The Value of Life – Man as Defender
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” - Genesis 45:1-5 ESV
What a dramatic revelation after a long, rough road for Joseph! His dreams as a young man led to his brother hating him and then selling him into slavery. Then, he was wrongfully imprisoned but miraculously elevated to be the second-most powerful man in all of Egypt. In our passage, Joseph reveals to his brothers that God placed him in a time of great famine and challenge in order to preserve life!
The very same God who created life not only preserved life through the faith of Joseph, He has also handed to every man of God the solemn charge of standing in the gap for human life.
President Ronald Reagan wrote these words in 1984:
The values and freedoms we cherish as Americans rest on our fundamental commitment to the sanctity of human life. The first of the “unalienable rights” affirmed by our Declaration of Independence is the right to life itself, a right the Declaration states has been endowed by our Creator on all human beings—whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped. … We are poorer not simply for lives not led and for contributions not made, but also for the erosion of our sense of the worth and dignity of every individual. To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all.
Men, just like Joseph, we have been placed by God in a time of great spiritual famine and cultural challenge. Will you take up the mantle to save and preserve life?
Although the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the been spending multiplied millions of dollars to enshrine abortion in state constitutions. So, after a great win in the Court for life, the culture of death is clawing back.
Yet, our nation was founded on timeless scriptural principles, one of which declares that God created and endowed every person with the unalienable right to life. Furthermore, Proverbs 24:11 says, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” Men, we have a mandate not only as Americans but also as Bible-believing Christians to stand strong and courageous in the defense of innocent lives!
Teaching and modeling a biblical worldview to our children and grandchildren is perhaps one of the most important things we can do in this life. Incorporating the Word of God daily into our home, our life, and our activities is paramount to leaving a lasting legacy of protecting human life in the hearts entrusted to our care. May Joseph’s courage and example inspire us to preserve life for generations to come.
- What kind of conversations will you have this week to share principles of the sanctity of human life in your home?
- Are there ways that you and your family can volunteer or contribute to the work of a local pregnancy resource center?
- Ask God to help you raise the level of awareness of the sanctity of human life in your home with the Sanctity of Life Talking Points.
To find a pregnancy resource center near you, visit Pregnancy Decision Line or Option Line.
Family Research Council has created a helpful resource for men who want to protect unborn lives and support the mothers in their families and greater community. Click here to read “A Man's Guide to Standing for Life.”
Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” - Genesis 45:1-5 ESV
What a dramatic revelation after a long, rough road for Joseph! His dreams as a young man led to his brother hating him and then selling him into slavery. Then, he was wrongfully imprisoned but miraculously elevated to be the second-most powerful man in all of Egypt. In our passage, Joseph reveals to his brothers that God placed him in a time of great famine and challenge in order to preserve life!
The very same God who created life not only preserved life through the faith of Joseph, He has also handed to every man of God the solemn charge of standing in the gap for human life.
President Ronald Reagan wrote these words in 1984:
The values and freedoms we cherish as Americans rest on our fundamental commitment to the sanctity of human life. The first of the “unalienable rights” affirmed by our Declaration of Independence is the right to life itself, a right the Declaration states has been endowed by our Creator on all human beings—whether young or old, weak or strong, healthy or handicapped. … We are poorer not simply for lives not led and for contributions not made, but also for the erosion of our sense of the worth and dignity of every individual. To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all.
Men, just like Joseph, we have been placed by God in a time of great spiritual famine and cultural challenge. Will you take up the mantle to save and preserve life?
Although the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the been spending multiplied millions of dollars to enshrine abortion in state constitutions. So, after a great win in the Court for life, the culture of death is clawing back.
Yet, our nation was founded on timeless scriptural principles, one of which declares that God created and endowed every person with the unalienable right to life. Furthermore, Proverbs 24:11 says, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” Men, we have a mandate not only as Americans but also as Bible-believing Christians to stand strong and courageous in the defense of innocent lives!
Teaching and modeling a biblical worldview to our children and grandchildren is perhaps one of the most important things we can do in this life. Incorporating the Word of God daily into our home, our life, and our activities is paramount to leaving a lasting legacy of protecting human life in the hearts entrusted to our care. May Joseph’s courage and example inspire us to preserve life for generations to come.
- What kind of conversations will you have this week to share principles of the sanctity of human life in your home?
- Are there ways that you and your family can volunteer or contribute to the work of a local pregnancy resource center?
- Ask God to help you raise the level of awareness of the sanctity of human life in your home with the Sanctity of Life Talking Points.
To find a pregnancy resource center near you, visit Pregnancy Decision Line or Option Line.
Family Research Council has created a helpful resource for men who want to protect unborn lives and support the mothers in their families and greater community. Click here to read “A Man's Guide to Standing for Life.”