Genesis 37:13 (NKJV)

“And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’”

Part of family bonding is doing things together. Sticking with the group doesn’t mean you have to do all that the group does, but being in their midst and contributing your quota to the team vision, leads to increased cohesion and fellowship. In the family, siblings that do stuff together are more likely to be more intimately united than siblings that don’t have joint activities together.

Why was Joseph not with his brethren when they went out to feed the flock? Why did Israel keep him at home and away from his siblings? Could this not have added to the dichotomy and separation between Joseph and the others?

‘Lord, use me to develop and build cohesion in the family by creating multiple opportunities for family members to share in joint activities. And help us to perform routine chores and everyday tasks together as members of the same family. Amen.”