Great Faith

If I could only name a handful of people in the Old Testament that demonstrate great faith Joseph would have to be one of them. Joseph’s story is a long one, it takes place in chapters 37-50, and I don’t really want to write all that (and I don’t think anyone has time to read it) so I’ll summarize. To put it simply Joseph was spoiled, his father Jacob (also used to favoritism) favored Joseph who in return let everyone know it. Joseph had eleven brothers who didn’t like the way he showed off, so they came up with a plan to kill him, but instead sold him to a caravan which led to a life of slavery in Egypt.
There are three events I want to signal out in Joseph’s life that can be used as an example of faith, the first one is in chapter 39. Joseph was working for a man named Potiphar, and as Joseph worked he earned respect and trust. Potiphar had a wife who liked Joseph (in simplest terms) and how did Joseph react? He ran, he separated himself from sin to the point of making an effort to not be around the situation. One day Potiphar’s wife grabbed Joseph and he ran out of her grasp even leaving his cloak behind. That is what we are to do when the devil comes up to us tempting us to sin, we are to run. It may not seem like the macho thing to do, but it is what we are to do. When the devil tempts us we are to get away from the tempter, we are to leave the tempting situation so that our hearts may not be compromised.
After the incident with Potiphar’s wife things went sour. Joseph was in such a hurry that he left his cloak in her hand which she kept for the day and when Potiphar came home she lied and said Joseph attacked her. Potiphar didn’t like that so he threw Joseph in jail. Joseph was sitting in jail when the pharaoh’s cup bearer and baker we sent in. They both had dreams and Joseph interpreted them. Pharaoh had a dream some time later and because Joseph had the reputation of interpreting dreams, he sought him out. Joseph was wrongly sent to prison for who knows how many years. He was accused of a crime he prevented from happening his whole life and from where he was sitting didn’t have much to look forward to. God gave him an opportunity, a chance to be lifted up. All Joseph’s life he was spoiled, and then through the ultimate humiliation was humbled and God looked down and lifted him up.
Joseph rose to a very powerful position and was in charge of food during a famine met up with his brothers. Joseph’s brothers didn’t recognize him and after what seems an endless back and forth Joseph reveals himself. Fast-forward to when Jacob dies and we see Joseph’s brothers afraid that they will be killed and Joseph says one of my favorite verses “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” Genesis 50:19. Joseph was in a position to get back at his brothers, but he instead praised God for His plan, and forgave his brothers for what they did.
Sometimes things go wrong, sometimes we are wrongly accused of something we didn’t do, or are treated unfairly and we always sin. But we should look at Joseph as an example of faith; he ran from temptation, accepted God’s opportunity, and forgave his brothers. Joseph was a man of faith and it should in his life. Before we have God in our lives we can be like the younger Joseph, we can be selfish and annoying, but when we accept God in our lives, when we humble ourselves and live for Him amazing things can happen.