4 When the days of mourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak to Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am about to die; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” 6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. 9 There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he observed seven days mourning for his father. 11 Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
12 Thus his sons did for him as he had charged them; 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Note how all the people mourned the loss of Jacob! He might not have worked, but he would have contributed to the community at large in some way, and touched the lives of those around him. And note that Joseph, who was second only to Pharaoh, did the responsible thing and asked for permission to take "time off". Even though Joseph and Jacob had gained a great reputation in Egypt and were loved and highly revered, they didn't assume privileges or a high position.
Especially at work, people can forget that they are being paid to do a job. It's not like we are doing the owners or managers any favors by showing up and doing our jobs as we should. It is expected. And respect is something one earns. But more than doing things so that we will be respected, and/or get paid, we should live in such a way that people can appreciate us and see the reflection of God. What an easy and practical way to live out the gospel message!
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