JOSEPH

I have just finished reading two accounts of the life of Joseph. In Genesis, his story reads like a suspenseful and emotional novel (Genesis 37 through 50). The second account is an interesting and kind of folksy telling by Charles Swindoll in his series entitled Great Lives From God’s Word.

If anyone ever lived a roller-coaster life, it was Joseph. The favorite son of his father Jacob, Joseph was ambushed by his jealous brothers and thrown into a pit in the wilderness to die. I would consider that a downer. Guilt seemed to get the best of his brothers and so they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him to traders, who then sold him into slavery in Egypt. That’s a downer with a steeper incline.

Joseph ended up as the household slave of Potiphar, of one of the most important men in Egypt. Here he won the approval of his employer and became the chief servant of this high-visibility man. Life was definitely looking up for Joseph. However, the bright new life came to a crashing halt when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of rape. Into jail he went and the key was essentially thrown away.

Scripture says a curious thing about Joseph in prison: “The Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (Genesis 39:21 NIV).

While in prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of two men, both from the court of Pharaoh. After correctly interpreting the dreams, Joseph had a simple request. He asked that when the dreams were fulfilled, and the one man was restored to his place in Pharaoh’s court, that he be remembered to Pharaoh. The man readily agreed, but the moment he was released from prison he forgot all about Joseph.

How do you keep your hopes up at such a point in your life? For years, all Joseph had seen were glimmers of hope that were dashed by the unexpected. Up and down and up and down went his life. For two more years Joseph toiled in prison and then unexpectedly he was called to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.

I want you to see something about Joseph that I think is important. When he was called to come into Pharaoh’s presence, he had been in jail for years and I am sure he looked and smelled like a skid row bum. “When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh” (Genesis 41:14 NIV). This says a lot about this man and his character. Years in prison—and he had not lost his sense of purpose, his sense of dignity, his sense of destiny! This is a man whose life is worthy of study.

The rest of the story is famous. Joseph rightly interpreted the dreams and rose to become the prime minister of Egypt, second in power, authority and wealth only to Pharaoh. He subsequently was reunited with his brothers and his father and brought them to reside with him in Egypt.

There are two things about this amazing man that struck me as I read through these accounts.

First was the incredible integrity Joseph showed through all the ups and downs of his life. We don’t really see it before the ambush by his brothers, but from then on, integrity showed forth and Joseph never wavered in it. Integrity was as much a part of Joseph’s life as was his heartbeat, with him 24/7/365. It was there in prison; when he was being falsely accused; when he was forgotten; and when he became immensely wealthy and powerful. Joseph was an honest man and his life was marked by integrity. “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (Proverbs 11:3 NIV).

I have been to countless seminars on leadership. Over and over I have heard speakers exhort leaders to be people of integrity. I was always left with the impression that integrity is only semi-important as you are on your way to leadership, but you should make sure you address it before you get the corner office. This is terribly wrong thinking. As a Christ follower, you start your life in Him in honesty; you admit you are a sinner; honesty is to mark your life from the very beginning.

Joseph addressed this early and learned to live with it through his whole life. He learned his lessons well in Potiphar’s house and when he got to Pharaoh’s house, he already knew how to live it out and do it well. “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9 NIV).

A personal observation as I have watched leaders “become persons of integrity.” About the time they got to that position of power they lusted after, they grabbed integrity like they would pick up a piece of add-on software for their PC. My observation is that these people don’t last long and don’t finish well because they have never learned how to live with integrity. Joseph was a man of integrity who lasted a long time as the prime minister—and he finished very well.

The second thing about Joseph that I found intriguing is that he was a man of forgiveness—he didn’t hold on to grudges and he didn’t hate. Joseph is the closest I can find to Jesus in his willingness to be forgiving. His relationship to his brothers was especially meaningful. Joseph had every reason to dislike them, to stay away from them, to even hate them, to take revenge—but he didn’t.

In Genesis 45:4-8 Joseph tells his brothers he is not angry and they are not to be distressed at what had happened. Everything had been planned by God for the deliverance of their entire family. Joseph spelled it out but his brothers really didn’t believe him. Years later, when Joseph’s father died, his brothers’ insecurities erupted into fear that Joseph would take his revenge. The scene is really an emotional and incredible picture of grace.

“His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. ‘We are your slaves,’ they said. But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:18-21 NIV).

Joseph had forgiven them and let go of all bitterness and hate—he was a man of integrity and forgiveness.