Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

The story of Joseph is such a great one! It is inspirational on so many levels. As a young man, Joseph was just living life, doing what was asked of him by his father. His father favored him, but that was not Joseph’s fault. He just wore his many-colored coat and moved on. He lived in a day when people placed great significance on dreams so it was normal that he should share the dreams he had. That his brothers reacted violently says a lot about them.

His brothers sold him into slavery. He was sold again into an Egyptian nobleman’s house. Rather than sulk, he did his best work and was rewarded. God blessed him. With more trouble. The master’s wife wanted to sleep with him. (Who would have blamed him if he had done this?) But his response was to honor God and his master. So God rewarded him. With prison.

In prison he once again showed his worth and became a trusted prisoner. Two of Pharaoh’s servants told him of dreams and he provided an interpretation for them, asking only that they remember him when they got out. One did get out and rewarded him. By forgetting all about him for years.

Eventually, Pharaoh had a dream and no one could interpret it. Then, Joseph’s old cellmate remembered him and he was brought before Pharaoh who rewarded him. With almost unlimited power over Egypt! His position afforded him never-before-known luxury and wealth. But not because God meant for him to be rich. God was working to save lives.

Who hasn’t had wrong done to them? When someone offends us accidentally it’s irritating, but understandable. But when they wrong us on purpose, what is our reaction? Joseph faced insult and injury for years, but his faith in God helped him keep it all in perspective. Joseph’s faith that God could create the world out of nothing enabled him to believe that God could create a good thing out of bad.

Joseph’s reaction to his brothers after all that was done to him kind of remind’s me of another verse in the Bible:

Luke 22:34a Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

It’s easy to say “well, that’s Jesus. I can’t be expected to act like Him. He’s God.” What if, as a step in the right direction, we just act like Joseph?