Articles
So You're a Victim?
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"Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" (Num. 14:3)
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Our society glamorizes victimhood. We bend over backwards to serve, coddle, protect, and even reward those who perceive themselves to be victimized by some cruel twist of fate. It should come as no surprise, then, that we are witnessing a surge of victims--victims of racial injustice, of economic inequality, of gender insensitivity, of sexual harassment, of disability shaming, of hurt feelings, and on and on and on. Everybody is a victim, and society owes these victims special treatment to assuage their pain--and society is groaning under the load.
The Bible says to all these victims: get over it. Life is not fair, that's true; and sometimes others really are out to "get" us. God does not dismiss our pain; but He points us to a more effective way of dealing with it.
Consider the story of Joseph (Gen. 37-50). Here was a young man who was a victim in every sense of the word. His beloved mother died when he was a boy. His father was a clueless old man whose undisguised favoritism set Joseph up for mistreatment at the hands of his older brothers. The brothers sold him into slavery, and deceived his dad into thinking he was dead. He ended up as a slave in Egypt, abandoned by his family and without a friend in the world. He was later unjustly framed for sexual assault by a jealous woman, then left to rot in prison by an ungrateful butler.
By modern standards, Joseph had every right to be bitter, angry, and vindictive. Society mistreated him horribly. Worse, God was utterly silent; yes, HE was ultimately to blame for this miserable life! Joseph was a victim, and somebody needed to pay for this injustice!
Except Joseph did not play the victim card. Instead of getting angry, he got busy. As a slave in Potiphar's house, he worked hard and made the best of his lowly position. Over time, his diligence was noticed, and he was promoted. Even when he experienced setbacks, he refused to give in to resentment, choosing instead to work with good cheer in whatever circumstance he found himself.
It took twenty years, but Joseph the victim eventually became Joseph the Prime Minister of Egypt.
God played a role in Joseph's life, that's true. But we mustn't discount the role of Joseph's positive attitude in the final outcome. Whether we are victims or victors in life is largely the result of how we choose to deal with whatever life throws at us.
Generations after Joseph rose above his circumstances, his descendants forgot his story and bitterly blamed God for their troubles. Their self-identity as victims only sealed their doom.
Let's not make the same mistake.
--David
