Observation: Out of all 10 brothers, why did Joseph choose to hold Simeon? Because he is the oldest ... that Jacob would care about rescuing.
Reuben is of course the first born, but his sin against Jacob is so great that the rift between then never heals. Reuben tries over and over to find a way to win back his father's love. In the small interactions we see, Reuben repeatedly declares what deeds he will do and sacrifices he will make to be redeemed to his father. If those show up during just a handful of conversations, imagine how often such exchanges occurred during the 20+ years that were not recorded. Yet even now, after all this time, Joseph still knows of this rift - knows how deep it runs - so he holds Simeon as second-oldest, knowing that if he held Reuben, Jacob wouldn't care enough to wish him freed.
Application: God's love for us is so great that he can forgive and subsequently overlook any and every sin. He forgives sins we knowingly commit even as he tells us not to do them. However, for us humans, in our imperfect state and with our incomplete sense of love, we cannot do the same.
Yes, I should forgive everything done against me, and at some level I have. I have even logically understood the good in my life that the Lord has worked out of the bad that others have done. However, I struggle to forget it all, and I certainly "care" less about those who have committed such wrongs.
Somehow, Jacob is a case study for so many ways that we all struggle with pride and self-centeredness in our lives. Jacob couldn't get over how Reuben had hurt him, no matter how much Reuben tried, and it was so blatant that everyone knew it over decades of time. What hope do I have to truly forgive and forget? It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I have any hope at all.
Prayer: Please, come, Holy Spirit. Amen.
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