A Powerful Story

Betrayed.

Over and over again he was betrayed. How is it that he still became the most powerful man in the country?

Hurt.

Beyond the pain we can image this man experienced hurt from those around him. How did he still forgive everyone?

Loved.

With the same love you and I are. A love that none of us can escape. A love that transforms the evil in our lives. How could we ever doubt it?

This is the life of Joseph.

His story is well known. Reading it, how could we ever think that God had abandoned us? How could we believe we are alone? How could we question the power of His love for us? You’ve probably heard the story of Joseph told multiple times in different ways. But I encourage you to go read it again. This time when you read it, put yourself in his shoes. See his struggles like your own. Take everything your feeling, and imagine what his emotions are. This powerful story should change us and give us an example of a faithful Christian to model our life after.

It’s found in Genesis 37-46. There are so many things I love about this Bible story, and I want to take a moment to unpack some of them.

I have always wanted to be respected, so I always look at those who I respect and model my life after them. And Joseph is a perfect picture of integrity, of being so respected and trusted that he was given the reins of the country. That’s what I want my life to look like (don’t worry, I’m not aiming for world domination, I just want to live a respectable life). There are a few lessons to be learned here just regarding how we relate to others.

First, hard work is treasured. Everywhere Joseph went, he rose to the top because he worked hard. Look around you. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of people who are actually willing to work hard, especially when no one is watching. Hard work has always and will always stand out to people.

Second, patience pays off. Can you imagine how much patience Joseph had to have? He patiently worked his way up the ladder at Potiphar’s house, patiently stood against temptation, patiently waited for years in the dungeon, even after he helped interpret dreams. He waited. Don’t give up because you never know what is ahead. People will hold you in high regard if you can demonstrate patience.

Third, humility is huge. Some scholars suggest that Joseph was arrogant because he was the favored child, that’s why his siblings were jealous and sold him. If so, humility definitely would have helped him as a child. But later on, his humility kept him from being corrupted by the power he was handed. Lord Acton is famous for saying that, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Well, Joseph was handed basically absolute power, and he remained humble. You can’t let good favor get to your head, nobody likes an entitled person.

That’s just the things we can learn about becoming successful/respected. The integrity of this man was amazing. But his hope and faith in the darkest of times is even more inspiring to me. On an emotional level, this is a great story as well.

I think to some extent, we have all experienced betrayal. Joseph went through it so many times. His siblings sold him, his boss put him in jail, his friend forgot to mention his name to Pharaoh for two years. He probably wondered who he could trust, felt like everyone had turned their back on him. People hold a lot of power in our lives. We care about what they think and say and do toward us. They can hurt us very easily and very deeply. Joseph experienced that. So have you. What is your response? Everyone around Joseph saw that he had favor in the Lord’s sight. I believe that means that Joseph praised God for what he was given and reflected Him through his life. He remained a man of God, and people saw that. So when you are faced with people problems or your friends have hurt you deeply, reflect Christ. Stand firm in Him. And you will find favor in His sight.

This story is tied together by a powerful theme: love. God’s never ending, deep, powerful love. God loved Joseph and never left him alone in all the trials. Joseph was completely in the dark. He had no clue that one day he would save Egypt. Life probably felt very hopeless at times. He persevered, but didn’t know where he was headed. Can you relate? Yeah, me too. But what people mean for evil, God works for our good. Because He loves us. And when we are in the dark, He is our light. Joseph knew that. When he stood face to face with his brothers again, it all clicked and he praised God for the outcome. But even when nothing made sense and Joseph couldn’t see the big picture, he praised God. Why? Because he knew that God was faithful, holy, loving, and had a plan.

God is doing something in your life. And I know it’s hard to see it sometimes, I know that life feels pretty hopeless, I know you have felt alone and unloved. But you are a child of the King. Look to people like Joseph and other Christian role models for hope. Then straighten your crown and start living like you are priceless. Because there has never been a day when your God has not loved you and been with you. Like Joseph, you too can persevere.

Blessed, favored, loved, he remained humble. Stuck in prison with no news about his fate, he stayed faithful. Faced with hardships and setbacks, he continued to work hard. When temptation hit hard, he kept his integrity. When those around him meant evil against him, he praised God for His love.

There are only a handful of people with this kind of character. They will be rewarded, here on earth and in heaven. Are you among them?