Christian Devotional – November 9, 2018

It’s hard to deliver bad news. No one just really loves telling people difficult things, but sometimes we make the mistake of not giving feedback when we should simply because it’s not what the person wants to hear. Read Genesis 40:16-19.

within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”
Genesis 40:19 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.40.19.NASB

Pharaoh’s chief Baker had a dream too. He shared his dream with Joseph, especially after having been encouraged by hearing such a favorable interpretation of the chief cupbearer’s dream. However, Joseph did not have nearly as good of a message for the Baker. The Baker was going to be killed in 3 days. Yet, even with that difficult news, Joseph didn’t shy away from telling the truth of what God had revealed to him and what God wanted to reveal to the Baker.

We will never know why this was God’s plan for this man. However, God wanted him to know that he had 3 day to make right whatever he could in his life. I wonder what follow up conversations the Baker had with Joseph. Did he ask Joseph about his God who is able to interpret dreams? Did Joseph have an opportunity to witness to this man?  At the end of the day we don’t know. But, we know that even though it was a hard message, Joseph still shared the truth with this man.

Do we have courage and boldness to speak the truth when necessary? The message God gives us may not always be popular, but we are to speak the truth in love just like it discusses in 1 Corinthians 13. We are not responsible for how people react to the message we share. We are responsible for sharing it in the most loving and concerned way we possibly can. What do we need to share today?