During 13 years in Egypt, Joseph was slave to Potiphar, falsely accused, left in a dungeon, forgotten. Suddenly he is summoned: “Take a bath. Shave that beard. Put on fresh clothes. Whatever Pharaoh says, do your best to answer.”
Suddenly Joseph is standing before the king. He interprets Pharaoh’s dream and gives God the credit. But Joseph does more. He speaks boldly, offering the king of the world a plan:
“Let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let him appoint overseers, and take a fifth of the harvest during the seven years of abundance…. Under Pharaoh’s authority, store the grain in the cities, so they may preserve it as food” Genesis 41:33-35.
Joseph, now 30, speaks his new language well. He is a born leader. Pharaoh is impressed and immediately makes him second-in-command. Had Joseph merely explained the dreams, perhaps shyly, while looking down and mumbling, the outcome might have been different. Pharaoh would still have been pleased; the meaning of the dreams was all he asked. But because Joseph made an impression, Pharoah gave him his signet ring and the power to save the world by managing the largest food storage project in history.
Joseph was ready. “BE READY IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON” 2 Timothy 4:2. Can you speak well—or will you by age 30? No, seriously. If you were brought before judges or corporate presidents, could you speak like a professional? For example, do you know when to say ‘my wife and I’ versus ‘my wife and me’? Do you have a good vocabulary and working knowledge of real-world, grown-up topics? Can you hold off on the cussing and slang and speak like a professor when required? Can you stand up straight and make bold eye contact? These skills matter and can be found in MANY (but not all) Bible characters. Jesus, who, like Joseph, was 30 when lifted into His most important role, was an incredible speaker and was confident before both Jewish and Roman leaders. May we be the same.
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