(Lessons from Joseph)
Genesis 47:11-12;27-28 So Joseph assigned the best land of Egypt—the land of Rameses—to his father and brothers, just as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph furnished food to them in accordance with the number of their dependents…So Israel lived in the land of Goshen in Egypt, and soon the people of Israel began to prosper, and there was a veritable population explosion among them. Jacob lived seventeen years after his arrival so that he was 147 years old at the time of his death.
Summary
Roman 15:4 tells us: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Let’s listen to what Joseph can tell us about “Getting Through It.”
JOSEPH
Life Before the Trial – My name is Joseph. I often refer to my teen years as “My Peacock Years” or “My Ostrich Years.” Looking back, it was as if all I could “see” was “me.” It was like my head was buried in the sand. I had no sense of justice or family or who I needed to be.
I grew up in a large household. A very large household. I have lots of half-brothers, because my father, Jacob/Israel had lots of wives. His favorite wife was my mother, Rachel, who died giving birth to my younger brother, Benjamin. (Gen 35:19) I don’t know if it was because of my mother’s death or because she was his favorite, but growing up, “I could do no wrong,” in my father’s eyes. I was his favorite son. I was also a tattletale, always ready to tell my father about something or other that any of my half-brothers did wrong. (Gen.37:2) Needless to say, it didn’t endear me to any of them. To tell you the truth my brothers were rugged, hard-working men, and I was just “a boy,” still “wet behind the ears.” More often than not, while they were working, I was off wandering around trying to look good. Like many teenagers, I liked looking good---styling. And to make matters worse, my dad gave me this special coat that was “Phat.” And, it was really expensive. It had all these different colors in it! (Gen. 37:3) You could see me for miles! It never even crossed my mind that it really wasn’t fair that I received special gifts or that I got treated better than my brothers because back then, it was just “all about me.” And, I loved it that way!
Even though I was a self-centered, obnoxious teen, looking back, I know that I was also blessed with special spiritual gifts. I just didn’t know what to do with them. Some might say, I had the gift of prophecy. Maybe some might say, “back in the day--my day,” it was the old men who had visions [like my dad Jacob had when he was older (Gen 32:24] and the young men [like me and my dad, when dad was younger (Gen 28:11-13)] who had dreams. GOD’s gifts are to bless others. But I was seventeen and thought everything given to me was just all about me. I remember that when I had prophetic dreams at seventeen, instead of going to GOD and asking GOD what the dreams meant because I was “the center of the universe,” I thought everything happening was “all about me.” I thought the dreams were “my” dreams. And when I interpreted my dreams, I was center stage. Really, I was “something else,” back then. (Gen. 37:5-7). And my cockiness just made my brothers hate me even more.
My Trials - All the jealousy, hatred, and distrust caused my brothers to “sell” me into slavery. It had gotten so bad that some of my brothers even thought about killing me (Genesis 37:18-20). My half-brother Reuben, wouldn’t let the others shed my blood. Instead, they sprinkled that coat I told you about with blood, threw me down a well, sold me to a traveling trader, and then told my dad I had been attacked by a wild animal and died. (Genesis 37:11-14). I guess I was dead to them anyway! My brothers and I had never really been family.
I call the next period of my life my “growing pain” years. I was now a slave, which meant that my “lazy days” were over. I had to work because a slave’s life is basically nothing but work.
It turned out that “I was good at it.” I had a gift for it. That gift probably would have remained dormant, had it not been for GOD’s “trials.” I turned out that GOD had given me the gift of administration. The Greek word for the gift of administration is “Kubernesis.” It refers to the idea of someone being a shipmaster or captain, basically steering a ship toward a destination or goal. It also means “to govern or rule.” So, a person who has the “spiritual gift of administration is guiding or directing people toward a GODly destination or goal.”1
A ship’s captain guiding a ship has to be sensitive to a lot of things---weather conditions, wave patterns, currents, the condition of the crew, and the gear. Well, having the spiritual gift of administration requires a person to be sensitive to a lot of things too. One of those things is fairness and injustice. Everyone needs to believe that the person in charge will be fair, do right by them, and not put up with wrongdoing. In other words, the person guiding the ship has to have a strong “moral compass” or the ship could end up capsizing. At seventeen, my moral compass didn’t exist or was broken. GOD took me through some exercises to help fix that problem—to make me a little more sensitive, as GOD continued to teach me administration.
The Ishmaelite trader that bought me from my brothers took me to Egypt and sold me to a man named Potiphar, who was actually a member of Pharaoh’s personal staff (Gen. 39:1). I was put to work and my spiritual gift of administration soon became apparent and I was soon “the head slave in charge” of a very successful Potiphar household ship. Things were going so well, Potiphar put me in charge of his business affairs, too. Crop production increased and there was an expansion in the flocks (Gen 39:5-6). All of Potiphar’s ships (household and business) were enjoying smooth sailing. I know GOD was blessing me and Potiphar. Everything was fine until Potiphar’s wife rocked the boat. She came on to me—she tried to seduce me. I told her it wasn’t fair to my master or GOD but she wouldn’t listen. One night, she screamed rape (grabbed my slave coat as proof that I had been with her [by the way did I mention GOD has a sense of humor—remember my fascination with my special coat as a kid…anyway] and I ended up in prison. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. A great injustice was occurring, but I was now sort of “walking in my half-brothers’ shoes.” I was now on the “the other end.” I was learning a terrible lesson on what it feels like when you’re not getting a fair shake.
I was innocent but Potiphar believed his wife. So, I was thrown in prison for a crime I didn’t commit. But, even “in my circumstances” GOD continued to use my spiritual gift of administration. As soon as the chief jailer learned how good I was, I became “the head inmate in charge” of the prison administration. GOD was expanding my spiritual gift “territory." I was now in charge of more people, a whole prison. And, as before, everything ran smoothly.
My next lesson in fairness came as GOD was orchestrating my prison pardon. GOD was also instructing me about spiritual gifts. I was still in prison, celled with two other inmates, who happened to be the Pharaoh’s chief baker and the wine taster. [It’s interesting how GOD kept steering me closer and closer to Pharaoh.] Both of these men claimed to be innocent. But, as they often say, in prison “everyone is innocent,” or so they claim. But one night, GOD gave each of these men a dream. When they told me they were disturbed about their dreams and wanted help, I told them that interpreting dreams is GOD’s business. (Genesis 40:8) [I was no longer 17 and learning that GOD’s gifts were about GOD’s business!] I then asked them to tell me about their dreams and GOD revealed to me what each of their dreams meant. GOD gave me the gift of the true interpretation. The wine taster’s dream meant that in three days he was going to be released and restored to his former position in Pharaoh’s household. (Gen 40:12) The chief baker’s dream meant that in three days he was also going to be released and beheaded, and the birds would eat his flesh. (Gen 40:18-19) Everything happened exactly as GOD revealed it would happen. I asked the wine taster to remember me when he returned to his position, but I guess he forgot.
I was learning another lesson—namely, patience --- because I was in that prison for two more long years. But, I also learned that sometimes you just have to “wait on THE LORD.” Just when I thought GOD had forgotten about me, I was removed from prison because Pharaoh also had some disturbing dreams that none of his wise men could interpret and the wine taster remembered me and told Pharaoh about the young Hebrew fellow he met in prison who could interpret dreams---me. When I appeared before Pharaoh, he demanded that I interpret his dreams. I told Pharaoh that I can do nothing without GOD and then GOD revealed the meaning of the dream to me (Gen 41:16-17). GOD was revealing to Pharaoh that there would be seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine. I then laid out an administrative plan so that Egypt could survive when the seven years of famine came. Pharaoh saw the SPIRIT of GOD in me and put me in charge of everything (Gen 41:37-40). Once, again, GOD was expanding my territory (Genesis 41). I was now in charge of all the lands in Egypt.
To make a long story short, my brothers and I reconciled. Going through it I realized I missed my family. I never even realized their value until they were no longer there. See, mealtimes were especially hard for me because Egyptians don’t eat with Hebrews. I ate all my meals alone.2 I had plenty of time to think about all the great family meals I shared with my family growing up, that I couldn’t share with them now. I missed seeing my father, my little brother, and even all my half-brothers. In fact, I missed my whole extended family, all of those cousins and everyone else who joined us on family holidays. Sometimes you don’t really appreciate something until it’s gone.
How I Got Through IT
I learned that “How I Got Through It,” is probably the wrong question and suggests the wrong frame of mind to have—as least for me. It is not about “I.” I can only tell you, “How GOD Steered Me Through.” I learned that GOD has a greater plan beyond what we view to be “our narrow circumstances.” My “trials” or what I can say “my journey” taught me that sometimes trials activate spiritual gifts. I learned that what I may view as a “trial” is just GOD’s plan working itself out. For example, had I not gone through “my journey” my people (the nation of Israel, my father Israel’s people) may have died in the famine. But GOD positioned me for HIS purpose to save my family, all of my people, the Egyptians, and even the world because everyone came to Egypt for food during the famine. I was able to bring my people to Egypt, feed them, give them some of the best lands where they could graze their herds and grow and prosper as a people.
GOD brought all of us together for HIS purpose. And, when I look back on all my mealtimes, I learned to appreciate what I couldn’t appreciate before, the love of GOD and the love of my family. I was in charge of Egypt, and it may have looked like I was steering the ships (in Potiphar’s house, in Prison and when I became part of Pharaoh’s administration) but GOD was “MY CAPTAIN.” GOD was positioning all of us, the Egyptians, me, my brothers, for HIS PURPOSE. I’ve learned that in life there may be storms, but GOD is my “SAFE HARBOR.”
Was there discomfort, uncertainty, anxiety, even pain along the way? Sure. But I needed to grow. I was spiritually immature. Just as the experience of teeth coming through the gums or the bones of a child expanding in the child’s body brings some discomfort, spiritual growth may bring some discomfort too. It’s just how spiritual growth and development may occur---through some adversity. I certainly never knew what GOD could do or what I could do until I had “a problem” and I had to completely depend on GOD!
I think all of us have to learn “it’s not about me.” I know I had to learn this and so did my brothers.3 My brothers and I would soon realize that GOD has a plan for all of us.
I found out clothes don’t make the man (or woman). Rather, it’s the spiritual scars on your hands and feet as you work for GOD; it’s the spiritual stamina that you build up walking with GOD; it is all of those “character” marks in your life that you “go through” that determine who you are. I wouldn’t be the man I am without having to go through Potiphar’s house and prison. Going through it with GOD, not only increased my faith but allowed others (the wine taster and Pharaoh and others) to see the SPIRIT of GOD in me.
My advice is to let GOD chart your path on this stormy sea we call life. LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS TOO. And, don’t let your own self-love, acting like a peacock as I did or insensitive to the needs and well-being of others, stunt your growth, or hinder you along the way. Remember, it’s not about “you.” Remember, it is all about “GOD.”
STRETCHES TO KEEP YOU LOOSE AND IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY
- Calf Stretch – Stand facing a wall about a little more than arm’s length away. Put one foot forward and extend a bent knee backward so that you are in a front stance. Use your arms to brace yourself against the wall and then tucking in your stomach muscles, lean slowly into the wall until you feel a stretch in your calf muscle of your back leg. Hold for 20 or 30 seconds and then switch feet.
- Chest and Shoulder Stretch -Sit in a sturdy chair. Interlace your fingers of your right hand and left hand behind your head, with your elbows bent and palms of your hands facing the back of the head. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades back as you straighten your posture sitting upward. Hold for 20 or 30 seconds then switch to the other side. Between stretches cup your head with interlaced fingers, pointing your elbows forward to relax between stretches, slowing breathing in and out.
- Glute Bridge – Lie on the floor with your feet point in one direction and the hand in above your head in the opposite direction. Take 3 deep breathes from your stomach. Try to feel or observe your stomach muscles slowly expand in and out. Then slowly bend your knees and bring your hands forward along each side so the tips of your right hand are touching the tip of your right heel and the tip of your left hand is touching the tip of the left heel. Then tighten your butt (your glute muscle) and slowly push yourself up toward the ceiling. Try to keep the upper part of your body relaxed. Then slowly bridge down. Repeat, 5-10 times.
- Cobra Stretch – Lie flat on the floor with your belly touching the floor and your hands flat on the floor, along the side of each shoulder. Stretch your legs behind you, pointing your toes downward. As you exhale, lift up your chest pushing your hips into the floor. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds, then slowly, and carefully lower the upper part of your body down. Don’t overextend your hands, so that you lift your hips. Try to keep your hips down. Repeat the Cobra stretch several times. You are stretching your back and stomach muscles.
- Butterfly Stretch – Sit on the ground or against a wall. You may want to use a mat to sit on. Slowly bring your knees in trying to bring the heels of each foot inward so they touch. If you are doing this for the first time, you may want to bring the heels together on the floor away from the body, and then as you sit up straight try to slowly bring the feet inward. Grab both feet with and using your elbows, slowly try to push your thighs down until you feel a stretch along the inner thigh. Hold for 10 or 15 seconds and then relax breathing in and out for about 10 good breathes. Repeat. This stretch helps to loosen the inner thighs, the groin, the hips, and the knees
Try to incorporate stretching into your weekly schedule. If you have a medical condition, consult your personal physician for the best stretches for you or ask if the above stretches are ok for you to include in your stretch routine. For more information and visuals regarding the above stretches see https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-stretches-to-get-loose.
EACH TRIAL CAN BE A MARK OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
Growing up, many fathers and mothers will stand their children against a wall, and place a mark by each of our names every year to see just how much growth has occurred over the past year. Well, I believe our heavenly FATHER does the same thing. I believe our FATHER looks at all of the marks and scars and trials we go through in life to see just how much “we’ve grown spiritually” going through it with HIM. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the greatest spiritual growth spurts occur during some of our hardest times.
Sometimes, self-centered nations, also have to learn to “get over themselves,” find GOD and “grow up” too!
Sometimes you may feel you’re traveling in a fog, or the waves of life may be crashing on all sides or you may even feel as if you’ve lost your bearing or that no one cares. Sometimes you may even feel like you’ve been unfairly and unjustly treated or just tossed overboard, like useless driftwood or food for the sharks for no good reason. But, as Joseph teaches us if you just hold on a little longer, hang in there with GOD, and make GOD “your ANCHOR,” and give GOD administration over your life, everything will be alright.
GOD is our SAFE HARBOR.
Grow, trust in THE LORD, and BE BLESSED.
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1See, “Spiritual Gifts of Administration,” https://spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gift-administration/
2The Egyptians considered it an abomination to eat with a Hebrew. It was probably because the Hebrews were shepherds and keepers of livestock. (Genesis 43:32 and Genesis 46:33-34)
