The stranger who gives directions
Reflecting on the Hymn of the Pearl
When I was a child, in my father’s palace, and enjoyed the wealth and luxury of those who nurtured me, my parents equipped me with provisions and sent me out from the East, our homeland. Hymn of the Pearl
When I read this the story of Joseph comes to me. The one recorded in Genesis 37 verses 12 to 17 in which his father asks him to go and see how his brothers are doing (they have gone about 70 miles from home to pasture the sheep). I recall as a child there was an image in my Bible of Joseph asking a man had he seen his brothers and hoping he would direct him to them. Actually, that is my childhood recollection the story says the man approached him. There isn’t much to that, a young man being sent out alone to find his brothers looks a bit lost and a stranger asks him if he's ok. The stranger then guides him in the direction of his brothers. Why then does it stand out for me? Why is it included?
There is something about setting out on a journey, there is the initial energy that launches you but there can come a time when you begin to feel less energy and more unsure. You keep walking hoping that something will indicate that you are on the right path. You see someone and you hope that they will provide what you need, you ask,
“Excuse me I don’t suppose you have seen 10 lads travelling out these parts?”
Again the actual story says the stranger approached the young Joseph. In my head, I as Joseph approached the stranger. Maybe Joseph was less bothered than I would have been, maybe he was happy wandering perhaps the concern was in the stranger, “Who is this young lad wandering alone in these parts?”
Whatever may be happening there is something about this seemingly incidental story that stops me. There is more to it, I want there to be more to it. It represents something bigger than it seems.
If the man had not approached him what may have happened? It seems somewhat irresponsible of Jacob to send his young son alone. Was it a test? Was Jacob trying to see how his youngest son the dreamer would fare? If he was so in touch with God, God would look after him. Perhaps in his mind, he thought the brothers weren’t so far away that if he did get lost they would find him. Maybe Joseph would refuse to go on his own. How real were these dreams, would they sustain him even if he became afraid or worst was set upon by robbers and left for dead?
I will tell one story that comes to mind with the story. I had decided that I would go to a conference in Switzerland that I had been invited to in 1990, the problem was I didn't have any money. In those days if I had a sense of the spirit’s leading I would do whatever. Whatever in this context meant hitching hiking from Ireland to Switzerland. Not to be deterred I also planned to attend another conference in Portugal and why not Denmark too!
In those 6 or 7 weeks that I spent in mainland Europe in summer of 1990, I met a man who on hearing that I planned to hitchhike through France and Spain to get to Portugal thought I was over ambitious. He didn't seek to put me off instead he paid for my train ticket from Paris to Lisboa and organised that I could stay in Fanhões Loures just outside Lisboa.
For me, if I was Joseph that man was the stranger who guided Joseph.
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