Today's readings are Genesis 44.1-18 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Gen.+44.1-18 ), Genesis 44.32-34 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Gen.+44.32-34 ), and Mark 12.28-44 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Mark+12.28-44 ).
In our Genesis passages we see that the sons of Israel are placed in a situation where they cannot win. Judah has promised his father that he will bring Benjamin back safely from Egypt. Joseph has arranged that Benjamin will be held captive. And Benjamin's brothers have even stated that the person who has the cup that Joseph had placed in Benjamin's sack will die. It is impossible to stay true to all the promises that they have made. Judah offers to stay as a prisoner instead of Benjamin. He is willing to do anything, even to his great harm, which will protect his brother and fulfill his promise to his father.
We are often tempted to avoid making promises or, once we have made promises, to go back on our word. But our Lord and Savior has given us a higher standard than that. He reminds us of the importance of keeping our word. We are truthful, because our God is truthful. That means that when we have promised to do something, we do it. It means that when we promise to protect someone, we protect him, even if doing so will harm us.
Jesus talks about this idea in Mark 12. We love our neighbor as ourself. Do we wish to bless our neighbor? Probably not. But what are we commanded to do? We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself. We strive to understand what is good for that neighbor and then we strive to do it. This is our holy obligation before the living God. And it isn't always pleasant. Sometimes it is a lot of work. Sometimes it may even bring some level of harm upon us. Yet that's the command we have from our Lord.
Thanks be to God, that Jesus has come, to love us as he loves himself, to do what is good and right for us, and to give us his forgiveness when we sin by not loving our neighbor as ourself. Through Jesus' example we see what loving a neighbor may consist of. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit we are enabled to lay down our lives for our neighbors. And by the washing of the blood of Christ, we have forgiveness when we fail. One final promise, made by Jesus in Matthew 28. "I will never leave you or forsake you." There's a great promise.
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