Joseph

At church, our pastor has been talking about Joseph. I always wondered a few things about him.

1. Was he really being bratty as a teen when he told his dreams to his brothers and then to his parents, too?

2. Where in the world did all his faith and patience come from?

Pondering today on #1, I had always thought that Joseph, in a way, was like me. If I know something, I want to tell someone. Not to rub it in, just in a matter of fact way. He was having dreams that his brothers bowed down before him, then later that even his parents bowed down to him. Now, I haven't had any grand dreams like Joseph, but growing up, I was pretty smart...I would tell things to people, not to rub them in, but to just tell them about something interesting I learned about. Since I didn't grow up with Joseph, I had always read that he would just tell the dreams he had.... I never read any inflection into the dreams he told.... "Nah, nah nah nah nah...I'm better than you...." But Dr. Christina implied today in his message that Joseph might have needed some straightening out by God...he tattletaled on his brothers when they didn't do their work. He bragged about the dreams.... I never thought of it that way. I guess I always wondered did Joseph feel like he was missing out on a relationship with his brothers when he was made to stay home and study instead of helping in the fields. Does it really feel good to get gifts from your parents when your brothers get none?

#2... gosh, for a guy who had everything going his way, he sure did get a boat load of misfortune... sold off by his brothers to slavers. Bought by Potiphar and made head of his house, only to be thrown in jail when his wife falsely accused him of something he didn't do. Spending YEARS in prison for a crime he didn't commit.... helping out the Pharoah's cupbearer with a dream interpretation, only to have him forget to tell Pharoah about him until 2 years later when Pharoah had a dream? Most people would look on all of this bad luck as if God had left him. Joseph had faith to move mountains. If he started out as a spoiled, arrogant tattletale, when he lost it all, how did he keep his faith? Jacob must have really instilled a strong belief in the Lord in his son with all the training he did. Joseph didn't cry out and curse God like some of us might. He had faith in God, and God blessed him in all he did, even when he was in the pit, Joseph still looked up to God. Joseph's dreams as a teen did come true. During the plague and famine, his family came to Egypt looking for food and had to bow down to him to get it. Amazing story. Amazing faith. I hope that if I ever find myself in the pit, that I remember Joseph. That I look for the positive when all I see is negative. God is always a positive. He will bless us in our time of trouble and time of need.

I have a lot of questions for Joseph some day. Besides Jesus, he is one of the people I will seek out in Heaven. I have a lot of questions for him!

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Bible, your true word, to lift us up and inspire us to greater faith in you. Thank you that these are not just "stories" that some say they are, but they are true, and they teach us so much. Help me to continue to learn from the examples of Joseph and others in the Bible. Help me to learn and lean on your word in times of trouble. You are our Rock, our Fortress in times of trouble. I will praise you forever and ever. Amen!