The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them. Genesis 43:32

Jacob’s children allowed jealousy to set events in motion that lead to the enslavement of their family for generations, for four hundred years. To take a step further back, Jacob allowed blatant favouritism to set in motion the jealousy that lead his sons to sell their brother into slavery.

BUT GOD!

Two generations before, our Father told Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved for four hundred years. And He promised Abraham that He would rescue them, and have them leave with compensation for their years of slavery. He also promised Abraham that the enslaving nation would bear the consequences of their actions (Genesis 15:12-16)

As imperfectly perfect parents our mistakes affect our children in ways that we do not intend, and would never condone. But God promises to restore. The sins of the parents affect the children for up to four generations (You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
Exodus 20:5-6 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2020:5-6&version=NLT).

Consequences are not interminable. God is merciful, and He builds restoration into spaces of failure. That is a guarantee. Consequences are also certain, that is another guarantee. God has built blessings and consequences into His perfectly just system of operation. Both blessings and consequences are activated entirely by our choices.

So dear parents, let us be mindful of how we are with our children, how we are in life, for our actions set the tone of their lives. And thankfully our Wonderful Loving Father is with us through it all.