What a credit to Joseph that he maintained his piety, even though he had their rough tongues to contend with and his brothers constant unpleasant jibes and insults. They never could say anything pleasant to him, but it didn't make him sour or ill-tempered, or to give up his belief in the things of God. God’s training of us selects for us paths that we would not select for ourselves, yet those hardships are not to be seen as signs that he does not love us. On the contrary, the Lord assigns what he knows is best for us. He has many things to teach us in the course of our training. He alone knows what lies ahead in our lives and what characteristics he needs to develop in us to accomplish the great goals he has set for us. Joseph’s training was to be long and arduous, but is started here with his unbelieving brother’s unpleasantness. He had this near to hand display of fallen human nature, and he had to remain apart from it.