God’s Special Child
Gen. 39: 8,9 But he refused and said, “…how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
We all know the story of Joseph and how he became prime minister of the greatest country in the world at that time. But he was not always famous and powerful. As a teenager, his own brothers turned against him. They sold him as a slave and he spent many years as a servant and even did time in jail! What made him rise from being a slave to be a ruler? It was because of Joseph’s love and respect for God and because he tried to be so much like Him.
Joseph knew that he was a child of God and that God loved him, so no matter how people treated him he never felt like a nobody. He remembered he was God’s child. God promises to be always with His children, so Joseph was not afraid, knowing that God was with him to protect him and provide for him. But because God was with him he was always well-behaved and disciplined. As a member of God’s family, he represented God. In Potiphar’s house, in prison, wherever he was, he was careful how and what he spoke and how he acted because he wanted God to be proud of him.
It was because of this that Joseph did his best in everything he did. He was also honest and respectful, kind and fair to those around him. His boss saw how well he worked and gave him the highest promotions. Eventually he became rich and powerful. But all this was not so important to Joseph. What was most important to him was that he could please God. That was why he didn’t listen when Mrs. Potiphar tried to tempt him; why he was able to forgive his brothers who sold him as a slave; and why after many years in Egypt they still knew that he was a Hebrew, a child of God. That is also why God was able to bless him so much. And if you try to please God in all you do, you will find yourself blessed as Joseph was blessed.
Lord, please help me to love you and to try to please you as Joseph did that you may be able to bless me like you blessed him, in Jesus name, Amen.