Many people find the story of Joseph in Genesis to be very inspiring. Why is that so? There are many who are inspired by his faith to believe and trust God. Most probably, many people have experienced similar treatments, hurts, betrayal, injustice which he had gone through.
When Joseph was in his late teens, God gave him two dreams which foretold what a great destiny he had, and he would become a great man. He was so excited that he told his dreams to his brothers. His family was already dysfunctional and there was strife among its members. These dreams which Joseph told his brothers made them to hate him even more. In the end, they sold him to become a slave in Egypt.
Let’s simplify the experience of Joseph into 4 stations in his life.
Station #1 (Favorite son in his father’s house, Gen 37)
Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers. They sold him to become a slave in Egypt. At the end of the story, Joseph finally forgave his brothers, he did not hold their wrongdoing against them.
Have you been mistreated? One sister whose husband abused her verbally for many years and robbed her of her dignity and self-worth. She suffered from depression and ill health.
Another sister suffered so much pain in her childhood because her natural father left her and her mother without support. He went away to go to China to be with another woman and never return.
Many of you have been hurt by people close to you, especially someone in the same household. Some of the pain cannot even be described in words.
Station #2 (Faithful slave in Potiphar’s house, Gen 39)
Then Joseph was a slave in Potiphar’s house. He was so hardworking, resourceful and responsible that his master made him to be in charge over all the affairs in the house. Unfortunately, Mrs. Potiphar had set her eyes on him like a tigress eyeing on an innocent lamb.
Because Joseph refused to sleep with her. She made up a lie about him and accused him of seducing her and told it to her husband. Joseph was sent to prison for maintaining his righteousness.
Potiphar decided to throw Joseph into the prison, whether the accusation was true or not. It was a matter of saving face for Potiphar, there was no other options. If Potiphar really thought Joseph had seduced his wife, he would have put Joseph to death immediately as it was the custom in those days.
Have you ever been wrongly accused at work? Did your boss sided with your accuser without first establishing the whole truth? You may be innocent but you still suffered because of certain individuals and their actions.
Station #3 (Trusted prisoner in the Prison house, Gen 40)
Joseph’s character and work ethnic earned him the trust of the chief jailer. He was given the responsibility of taking charge of the needs of all the other prisoners. These were the prisoners who were jailed by Pharaoh.
Then there was a glimpse of hope when he interpreted the dreams for Pharaoh’s chief baker and his cupbearer. The interpretation of Joseph came to pass, and the baker was hung, and the cupbearer was restored to his position. Joseph entreated the cupbearer to help get him out of prison. But Joseph’s kind deeds were taken for granted and the cupbearer forgot about him. The Bible says Joseph stayed in the prison for another two years before he was brought before Pharaoh to help interpret his dream. It must be a very long wait and disappointment for him during those years.
Question, have you been taken for granted for the deeds you have done? Have you felt that your contribution was not recognized? Or someone else took the credit for the work you have done?
Remember this, the Lord is a sovereign God. When you carry out your duties and responsibilities as if you are working for Him. He will reward you in His own time.
Station #4 (Honored ruler in Pharaoh’s house, Gen 41)
Many years had passed since Joseph first arrive in Egypt as a slave. Finally, now he stood before Pharaoh. He helped Pharaoh to interpret his dream. And Pharaoh gave him the important job of administering the grain during the good harvest years and the famine years in order to save lives.
Greatness of Jospeh and the Keys to his Greatness
The greatness of Joseph was not only when he finally became second-in-command over all Egypt. It was also not because he made it from rags to riches, or that he was an underdog who, against all odds, rose to prominence, power and success.
His greatness was that throughout his entire life he kept his faith in God, he feared God and waited patiently for Him to fulfill His promise given to Joseph. He kept his integrity, character and sweetness in his spirit in good days and not so good days.
What do you think is the key to Joseph’s greatness? Without this key, Joseph could have missed his destiny altogether.
It was because he forgave. He was willing to forgive those who hurt him. He forgave his brothers who sold him as slave in Egypt. He forgave Potiphar who sent him to the prison wrongly. He forgave the cupbearer who had forgotten his promise to get him out of prison.
On the contrary, if he kept on accumulating unforgiveness and bitterness from station to station, he would become a bitter, negative, and caustic person. How many of you can think of somebody like that?
This person has a poor attitude towards everything in life and everybody, including God. Bitterness can turn a person’s heart into stone, and his speech will be full of grumbling and complaining. There are many people who walked through life, from job to job, from church to church, from relationship to relationship, and they carry the baggage of hurt and bitterness with them. The baggage get heavier and heavier by the day until the person’s spirit is being weighed down.
Joseph would most likely be derailed from God’s purpose for his life if he had not forgiven them. That is why forgiveness is so important. Whether he was a slave, or a prisoner, or a governor, there was a sweetness in his spirit that made him stand out above the rest.
Brother and sister, I encourage you to come to the Lord and to release all of your unforgiveness and bitterness at the cross of Jesus. Give them all to Jesus, your hurts and pains, and your burden to the Jesus Christ who died on the cross. When he hung on the cross, he said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34). Let us also forgive others, just as the Lord has forgiven us.
You too can be a Joseph where God called you to be, in your home, in the office, in the army, school, and marketplace. Let your integrity, excellence at work, and the sweetness in your spirit shine out for all to see.
God will surely bring to pass all His promises to you so that you can reach your destiny in Christ Jesus.
Finally, I wish to read a quotation, which I have shortened and modified for the purpose of this sharing.
“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. BE KIND ANYWAY.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. BE HONEST AND SINCERE ANYWAY.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. GIVE YOUR BEST ANYWAY.
In The End, Do This Because It Is Between You And Your God.”
