I was reading the story of Joseph this morning during my quiet time, and something jumped out at me. It's when Joseph is revealing his true identity to his brothers and forgiving them. His reasoning is captured in Genesis 45:7-8.
But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
When the brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, they thought they were getting rid of Joseph once and for all. Their act was selfish and evil. However, they had no idea that God's sovereignty was at work. They had no idea that, years later, they would be begging at Joseph's feet in Egypt. They had no idea that their actions on that fateful day would turn out to be glorifying to God.
When Jesus entered into Jerusalem the last week of his life, the disciples shouted, "Glory in the highest!" The Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his followers. Jesus' response was simple and to the point:
"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (Luke 19:40)
Everything that has been created by God, including every single person alive - Christian or not - will bring glory to God either as an object of mercy or an object of wrath.
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