when i undertook this endeavor (blogging), i promised myself i would not write about what i was teaching at church. a lot of guys do and that’s cool, but to me it just seemed like i would be cheating all three of my regular readers. i can certainly see the temptation: i mean, when you’re the main teacher at a local church you spend a lot of time on your sunday presentation. i also resolved that i would not regurgitate those stupid bulletin blurbs that make their incessant demands each and every week, week in and week out (do i sound bitter?). i really wanted my blog to be a thoroughly different expression (more honest? more personal?) than what i do in church. that being said, i beg your indulgence just this once, dear reader, as i share a thought i had during my message yesterday morning. i found it hilarious (if you don’t, please pretend like you do).
last weekend was session twenty-six of our study of genesis. i was teaching out of genesis 41 (joseph interprets pharaoh’s dreams), and the point i was trying to make is that, like joseph, we need to be unselfish with our giftings. joseph demonstrated incredible restraint and godly character when he refused to let personal difficulties dissuade him. he was faithful to use his gift (interpreting dreams) to serve others. here’s the funny part (this can be a intelligence test: i thought it was funny…if you do not, then one of us is not very intelligent. i’ll let you determine which of us is the intelligent one).
after thirteen years of suffering and wondering, joseph experiences a sudden upheaval when, in (literally) a matter of minutes, his station in life improves dramatically. he goes from prisoner to prime minister. he gets the king’s ring, a royal robe, and the chariot belonging to the second-in-command (air force two). pharaoh tells him “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” joseph says, “I beg your pardon?” (morgan revised version).
at that very moment, who should be standing at pharaoh’s right hand but the cupbearer (the one who had forgotten jospeh after jospeh had befriended him). their eyes meet (bear with me…i have a vivd imagination). if i’m joseph, i’d have said, “hey, pal, remember me? two years ago? no grain for you!”
joseph scans the room and there’s potiphar–his ex-master! joseph would have been completely justified if he had said, “hey, potiphar, look at me…second in command…now i’m your master! why don’t you invite me home to dinner? i’ve got a few things i’d like to say to your wife” (and it would have felt really good).
you have GOT to find that funny.
joseph apparently did not give in to his selfish impulse, though. he somehow knew god was using him for some bigger purpose and his dream sustained him. the rest is history. how ironic that joseph was a better christian than i am and he wasn’t even a christian.
Filed under: christianity, church, religion, spiritual
I thought Jesus was a Christian!
“…he goes from prisoner to prime minister.”
Ironic … I can imagine of parallels in todays society to the prime ministers under the king in Joseph’s time. But in todays society many of the “prime ministers” (or congressmen) under the king would be going to prison in my imagination… is that bitter sounding?
Before leaving us stranded (just jokin) Web did a series in Sunday school on the life of Joseph. His (Joseph not Web’s) home/family life could make it on a Jerry Springer show today!
I would be interested in your first two or three sessions of teaching Genesis. Speaking of the Creation stories. I ask this only because it was the purpose of my setting up a blog site.
As to Joseph, I think I will re-read that story after about forty years. I did see a traveling broadway show about Joseph and his multi-colored coat a year or so ago.
I keep on reading your stuff and this old “Church Alum” is going to find a place to re-engage!
Your stuff requires some reflection and that makes it good!
He should have kicked Potipher in the nuts and had his wife be his slave. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have typed that.