As Joseph tests his brothers by holding one of them as hostage, they say to each other: we're guilty for what we did to Joseph. They haven't forgotten. They've carried this guilt for years.
Remorse doesn't require Joseph's presence. They feel it amongst themselves. Guilt is its own punishment, its own teacher.
I work with men on accountability, and this passage suggests guilt can actually be generative. These men's regret becomes the opening for reconciliation. It's not the whole story - they still need to understand what they did and repair it. But the guilty conscience is where the work begins.
No comments yet. Be the first.