Joseph provides a welcome respite from the tragedy of Genesis. The book ends on a high note; a family reunites, forgiveness abounds, and a Holy God leads in a pagan land through the hands and feet of young Joseph.
My favorite piece of the whole story actually occurs when Joseph is in prison. He proves himself to the guards and they put him in charge of the place. The account reads: “The keeper of the prison did not look into thing that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”
That verse is highlighted in blue on page 73 of my Bible. I’m not sure when I highlighted it the first time, but it definitely stood out as I came across it the other night. That passage resonated with me once again. This year I have been feeling very blessed in my work. Yet this blessing has come with tremendous pressure and stress. I wonder if Joseph felt overwhelmed by his responsibility. I wonder if he laid awake thinking to himself “I’m way too young for this, what are they doing putting a twenty-something in charge of a prison full of criminals?” When Joseph turned thirty (the same age that Jesus was upon beginning his ministry) he became the second in command over all of Egypt. His job was to keep the nation from starving. I’m sure this required him to sort through a myriad of logistical and bureaucratic hurdles. Having no formal training in management, Joseph must have encountered his share of sleepless nights. (Ok, maybe I’m starting to read my own insomnia into this story)
Joseph was young and inexperienced, yet he served the Lord with a purer, steadier heart than his father and grandfathers. He stood his ground when tempted; he never went chasing after false gods, he worked hard, and as far as I can tell he remained faithful to one wife.
In short, Joseph’s story is inspiring. I don’t have the livelihood of Egyptians on my shoulders (definitely wouldn’t want that job right about now), but I do have nearly two hundred young minds and fragile souls to teach and coach and hopefully motivate. Some days when I think about it that way it’s kind of scary; but then I remember Genesis 39:23 – it’s the Lord that makes our work prosper.
…and that is only half of what I have to say about Joseph…the real point of the story is still to come. Stay tuned.
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