Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

My brother used to work as a property manager for Canada Public Works, which included supervising a number of functions in some Post Office buildings. He told me once that he had adopted a particular mode of dress that enabled him to move between the shop floor and the office. Dressing like the workers in the sorting plant would be unacceptable in the office, but dressing like most managers would get him a frosty reception on the floor—“Just another suit!”

Clothes are important in daily life. They are not just coverings for our bodies (however necessary that may be!). Clothes say much about who we are, and how we wish to be received by other people. We dress for the occasion: “dressing up” is important from time to time, and “dressing down” can be just as important.

A particular item of clothing plays an important role in today’s Hebrew Scripture lesson—Joseph’s “long robe with sleeves” in the NRSV. Many of us will be more familiar with the “coat of many colours” in the King James Version. Other translations use words like “ornamented” or “decorated.” Whatever is the correct translation of an obscure Hebrew word, the message seems to be that this is not an appropriate garment for tending sheep. It’s like wearing a suit on the shop floor. And indeed, that is his role in the story—to use labour union language, he’s a management stooge, checking up on the workers to take a report back to the big boss, their father.

I believe we can certainly understand the older brothers’ feelings towards Joseph—daddy’s pet, a tattle tale, an idler and a dreamer, with visions of being exalted over the rest of his family. Of course, such feelings do not excuse the brothers for what they did in getting rid of their spoiled brat younger brother. Also, by playing favourites among his sons, Jacob hasn’t helped the situation much. His family may be one, and it may be big, but it certainly doesn’t seem to be happy. Today, we might call it “dysfunctional,” although contemporary concepts of family dynamics are really not applicable to a family with four wives—two sisters, and their two maids.

All in all, it’s not a pretty picture. What we heard today is a small but crucial episode in the whole saga of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s sons, the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel—God’s Chosen People. If we were choosing a family for this role, it is very unlikely our choice would fall on such a group—especially on Jacob, the closest thing to a con-man in the Bible.

But the choice was not ours. It was God’s. God doesn’t use modern management techniques when God chooses people for a role in salvation history. The best we can say is that God’s choices are a mystery.

Throughout the story we call salvation history, God chooses and uses all sorts and kinds of people, choices that at times may to us seem odd and unsuitable.

Early in the story, God chose a messed-up family, a spoiled seventeen-year old boy and his vengeful older brothers. Would we choose Joseph and his brothers? Probably not—but God did.

Several generations later, God chose a fugitive murderer with a speech impediment to lead his people out of slavery. Would we choose Moses? Probably not—but God did.

Centuries later, God chose a rash, rough-spoken, vacillating fisherman to be the first leader of the church after Jesus’ departure. Would we choose Peter? Probably not—but God did.

These are God’s choices, not ours.

God’s choices often surprise us—but look what happens! God has a remarkable way of providing his people with the leaders they need—very often from within the flock, “hiding in plain sight,” so to speak.

The church is entrusted with a mission, summarized by the Anglican Consultative Council as the “Five Marks of Mission.”

·      To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom;

·      To teach, baptise and nurture new believers;

·      To respond to human need by loving service;

·      To seek to transform unjust structures of society;

·      To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

Each local diocese and congregation is called to live into this mission in its own context, and according to the gifts God has given us. Carrying out our mission can sometimes seem to be impossible—we come to believe that we don’t have what is required to do what God wishes of us.

But no—God always gives his people the means and the abilities to do just what he desires in each place and time. God calls. God equips. God chooses.

All we have to do is accept with gratitude what God has given us and the people God has chosen, and then to co-operate with God. At the end of the day, it’s God’s choice, not ours.

The story of salvation history does not begin and end with us. At every time, wherever we are, and in whatever condition we find ourselves, God has been here already, at work building his kingdom. And God will still be here at work when we move on.

God gives us the tools, the gifts, and the leaders he chooses. Our call is get on with our mission, in joy and thanksgiving for all God has done and continues to do in our midst.