrate Recovery” or an accountability group.

There is an artist in Miami, whose studio is a street corner. He sets up his easel, takes out a large sketch pad, and his pallet of paint, and begins painting a picture. Once he has a crowd of curious passersby, he invites volunteers to come forward, take a brush and to make a mark of their choice on the canvas.Some make lines, others circles, rectangles, weird and bazaar scribbling; some doodle as if to confuse the artist.

He then takes the brush, and using the mess as a center piece, he then draws a beautiful landscape of portrait.

Friend, God is in the business of makes messes into works of art, but you have to bring it and lay it before the cross.

Don’t try to sanitize it
Don’t tie a pretty bow on it.
No excuses…
No blaming anybody but yourself…

The brush is in your hard; what will you do with it?