IMAGO DEIਨਮੂਨਾ

IMAGO DEI: When forgiveness meets betrayal

The image of God in "mishpacha" - Familial relationships

Scripture Focus:

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.” John 15:18-27 NLT

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When the Wound Comes from Your own Flesh and Blood

it doesn’t just hurt, it cuts deeper and echoes louder. As it is said in Psalms, what if your own blood and flesh were working against you and you know it. There are moments in life when the deepest pain does not come from enemies but from family. What do you do when the ones you trusted the most stand against you? When betrayal, rejection, and bitterness flood your soul — can you still reflect the image of God?

At such times, talk of the cross or forgiveness can feel hollow, almost impossible to grasp.
Only frustration and heartache seem real. And yet, it is precisely in those moments that the image of God — and the power of the cross — are most deeply tested.

Every time in a Christian circle forgiveness is spoken of, the immediate referral point is always about Jesus and the cross and rightly so. But the second closest to it would be the reference to Joseph -— the man betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery, and forgotten for years. The story is fascinating. The end is beautiful- Joseph’s tearful reunion and gracious words, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” but what about the years in between when there was no promise of reconciliation, no glimpse of a happy ending?

Maybe on my deathbed I would be able to look back and affirm that forgiveness is a blessing in relationships because of all that I have experienced in life’s journey, but what about those irreversible instances and seasons when betrayal and rejection were cutting through relationships? Looking deeper, it isn't easy for us, it wasn't easy for Joseph either.

As he first encounters his brothers after 20+yrs of betrayal he sure wrestled with much, his reaction was not immediate grace. Genesis 42 tells us he “spoke harshly to them” and even put them in prison for three days. He relived his past emotional betrayal that his own blood had done to him. He wrestled with anger, pain, and memories that would not fade. Yet, after those three days, something changed — Joseph said, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God.” (Genesis 42:18).The fear of God became his turning point.

The Fear of God: The Foundation for Relational Wisdom

Proverbs 9:10 reminds us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
That includes relational and emotional wisdom — the kind needed when facing those who have hurt us most. Sure it wasn't easy for Joseph. Joseph’s fear of God didn’t erase his pain, but it reframed it. He wrestled in anger. He wept in sorrow. He looked back in regret but he also surrendered his right to revenge. He chose a higher wisdom, one rooted in reverence for God rather than reaction to pain.

Joseph didn’t just forgive — he rebuilt. He ensured his brothers were provided for, giving them land, food, and safety in Egypt. He didn’t just build a bridge — he strengthened it so it could carry future generations.

Learning Forgiveness From the Past… (Read More)

If you dig a little deeper, Joseph’s act of forgiveness was not born in a vacuum.
He had seen forgiveness lived out before. As a child, Joseph watched his father Jacob prepare to meet his estranged brother Esau after 15+ years.
Jacob arranged his family carefully, expecting revenge. Joseph, the youngest, must have been last in the line, visibly grasping the fear in everyone’s eyes, he must have felt the tension building up in the family and was waiting to watch if destruction would ensue.
But what he witnessed that day changed him forever. Instead of vengeance, Esau ran to meet Jacob — embraced him, kissed him, and wept (Genesis 33:4).
From that day, Joseph knew what true forgiveness could look like — not weakness, but reconciliation. He learned that siblings should forgive and that heals generations.

Bearing the Marks of the Cross in Our Relationships

As image bearers of Christ, we not only reflect His love — we also carry the marks of His cross. Those marks remind us that forgiveness is not easy, but it is possible. It is not denial of pain, but the redemption of pain. Forgiveness may not always mean reconciliation, but it always means release — choosing fear of God over bitterness, and His wisdom over resentment.

So when betrayal feels too heavy, remember: the cross was not light either.
Yet from it flowed the world’s greatest reconciliation — between God and man.

Reflect:

• Who in my life has caused deep hurt that still lingers in my heart today?
• How can “fearing God” change the way I respond to those relationships?
• What might forgiveness look like for me right now — not in the ending, but in the middle of the story?