Multiple times every day, we have a choice to make: Are we going to choose to do the things that our future self will thank us for, or will we not?
The difference between good and great are the decisions we make and how consistently we make the right decisions.
Last week, I showed my daughters a video of UConn basketball coach Geno Auriemma when he told his team the difference between good players and great players is that great players don’t get tired. They don’t get tired of doing the right thing, and when the good players get tired, that is when the great ones overcome them.
When you find the energy, stamina, and focus to make the right decision over and over again, AND you are blessed by God, you are unstoppable.
That is the key takeaway that I get from reading the story of Joseph in the Bible (Genesis 37-50). The story of Joseph is my favorite Bible story. He was thrown away so many times, but no matter what situation he was thrown into, God blessed him and blessed everyone around him through him.
Joseph was born into a family that was blessed by God but who didn’t always make the right decisions. Before Joseph's father Jacob, was born, God promised to bless him by giving him his father’s fortuned, but instead of trusting God and waiting for the blessing, Jacob spent much of his childhood trying to trick his father, Isaac, into giving it to him instead of giving it to his brother Esau.
When all his scheming failed, Jacob had to run for his life because he feared that Esau was going to kill him, and he ran over 200 miles on foot and never saw his father or mother again.
Jacob found his mother’s relatives, but his uncle cheated him and treated him like a slave. Jacob ended up marrying 2 of his cousins and then added two more wives - the servant girls of his wives. Despite all of that, Jacob received his blessing from God, God changed his name to Israel, and Israel had 12 sons and one daughter, including his favorite son, Joseph.
God never breaks His promises.
Joseph became one of the most remarkable men, not only in the Bible but in all of literature.
Israel loved Joseph more than all his other children, and everyone knew it. Israel even gave Joseph a big, colorful robe with long sleeves that meant he wasn’t dressed to have to work, and while his brothers were outside doing all the work, Joseph would send reports back to their dad about their progress. Because of this, they hated him and couldn’t say a kind word about him. (Genesis 37:4).
Joseph began having dreams when he was 17 years old that he would one day reign over his brothers and they would bow down to him, and after he told his brothers about the dreams, they sold him as a slave and told their father he was eaten by a wild animal. Joseph was taken to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar, an Egyptian officer and captain of the guard of Pharoah, the king of Egypt. No matter what happened to Joseph and around him, God always took care of him and he succeeded in everything he did, so Potiphar put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned and God blessed it all because of Joseph.
But Joseph was a good-looking young man, and Potipher’s wife falsely accused him of trying to have an inappropriate relationship with her, so he was thrown in jail. When he was in jail, he met the baker and butler of Pharoah, and he was able to successfully interpret their dreams. Remember, God was with Joseph everywhere he went and continued to bless him - even in jail.
Two years after he got out of jail, the butler told the Pharoah about Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams, the Pharoah released him, and after Joseph successfully interpreted his dreams, the Pharoah made Joseph the Prime Minister and second in command in all of Egypt. In Genesis 41:38, Pharoah asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” Then Pharoah said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you.”
No matter what situation Joseph was thrown into, God blessed him and moved Joseph to the top by using Joseph to bless the people around him.
Joseph then wisely prepared Egypt for a terrible famine that came, and his family in Canaan had to come to Egypt so they could get some of the grain and food that Joseph helped plan to store for everyone in the land.
At the end of the day, Joseph’s dreams come true. He became one of the rulers in the great kingdom of Egypt, and he not only led and took care of his family, but his planning and anointing from God took care of the entire land.
Pastor James Montgomery Boice said Joseph was loved and hated, favored and abused, abased and exalted. He truly was a man of God, but he never took his eyes off God or stopped trusting him. Adversity didn’t harden his character and wealth didn’t ruin him, and Joseph was the same in private that he was in public.
Noah showed us the perseverance of faith when he took years building the Ark. Abraham showed us the obedience of faith by waiting years to have his son, Isaac, in old age. Isaac showed us the power of faith, Jacob showed us the discipline of faith, and Joseph showed us the triumph of faith. He never complained and he never compromised himself or his values, and God continued to bless him beyond belief.
Joseph’s story tells us about the power of God and what He can do in our lives if we put Him first, if don’t give up, and if we don’t lose hope.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from the story of Joseph?
2 - If you were sold into slavery by your brothers or sisters, would you bless them with food when they were starving later in life?
3 - How do you keep faith in God when everyone around you is trying to bring you down and hurt you?
4 - Why is it important to keep faith in God when everyone around you is trying to bring you down and hurt you?
For a PDF of this devo, click here: The Power of the Faith of Joseph
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