Joseph

Reading about Joseph in the Bible book of Genesis always gets to me. It’s an incredible story of a man who goes through many hardships.

He was a dreamer and a man of great patience. His brothers were jealous of him and so sold him into slavery. He was forcibly taken to Egypt. There he worked in a household where he ended up being falsely accused and thrown into prison. He had hoped to be released after interpreting dreams for Pharaoh’s cupbearer but the cupbearer forgot him and so he stayed in prison for another two years. At the end of this time he was brought before Pharaoh, where he (through God’s will) saved the nation of Egypt. 

There are so many lessons that can be learned from his life and experiences, but when going through this section of Genesis (chapters 37-50) two in particular really stood out for me.

1. God is with you through the tough times

Even when things seemed really dire for Joseph it is specifically pointed out that the Lord was with him. One example of this: “But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.” (Genesis 39:21, NASB)

2. Be comforting and kind

He had every right to be angry with the brothers that betrayed him but when he was faced with seeing them again after so many years, he wasn’t angry. He trusted that God was in control and he showed them kindness. “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones. So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50:21, NASB)

It’s inspirational to read about Joseph. He went through so much and stayed so humble and kind throughout the journey. I’d like to be like that!