When it is valid for us to be pissed at others.

I always considered myself to be a fair, level-headed guy.

I usually try not to get mad at someone if they wrong me as long as I can understand where they're coming from:

i.e.
1) if someone is grouchy to me b/c they've had a hard day.
2) if someone steals something from me b/c they don't have much at home.
3) if someone flakes on me b/c they they had to take care of something.

These kinds of things, suck, but for the most part, I've grown up to understand that things come up, people are different. If i were in their shoes, i could see myself acting like them.

But the one thing i couldn't stand was someone who wronged me with the intention to do so:

i.e.
1) Someone who wants make fun of you for the sole purpose of giving himself a laugh.
2) Someone who steals from you b/c he just wants what you have, and he doesn't want to pay for it, and he wants you to suffer.
3) Someone who flakes b/c he doesn't care about your schedule, and he wants you to waste time.

These kinds of things would really get me mad.
And i feel justified in being mad about these things. b/c they did it purposely!

That was the little standard I set for myself, and i passed it off as godly.
It sounds godly right?

Then i read about Joseph.
The guy who was maliciously thrown away in a watering hole by his brothers and then sold to some traders for some money. His brothers intent was evil, to harm.

Joseph eventually becomes the second hand man to Pharaoh in Egypt and he sees his brothers again. (Gen. 45)

What's going through Joseph's mind?
If i was him, i'd think, "ok what was their intent? They were jealous b/c i was the favorite son of dad. They hated me, and they wanted to kill me, but instead they realized that they could make some money by selling me instead of killing me.
Their motivation was bad. Now that i have the chance to exact my anger... I shall"

But what does Joseph say?
"Don't be afriad, i'm not mad at you. You didn't send me here, God did to make sure that our people would get food during the famine." He tells them, don't be angry or distressed b/c it was all part of God's plan!

What this taught me:
In my humanness- i would look to other people's intentions to see if i should be angry or not. I thought that was the right thing to do.

BUT Joseph teaches me- I should look to God's intentions to see his greater purpose even when i am being wronged. God can use and redeem all your experiences (the good ones and ESPECIALLY the bad ones) for his purpose. Pray and find out how.

Tangent:
Bad experiences are the best places to build up testimonies (like Joseph):
- who cares if someone who is a millionaire, has everything he wants, says God is good, he's worthy to be trusted.
- but if someone who has lost family, friends, has nothing but sickness and heartache can say, i trust in God (ala Job), that is one of the greatest testimonies.
- maybe God is building a great testimony in you.