The Story

Once upon a time, there was a boy. He was fairly favored in his family of about 12. He had many brothers, and yet they could tell that their dad loved him more. This boy had the best clothes and was not required to participate in all of the chores of the field on the land that they owned. This boy was betrayed by his brothers. He was sold into slavery. He was then accused of trying to get someone's wife to cheat with him and was thrown into jail. This same boy was then forgotten multiple times until one day, everything changed. This same boy become ruler of many things. He was in charge an entire country. His entire life changed because of one thing. His life changed because of the gifts God gave him.

How About You?

Have you ever walked through life thinking that you were worthless and forgotten? Have you ever felt as if there were so many more important people in the world and that you were alone in the happenings of your own life? Have you thought that the world could survive without you? Have you been hated and thrown into the dust because of the different things that you were passionate about? Have you looked at a friend or enemy and thought, "man, the world just appreciates them more"? Well, you are definitely not alone.

I think all too often people are left thinking that they are alone in this big world, that they do not matter in a world so large. I think this misconception has led to major problems in the world. One of these problems being suicide, another being drug dependence, and yet another being self-harm. All of these things are very detrimental to the individual and those that surround them. All of these things, are also thoughts that run through many people's minds and are never shared. These are also the thoughts that Joseph could have formed while sitting alone in jail and being betrayed by all of his brothers.

The Infamous Joseph

Joseph was highly influenced by the different events in his life, but ultimately he was just a person. First, he was loved more than his brothers. Then, he was thrown into slavery for an Egyptian man, who eventually accused him of committing adultery. This got him thrown into an Egyptian jail where he encountered a cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer said that he would remember Joseph for interpreting his dreams, but failed. There was an opportunity for awful rejection that Joseph could have felt and maybe did.

That was not the end for Joseph, however, and that will not be the end for you. As the story continues, we learn that Joseph's life changed drastically. The cupbearer eventually notices that Joseph can interpret Pharaoh's dreams and remembers him. Joseph is released from jail and allowed to be in charge of all of Egypt as they go through hard times together.

The Wonderful Message

This miraculous story brings about so many great points. These points allow us all to see how great the gifts of God can be and how great we can be to the world even though we may feel so insignificant. The greatest part of this story is seeing Joseph realize the provision of God and not hold any grudges against the ones who did him wrong.

One example of this is probably the most obvious. Joseph was given the ability to interpret dreams. Now, I do not know a single person who can interpret dreams, so I'm guessing that you cannot either, but there are many different attributes about yourself that God has given you, that he has not given many other people. These attributes set you apart from many others. These attributes allow you to contribute to society the different parts of life that society is lacking. Do not minimalize these attributes, they are what make you unique. Glorify God with these attributes. Realize that you are able to change lives and focus on helping others in these specific ways.

Another example of this is Joseph's humbleness throughout the entire story. Joseph remains humble from beginning to end. In the beginning, there were many times that he could have bragged to his brothers about being the favorite of the family, but he did not. There were also many times when he could have glorified himself while being in jail in Egypt. Again, there were times when he could have praised himself for the accomplishments he had in Egypt during the famine they went through and yet, he still did not. Not once did Joseph fail at being humble. I believe this is a lesson for us all. All of the happenings we go through in our daily lives are not about us. We should be humble and bring the ultimate glory to God and praise him for the events that he allows us to go through.

Although there are many different aspects of this story that we all could learn from, the last one to speak of is Joseph's full understanding of how God works. This is something that everyone can work on, but Joseph is a great example of what it is like to understand God greatly. In Genesis 45, Joseph, after many years apart, reveals to his brothers that it is actually him they have been encountering when they came to Egypt for grain. This is a very emotional moment for Joseph because he had been hiding his identity. This is a plot twist in the huge story of Joseph. This moment changes the story from being just about Joseph, to being all about God. Joseph says, "And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." How wonderful is that? All of these horrible events happen to Joseph and he can forgive his brothers for selling him because he realizes that God was in control all along.

Realizing that God has a plan for everything in life is hard. We think about all of the awful things that have happened to us and want to be angry at the person or at God. This is not the way to go though. We need to recognize that although God lets bad things happen to us because we are born into a sinful world, He is still in control. He changes us and shapes us to ultimately fulfill His plan. That's what we can learn from Joseph.

The Truth

What a wonderful observation God allows us to see through His word. One that can apply to every single person on this planet. No one's life is perfect and even though we feel inadequate, unimportant, useless, and many other negative adjectives, we are not. We are God's child and we are given gifts to use and put through trials that alter our lives to ultimately fulfill his glory. What a wonderful peace that may give every single one of us.

In the light of Joseph and our newly found importance, may God show you what it is you are to use your gifts for. May you be excited and humble about them.