Am I in the Place of God?

Joseph's response to his brothers' fear: Am I in the place of God? You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. I won't punish you.

Joseph is making clear that he's not taking on a role that belongs to God - he's not the one to judge and punish. That's God's domain. His role is to honor the relationship and forgive.

This reframing has been essential in my own forgiveness work. I'm not God. I don't have to carry the burden of making sure the person suffers appropriate consequences. I can forgive - not erasing what happened, but releasing my role as executor of justice.