As I look at Joseph’s life, he seems so perfect. I really can't see any
sin in his life or any glaring flaws in his character. As a teenager he receives a vision / dream
that one day he would be placed in a powerful position. I am not sure if he even completely
understood his dream at the time. He
must have had a true God-experience at that young age which kept him strong in
his faith in the Lord.
Imagine being hated by your own brothers because of their
jealousy; being sold into slavery and then accused of something that he didn't
do; then having to serve time in jail;
helping others get out of jail that then forget about you and leave you
in jail. He had reason to be angry,
bitter, retaliatory and unforgiving but he remained blameless. He didn't sin
and act like we may have done given the same circumstances. He displays Christ-likeness throughout his
entire life! Obviously he is a great example for all of us especially those who have a role in leadership (i.e serving others).
Vision and Dreams – God gave Joseph a dream / vision that
ultimately comes to pass. I believe God
still has plans and things that He wants to accomplish through us. One vision or dream that I believe God gives
all of us is to make disciples … its part of Jesus’ great commission to us
all. I know I am seeking to serve
Him in ways that allow this vision for my life to come to fruition. What do I want to be when I grow up? Answer: First and foremost a disciple maker,
helping others to get to know Him personally and also helping them become true
Christ-like followers who also have a passion for making disciples.
Gifts and Talents – It seems that God blessed Joseph with
the gift of administration and leadership.
We are also told that the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered and gave
him success in everything he did and he found favour in the eyes of those he
served (Potiphar, Prison Warden and Pharaoh).
As leaders, we can pray for this kind of favour as we work and serve
others. I am sure Paul was thinking
about men and women like Joseph when he penned Colossians 3:23 (ref. Memory
Verse tab). As leaders, I pray that we may have this kind of work ethic –
seeing ourselves working for the Lord regardless of our job or who we are
employed by or what ministry we are serving in. Use your gifts and talents for
His purposes and make sure He gets the glory.
Complete Trust and Forgiveness – Despite the hurts that Joseph
endures, somehow he remains positive and keeps on trusting God. He never complains about his circumstances
and forgives those who caused him to be placed into the difficult and trying
circumstances. His relationship with God
was strong and solid. He knew that God
was in control and Sovereign. Joseph’s brothers meant to harm him but Joseph
knew that God intended everything he went through was for good. Joseph could see the dream / vision that God
gave him unfolding and how God was putting him in the various situations, circumstances
and roles even though some of them were very hard and difficult. Joseph seems
to understand what Paul tells us in Romans 8:28. “that in all things God works for the good of
those who love him.”
Our goal is to be like Christ. If you want to know what Christ-likeness
looks like, we can certainly learn a great deal from Joseph's life and how he
handled difficult life circumstances.
(By the way, notice how he handled temptation when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him!
No comments:
Post a Comment