Today you should read: Genesis 44
Our passage today reflects on an elaborate ruse that Joseph puts together in order to frame his younger brother Benjamin for stealing his silver cup. Joseph sends his men after his brothers to accuse them of stealing knowing that they would be caught and believe that Benjamin would be put to death and they would all become slaves. You may be asking the question; why would Joseph do this? Was he getting back at his brothers? Was he wanted to show them his power and make them believe that he had special powers of divination? Was he being cruel or was he just trying to get information out of them? It is hard to discern but as I read this I believe that Joseph was teaching his brothers a valuable lesson, as well as, testing their hearts.
The main beneficiary of this test was Judah. Remember Judah was the one who convinced his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery in the first place (Genesis 37:26-27). At that time, Judah had no regard for the consequences of his sin or the affect it would have on his father. Now we see a different Judah. He is willing to take the place of his brother Benjamin and concerned about the hurt that losing Benjamin would do to his father. No doubt the experience of his sinful choice to sin against Joseph has changed Judah to where he does not want to make the same mistake.
Judah shows a true heart of repentance in this story. Repentance is acknowledging that your sin is wrong, confessing that sin to the Lord and to others if you sin against them and replacing that sin with the righteousness of Christ and doing the right thing. Judah did not let his past define the kind of man that he was going to become. He went from betrayer (Joseph) to savior for Benjamin. Many of us have done things in our past that we are ashamed of but God send a savior in Jesus that gives us redemption and the ability to be different and write a new story for our lives. We get to be a part of His story!
Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self,which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24
By: Chad Wiles
JumpstartCPC.com 
I’d never thought to see this passage in light of Judah before. Thanks Chad!
Thank you for Jumpstart today, Chad!