When you were a child do you remember a time when your mom or dad promised you something? Perhaps going to the zoo or getting you that bike you’ve always wanted. But they failed to fulfill their promise. Do you remember what it felt like? It breaks a child’s heart for a parent to break their promise.
Here in our story, Joseph after doing an act of kindness to the chief cupbearer, requested to remember him when everything would turn out well for the Pharaoh's official. Though our text did not mention it explicitly, but can see it implied that the official made a promise to him. Unfortunately, when everything turned out well, the chief cupbearer forgot Joseph.
In this article, I would like to share with you the theme of human forgetfulness. Let's see what lessons can we learn from this biblical theme.
Though human is forgetful, this does not excuse us from doing acts of kindness to anyone.
Remember Joseph. He has been betrayed twice. First by his brothers and second by his master's wife. Notice how Joseph describes his unjust suffering to the cupbearer: sold as a slave by his brothers and thrown into prison for false accusation. But his painful experiences did not discourage him to continue doing good to people. He did not face life with bitterness and anger. Instead, he continually served God knowing that God knows his situation and his sufferings. He believes that in God's perfect time, God will deliver him and fulfill his big dreams when he is still young.
The psalmist said:
Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me (50:14-15).
I think this text describes Joseph's situation and the situation of people who keep trusting God and doing good despite the unjust suffering they are experiencing in life. By allowing suffering in our lives, God wants us to be better, not bitter.
Bitter people cannot do good but harm to their neighbors. Only people made better by suffering can still smile, and remain positive and productive in life. This will only happen if you keep in mind that though people you showed kindness to forget you, God knows what you're doing and he never forgets.
Since forgetfulness is part of being human, depending on anyone too much is bound for disappointment.
Perhaps Joseph saw the hope of deliverance from prison through the person of the chief cupbearer. "At last, the Lord is using the circumstances to lift me from my unjust suffering," Joseph might have thought this way. But to Joseph's disappointment, the cupbearer forgot the kindness he did to him when his position was restored to him.
Human is like that. We are forgetful. We often fail those who depend on us. And on the other hand, if we put our trust too much in man, we are bound to be disappointed.
Notice how many agreements have been broken among men. Whether it is official or not, not a few have failed to keep their word. You can see this in a marriage covenant, a business contract, a promise between lovers and friends, or simply a promise among family members.
However, this does not mean that we should not trust anyone. If we live like this, life will be difficult for us. Yes, despite human forgetfulness, we still need to trust our fellow human beings. However, just keep in mind that in trusting him, he is not perfect, and he might fail you. With that realization, once he fails to keep his word, you will not be devastated for you accept the fact that all human being have their weakness and shortcomings.
Man's forgetfulness should teach us to look up only to God who deserves our complete trust for He is always dependable and He never forgets.
I think being thrown into prison is one of the darkest moments in Joseph's life. But God did not leave him there. God started to intervene in His perfect time supernaturally. He gave dreams to the two palace officials. In God's providence, these palace officials were sent to the same prison where Joseph was. And only Joseph could interpret their dreams for them.
Joseph wanted out of prison. He anticipated that everything would be well with the chief cupbearer. And so he made one request, to remember him. But the cupbearer forgot him. This taught Joseph a lesson about the human nature of forgetfulness. It also taught him that only God deserves his complete trust for he never forgets and he is always worthy of our trust and dependence.
Prophet Jeremiah said:
Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord (17: 5).
And he adds:
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit (17: 7-8).
Conclusion
Man is forgetful. However, this truth does not excuse us from doing good. Instead, this reminds us not to depend too much on man, but to look up only to God who deserves our complete trust.