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…

Compassion and empathy. These are two of the most powerful acts we can demonstrate toward our fellow man. And they are completely free and can be done by anyone, even someone in jail, like Joseph. Read Genesis 40:1-8 He asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?” Genesis 40:7 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.40.7.NASB God brings two new people into Joseph’s life. Some time afterward, probably years afterward, while Joseph has been in jail, frustration has been happening in Pharaoh’s house. Two of his key officials make Pharaoh mad and he sends them to jail. No telling how long they had been…

Joseph in jail. Probably not exactly the place he thought he’d end up back so many years ago when he was dreaming about stacks of wheat and stars all bowing before him. Yet here he is, falsely accused, stuck in an Egyptian prison. Read Genesis 39:21-23. 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 https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.39.21.NASB Joseph could have gotten angry and bitter. He could have lashed out at his guards and his jailers. Joseph could have rejected God as a result of all that he is going through. But he didn’t do any…

Do we realize just how little we control? When we last spoke about Joseph, we discussed his integrity and that was completely in his control. However, what happened next was completely out of his control. Read Genesis 39:12-20. Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. Genesis 39:19‭-‬20 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.39.19-20.NASB Her story completely switched. Instead of telling the household and her husband exactly what she…

Integrity. This is definitely a common word used to describe the characteristics of an individual who does what they say they are going to do. It is a highly sought after trait in the business world. But how do we develop and demonstrate integrity? Joseph found out in Genesis 39: 7-12. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” Genesis 39:9 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.39.9.NASB Joseph is a slave in this household. He has been put in charge of everything in the household…. everything…

The successful slave. Joseph has made the journey from Canaan to Egypt in the possession of the slave traders. Then he is bought by an Egyptian commander, Potiphar. Joseph could have been mad and resentful. He could have spent his time trying to convince Potiphar of his dreams and to let him go. Instead, he just gets busy doing the work. See Genesis 39:1-6. It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the Lord’s blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the…

Twenty pieces of silver. Last we saw Joseph, he is searching for his brothers because his father asked him to. Well, he finds them and they aren’t happy to see him. Ultimately they decide to sell him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. See Genesis 37:18-36. Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. Genesis 37:28 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.28.NASB I’ve often wondered what Joseph’s response was throughout this. Was he yelling at them? Did he beg them to let him go? Ultimately…

Do what you’re told. Most of us were probably told that as children at some point or another. We felt the authority of our parents or guardians or teachers and we knew the expectation was our obedience. Joseph, even after these dreams that so angered his brothers, is now asked to go check on them. See Genesis 37:12-17 Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. Genesis 37:14 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.14.NASB It would be interesting to know what…

Joseph’s dreams. Probably one of the most commonly known pieces of the story of Joseph are the dreams that he has as a boy. In Geneses 37:5-11 we see these dreams and how his family reacted. His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Genesis 37:11 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.11.NASB His brothers simply weren’t having it. What, their little brother ruling over them? I don’t think so. They weren’t interested in anything else about the dreams, except that they were bowing down to their little brother. Joseph didn’t have to share the dreams. I always kind of wondered about the second dream and why he shared…

The favorite tattletale. As we move into the scriptures that start to speak directly about Joseph himself, we see some interesting ideas about what others thought about him. Read Genesis 37: 1-4. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. Genesis 37:4 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.4.NASB At the ripe old age of 17, Joseph is starting to make his way in the world. He has experienced so many things through his mother and father that have shaped his outlook on life and now he is starting to make some of his own decisions.…