"We are honest people" (Gen 42:11) Just as Jacob had no idea about what he was wrong at the beginning (because he was essentially wrong about himself, not about some detail), so his sons consider themselves "honest people." How is it possible that those who almost killed their brother out of grudge and when they did not kill him, at least made him a slave and deprived him of his family, homeland, property, rights, and the whole future, call themselves "honest"? How could they live with the lie that had almost ruined their father and watch him suffering because of it all their lives?
A man can calm his conscience by judging himself only in the areas where he knows he does not fail and remain in blindness regarding the other ones. That is why our world is full of "honest people" and many of them, like Joseph's brothers, have their small (for all cases) religion.

"To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd." (Ps 18,25-26) In order to know God, one needs a certain degree of sincerity, of the purity of heart. Without it, he will pass by God internally, he will not believe him - the life has taught him there is nothing higher, nothing pure. (And even if it seems so, in the end it all turns out to be a scam anyway). One translation of the verse 27 even says that God "treats the foul crooked." This does not mean that God necessarily wants to play a false game with someone, nevertheless a crooked person really perceives it that way from his point of view. ("Sorry, but this religion doesn't work.")

God does not let himself known to anyone, because not everyone is willing to it. One must choose a complete sincerity towards God, otherwise God will escape him.

At the beginning of our journey, we believe that we know God, but in reality we know only our own idea of ​​Him. It is only more or less closer to reality, but it certainly does not comply with it, because the natural man does not understand spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:14). For to get to know them there is a need for revelation and a struggle of faith. Thanks to it, our ideas are gradually confronted with reality and a reflection of it - the truth - is formed in the heart. We might be grateful for this sometimes painful process, but as a matter of fact it is often the other way around: the truth no longer inspires us to the same extent. It does not force itself, it does not underbid, it does not seduce, it is not painted with advertising colors. In order to love it, one's taste preferences must be changed (here using "gastronomic comparison"). But how happier a man is when he consents to it and how more valuable and lasting tastes he finds. That is why the "old wine is better".

Martin Buber once wrote that without "You" there would be no "Me". He meant that the character of man is shaped by another man, we are shaped by our existence among other people. This can also be applied to God and man - the essence of God (the godly love "agape") was most clearly revealed when a man was created. It stood out all the more in the stark contrast when a man fell. God is in himself as he is, he does not have to derive his character from anything or measure himself against anything, but a fallen man naturally sees him as different - holy, perfect, unattainable. If he does not want to acknowledge it, he has no choice but to deny him.

I mentioned below that God is faithful to His character. But this can surprisingly be confusing to us. God often hears our prayers and sends help in distress, but sometimes our experience of spiritual reality is composed only of this occasional distress and occasional help, because in reality we do not know God as a person. We have no idea how he thinks and feels, how he "experiences" things. We push our Ishmael to him and pray that he will receive him. We assume he will surely understand that we had no other choice. God blessed Ishmael, because it is His nature to bless Abraham's sons - the sons of faith - but, as in his case, Abraham had to learn that it does not mean that He agrees or changes His plans. It makes a difference to receive a blessing or to know God.