Perspective: Wk2 - TUE
Trust
Genesis 39:3-6a
When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Thirteen years will pass between Joseph’s sale into slavery and his ascension to leadership in the courts of Pharaoh. While we don’t know how much of that time he spent in the household of Potiphar, our passage reads with speed and minimalism.
The captain of Pharaoh’s guard purchased Joseph. The Lord was with him; he prospered and lived in Potiphar’s house. Not only did he live in the house rather than the slave quarters, but this servant quickly experienced visible success. So much so that Potiphar elevated him to his attendant, put him in charge, and trusted him enough to stop paying attention to anything beyond his own food.
What an incredible difference between Joseph’s relationships with his brothers and with his owner. The privileged brat and sheep shirker becomes a hardworking, strategic manager: conscientious, loyal, thorough, trusted. One group wants to kill him. The other can’t help but follow him. Is it just different groups of people? Or has something changed in Joseph?
You have probably noticed that when things get difficult, some people shrink back, dwell on negativity, and become worse versions of themselves. Others step up, find new strength, and discover previously unnoticed abilities. Joseph seems to have been the latter. Rather than pout, spend his time reminiscing about the “good ole days,” or complain against Yahweh, he applies himself, builds trust, and influences his surroundings.
Here is the lesson. Failure, disaster, pain, and trouble are opportunities in the hands of Jesus. What are you experiencing that God could use to develop your resourcefulness, unleash more talent, or deepen your compassion? What am I tempted to wish away that, when submitted to Him, would smooth my rough edges and create something beautiful? True, it takes maturity to see things this way. And that’s the point. Somewhere, somehow, stumbling across the desert sands in chains, Joseph matured into a new kind of man, a warrior of faith.
Genesis 39:3-6a
When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Thirteen years will pass between Joseph’s sale into slavery and his ascension to leadership in the courts of Pharaoh. While we don’t know how much of that time he spent in the household of Potiphar, our passage reads with speed and minimalism.
The captain of Pharaoh’s guard purchased Joseph. The Lord was with him; he prospered and lived in Potiphar’s house. Not only did he live in the house rather than the slave quarters, but this servant quickly experienced visible success. So much so that Potiphar elevated him to his attendant, put him in charge, and trusted him enough to stop paying attention to anything beyond his own food.
What an incredible difference between Joseph’s relationships with his brothers and with his owner. The privileged brat and sheep shirker becomes a hardworking, strategic manager: conscientious, loyal, thorough, trusted. One group wants to kill him. The other can’t help but follow him. Is it just different groups of people? Or has something changed in Joseph?
You have probably noticed that when things get difficult, some people shrink back, dwell on negativity, and become worse versions of themselves. Others step up, find new strength, and discover previously unnoticed abilities. Joseph seems to have been the latter. Rather than pout, spend his time reminiscing about the “good ole days,” or complain against Yahweh, he applies himself, builds trust, and influences his surroundings.
Here is the lesson. Failure, disaster, pain, and trouble are opportunities in the hands of Jesus. What are you experiencing that God could use to develop your resourcefulness, unleash more talent, or deepen your compassion? What am I tempted to wish away that, when submitted to Him, would smooth my rough edges and create something beautiful? True, it takes maturity to see things this way. And that’s the point. Somewhere, somehow, stumbling across the desert sands in chains, Joseph matured into a new kind of man, a warrior of faith.
- What talent or skill are you currently working to develop? How is that going?
- How would others describe your response to difficult circumstances? Why do you think they would say that?
- What personal difficulty does Joseph’s story remind you of? What would you like to say to Jesus about it?
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