The bible is filled with these “little gems” like today’s reading.  But that’s one of the things I love about the bible; it doesn’t try to put a pretty face on our history (as God’s people, this is OUR history!)  In fact, it seems to relish in revealing the ugly side of characters, from Cain’s murderous anger to Noah’s drunkenness to Abraham’s lies to Jacob’s shiftiness to Joseph’s arrogance.  And that allows me to identify so much better with these people than if they were spotless ideals. Read more