Christian Devotional – November 4, 2018

Know where your strengths come from. Yesterday we saw how Joseph’s compassion and empathy drove him to reach out to his fellow prisoners who were upset. Now, we look at the fact that since he reached out, they have told him what’s wrong. Joseph has such compassion that he wants to help. And, he has the distinct advantage of knowing where that help comes from. Read Genesis 40:8-15.

Then they said to him, “We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”
Genesis 40:8 NASB
https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.40.8.NASB

Joseph knows all about dreams. He had a couple of them once himself. Interestingly, Joseph telling interpretations of dreams before did not work out so well with the people that he told. It’s been several years since then, and we’ve not really seen Joseph say much of anything in scripture since that time. But now, we see the most words that Joseph has said in several chapters.

The cup bearer tells him his dream and Joseph gives him the interpretation, but we’ll get into that in the coming days. Today, let’s look at the fact that Joseph gives us insight into how and why he is able to do what he does. Even before he’s done anything, Joseph gives all the glory and credit and praise to God. Joseph knows that it is not by his strength that he is able to interpret the dreams. Only God can do that because God is the one who gave the dream in the first place. But, Joseph had stayed close to God and continue to trust God and be following God’s principals to feel confident that God could use him in this situation to share the message that God wanted shared to these two men.

Do we recognize where our strengths come from the? So often we want to take credit for the things that we feel like we do well, when in reality, the only reason we do them well is because God has allowed us to. Do we give credit where credit is due? Or do we take credit for ourselves?

Know your strengths. Don’t be afraid to use your strengths. But always remember who gave you your strengths in the first place and give credit to God in all that you do.