Dysfunctional Saints and Family Favoritism

Genesis 42:1-38 (NKJV)
¹  When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

Note:  Can you be righteous and irritating at the same time?  Jacob is one of the heroes of the Hebrew Scriptures, yet those same Scriptures paint him in a light that isn't flattering.  He is devious, and learns about the sin of being deceptive the hard way.  It is years later, after living with Laban, a father in law who could not be trusted, that Jacob meets the Lord and becomes Israel, and is given a new name to match a new heart.  Still, even then he seems to struggle with integrity. 

            We know that he clearly played favorites.  Leah knew that he preferred her sister Rachel to her, and he did the same thing to his children.  He made no attempt to hide the fact that Joseph was his "golden child", something that was not lost on Joseph, nor on his brothers.  Joseph spent years as a slave to unlearn being the "golden child" so that he could be the person God desired to us to save people from famine.  His brothers spent years with the guilt of what they had done to their brother.  Even toward the end of the story, Benjamin has become the other favorite over the remaining brothers. Finally, at the beginning of the famine. Jacob (note that he is not called "Israel") is the grumpy, irritating old man who speaks in a tone that is disrespectful, and if habitual, galling. 

            A couple of takeaways from this:  First, the grace of God through Christ Jesus is wonderful in that Jacob is just one of many in the Scriptures who are dysfunctional, sinful and often less than honorable, and yet God still is there in their lives.  How great a love Christ has for us, who, as Paul wrote, loved us and died for us while yet sinners and enemies against Him. (cf. Romans 5:6-10).

            Second, note that is seems that family and marriage interactions seem to serve as a means to test the righteousness of an individual.  Jacob had mighty experiences with the Spirit of God, yet deceived his father, his brother, embittered a wife and doesn't seem to be a good father to most of his sons.  I need to take note of family interactions and dynamics.  My flaws may very well show up most clearly to myself and to others there.

            Finally, a note to parents.  You may have a favorite child, but it is probably best to "keep your cards close to the vest" in that case.  If parental favoritism becomes obvious, the results are not good.