44_Joseph is a fruitful branch Gen 49: 22-26 22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall. 23 The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely, 24 yet his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), 25 by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. 26 The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers. In 1921, a Swedish couple, David and Svea Flood, embarked on a daring mission to bring the light of the gospel to the Belgian Congo. Leaving behind comfort and security, they journeyed to a remote African village, praying for a spiritual awakening. However, the villagers, led by their chief, refused to let them preach. Their only contact with the community was a young boy who sold them eggs. Despite the discouraging circumstances, Svea shared the message of Jesus with the boy, who eventually accepted Christ as his Savior. Tragedy soon struck the couple. Svea succumbed to malaria shortly after giving birth to her second child, and David, overwhelmed by grief, returned to Sweden, leaving the infant, Agy, in the care of an American missionary family. Years later, Agy, now married, stumbled upon a Swedish magazine featuring a story about her mother. The article detailed the transformation of the village through the young boy Svea had evangelized. The boy had grown up to establish a school, leading many students—and later their parents and even the village chief—to Christ. The village now had 600 Christians. Svea Flood’s life, though short, was remarkably fruitful because she was faithful in her limited circumstances. Similarly, the story of Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, teaches us profound truths about living a fruitful and victorious life amidst trials. In Jacob’s final blessing, he likened Joseph to a fruitful branch by a spring, whose branches climbed over walls—a symbol of resilience, abundance, and divine blessing. Joseph’s fruitfulness sprang from his relationship with God. Repeatedly in Genesis, we read the phrase, “God was with him” (Genesis 39:2-3, 21, 23; 41:38). This same assurance was given to Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar, yet their lives diverged drastically. While Joseph embraced God’s presence with faith and humility, Ishmael allowed pride and envy to sever his connection with the living God. Envy is a corrosive force, as Ishmael’s story illustrates. Though Abraham loved him dearly and God preserved his life in the wilderness, Ishmael harbored bitterness toward Isaac, the child of promise. His envy led him to mock Isaac, creating enmity and ultimately alienating him from Abraham’s household and God’s covenant. Despite receiving promises of greatness, Ishmael did not seek a relationship