Thought

If you’re the youngest of your family, it can be an awkward situation if your parent encourages you to spy on your older siblings. Joseph was put into an extreme version of this situation when Israel (Jacob) sent him out to report on how his brothers were doing with their flocks. If Joseph didn’t already know by now how much his brothers hated him and were jealous of him, he would soon find out! Yet, he courageously obeyed his father anyway. Even though he was caught in the middle of them all, Reuben tried to stand up for Joseph and prevent the others from hurting him. Being courageous in your daily life may mean just taking time to think about what’s happening, realize what is right, and speak up.

Word

Genesis 37:21 NIV

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.

Question

If you had a “Most Courageous” contest in your family, who do you think would win?

What is your reasoning for your answer?

Challenge

Make a “Most Courageous Person of the Day” award for your family. You can make a design on a computer and print it out, or just draw a design with markers on paper or posterboard. You can give the award to someone in your family on special occasions or just any day someone shows courage!

Prayer

God, Your strength gives me courage to do what’s right. Help me see how to be more courageous every day. Amen.