How’s Your Professionalism?

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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Time Flies When You’re Working Hard.

Imagine sitting in a dungeon all day, nothing to do, nothing to read, no one to talk to. Time crawls. 

Joseph was sold into slavery at 17.  He served Potiphar, was falsely accused, spent years in prison, then was elevated to second-in-command of Egypt. But Joseph had never stopped working. God did not send him to Egypt to wile away his time in a cell, atrophy consuming body and mind. God sent him to Egypt to work and hustle and face challenges and grow. Those 13 years, serving first Potiphar and then the head of the Palace Guard, grew Joseph into the man God wanted him to be. Potiphar saw God blessing things he entrusted to Joseph—so Potiphar entrusted EVERYTHING to Joseph. Joseph—an immigrant, still learning the language and culture—soon ran Potiphar’s entire business. 

The same thing happened in prison: the Captain of the Guard saw how capable Joseph was and put him in charge of EVERYTHING.  And Joseph worked hard, dawn to dusk, never slowing down.  He must have arrived in Egypt with incredible skills.  But slavery and prison taught him humility and compassion. Still, the man worked hard and time did not drag.

And when Joseph finally met Pharoah, the king put him in charge of EVERYTHING.  In essence, Joseph WAS king.  His word was law.  And God blessed the entire nation through his leadership.

“The Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man….  The Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him… the Lord made everything he did successful.” Genesis 39:2,21,23.

One key to Joseph’s success?  HARD WORK.

“Do your work with all your heart, as unto God rather than men. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24.

God, teach us to work hard, to be grateful for work and acts of service—and help us work hard FOR YOU, not just for others or ourselves. Remind us that we are serving you and you are growing us through our work. Bless our work as you blessed Joseph’s.

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The Blessing of God.

In Egypt, Joseph gave his sons names that indicated God had blessed him “in the land of my affliction.” Genesis 41:51-52. But Joseph was not the only one who knew God’s hand was on him. It was obvious to Egypt’s idol-worshipping pagans:

“And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper…. [so Potiphar] made him overseer in his house… and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had.”

Genesis 39:2-5.

And even in prison:

“The Lord was with Joseph… and the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners… because the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper” 39:21-23.

And Pharoah:

“Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?… and Pharoah took off his ring and put it on Joseph’s hand,” 41:38,42. 

God’s blessings were all over Joseph, and he became second-in-command of all Egypt.

I love the story of Joe. So what can I do to have God’s blessings in my life? Any clues? Part of it is God’s choice—He chose Joseph for special blessings. But it’s more than that. Joseph OBEYED. Imagine: young man, all alone in a new land, no friends or family, no one speaks his language or worships his God. But there is one woman who is after him every day. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. She grabs his clothes and begs: “Sleep with me!” That would be SO TEMPTING! (Seriously.) He answered:

“How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”—and he tore himself loose leaving his robe in her hand! (How hard did she pull? She was scary-determined.)

But notice, Joseph did not focus on sinning against Potiphar, his wife, or himself. He feared sinning against God. –And that’s the key to his blessings. God blesses us when we obey.

How can you obey God more? Is there a sin you need to eliminate? Do you crave God’s blessings? Obey Him and be patient. Plant good seeds and in a later season (give them time to grow), you will reap a good harvest. 

—read Galatians 6:9

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The Lord is With You. Genesis 39 and 40.

Who is your favorite person in the Bible—excluding Jesus, the God-Man? Mine has always been Joseph, and I began reading his story today: a gifted dreamer, super-talented, picked-on, and misunderstood. And righteous. What a man of INTEGRITY.

But though sold into slavery in a foreign, pagan land, he was never alone, not even in the Egyptian prison. When Joseph worked in Potiphar’s house, Genesis 39:2 says “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man.” Other versions say “God made whatever he did to prosper.” I think Joseph knew that. He knew it was not just him or his brains or talents. Throughout his life, when dreams needed to interpreted, Joseph always told the dreamers that “interpretations belong to God” (40:8; see also 41:16). He knew it was never about him.

So God was with Joseph and Joseph knew it. Sometimes I find myself praying that way—that God would be with me as He was with my hero, Joseph.

When Potiphar threw Joseph into prison, chapter 39 repeats the chorus: “The Lord was with Joseph, and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (v. 21). That’s amazing. Imagine having God as your social coordinator, blessing your relationships with people and causing them to view you in a positive light. Sometimes I pray this too: “God, grant me favor in the eyes of so-and-so….” And He can do it. Honestly, I know He has done it. While I may be tempted to look at myself and see only failure, I know that there are a lot of people who have high opinions of me. God HAS granted me favor in their eyes.


Finally, it says again, “THE LORD MADE EVERYTHING THAT HE DID SUCCESSFUL” (39:23). Boy, have I prayed for that over the years. I need success. Don’t we all? I need to do well, earn a raise and a bonus, pay bills on time, and take care of dozens of responsibilities that God has given me to steward. You better believe I’m praying for God to bless me and to “make everything I do successful.” Amen.


Dear Lord, like Jabez, I pray, “Oh, that thou wouldst bless me indeed!” We need your blessings, Lord. Make our efforts successful. Bless us in our jobs, our schoolwork, our hobbies, our home. May people see JESUS in us, through our love and patience and forgiveness and grace and integrity and our servant hearts. Be with us, God, and make us successful for YOUR GLORY, not our own.

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Dirt Farmers and Horse Thieves: Dregs. Genesis 38.

My dad used to joke, “My ancestors were all dirt farmers and horse thieves.” Actually, his farmer-ancestors were hard-working, honest, kind, and willing to reserve judgment until they had heard all the facts.  Yet my grandfather’s nine siblings were not untouched by scandal and rumor.

Every family tree has rotten limbs—it’s a mathematical certainty. For some, it may be your parents.  For others, you have to look further, knowing the worst among us are hardest to find. Criminals, drunks, gamblers who can’t pay, and the unemployable often live on the run leaving behind few records for the genealogical researcher. But they lived, whether you can find them or not.

‘Dregs of society’ is a metaphor comparing the lowly to grounds swirling in the bottom of a coffee cup.  And one genealogical record is loaded with the dregs of society: Jesus.  The Messiah is descended from Rahab, a pagan prostitute; King Ahaz who worshipped idols and had his own son burned alive as a human sacrifice; King Joash who murdered the prophet Zechariah; and many more.

Jesus is “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah”—consider the sins of His ancestor, Judah.  First, he kidnapped his brother Joseph, second, he suggested selling Joseph into slavery.  Then he raised sons so wicked, the Lord slew them. He disobeyed God regarding his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Later, he slept with a prostitute. Then he angrily sentenced Tamar to death for ‘having played the harlot’ before realizing she was pregnant by him.  Like the soap operas of David and Solomon, the life of Judah is a pageant of sin and shame.  But there is no shame in Jesus.

And there is no shame in you!  No matter how bad your parents are, no matter the secrets in your family, God sees you individually.

“In those days, it will no longer be said: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.’ Instead, each will die for his own iniquity. If anyone eats sour grapes, his own teeth will be set on edge” Jeremiah 31:29-30.

God, thank you for redeeming us no matter our family of origin.  Thank you for grace!

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Keep the Matter in Mind. Genesis 37:11.

Sometimes parenting feels like a rerun of a TV show I already watched.

But more often, the themes are similar, but the stories are quite different. And the way God speaks to me about those stories is also different. When I struggled with algebra, God spoke to me and led me through the minefield. When my children struggled with algebra, God reminded me of my own experience and of the principles that should lead to success—but He did not step into my life and lead me the way He did when it was MY story.

God works differently in the lives of parents. He reminds us of our own experiences, and of wisdom and truths that will guide our children. But parenting is a bit like coaching—we are not on the field, but on the sideline. We offer advice, but we cannot play the game.

This makes for an interesting experience for parents in the Bible. When Joseph had dreams that his father did not approve of, Jacob rebuked his son. Joseph’s brothers were angry and jealous, but his father “kept the matter in mind” Genesis 37:11. Even though Jacob was offended by his son’s dreams, the Bible says the father kept the matter in mind. In other words, Jacob knew that some dreams come from God, and he could not ignore his son’s two dreams. Somewhere in the mind of this parent was an openness to the ways of God and the mystery of an unknown future. Rather than ignore the matter and forget the dreams, Dad “kept the matter in mind.” Years later, those dreams would be fulfilled, and the favorite son that Jacob had mourned as dead for twenty years would turn out to be alive and one of the two most powerful men on earth. I believe keeping the matter in mind gave Jacob a glimmer of hope during the dark years of mourning for the son he thought was dead.

The Bible uses the same phrase to describe Mary’s reaction to some events in the life of Jesus. After the shepherds reported what the angels had said to them, Mary “pondered” or “treasured” these things in her heart. That is, she “kept them in mind.” And when her twelve-year-old son astonished the temple priests with his understanding, she “treasured these things in her heart.” Mary did not draw conclusions—she did not assume she had all the answers, but she knew she had witnessed something important and she stored it away in her memory. Like Jacob, she would keep the matter in mind, knowing that someday God would give her greater understanding. Similarly, I treasure a handful of memories of events in my kids’ lives that may or may not have come from God. One day, I will know.

The phrase is used one other time in the Bible. In Daniel 7:28, Daniel reports he had a troubling dream. He knew the dream came from God, but he did not understand it. Yet, he refused to dismiss it. Instead, “his thoughts terrified him and his face turned pale, but he KEPT THE MATTER IN MIND” Daniel 7:28.

Sometimes, that is all a parent can do. We watch what God is doing, we pray for understanding, and we keep the matter in mind, knowing that He will reveal more when He is ready.

Dear God, when we do not understand, remind us to pray and to keep the matter in mind. Never let us ignore things we do not understand. But help us to pay attention as you give us greater wisdom.

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Remember. Genesis 35:14.

We make souvenirs of silly things sometimes. The pack rats among us save not just one childhood report card, but all of them.  Not just one or two art projects, but all of them.  Not just one or two children’s toys—but ALL of them.  Eventually you need file cabinets and a rented storage unit to hang on to things earlier generations would have tossed.

But the reverse is also true: sometimes we forget things we should remember.  We forget great compliments. We forget how amazing a victory felt, or an achievement.  And we even forget the things God does in our lives. What deserves to be memorized more than the things God says to you?  Those are things you should NEVER forget!  Because hearing God’s voice is such an amazing and personal thing, I make an effort to remember when He speaks. 

“Jacob set up a marker at the place where God had spoken to him—a stone marker” Genesis 35:14.

Henry Blackaby writes that, like Jacob, we should erect “spiritual markers” in our lives so that we never forget the great acts of God on our behalf.  Here are some of mine:

  1. Salvation and baptism (I’ll save the details)
  2. God led me to one of my childhood friends (seriously—but I did not know His voice at the time), Chris Wolff
  3. Years later, God led me to date your mom
  4. God led me to work at Tyrrell Park Baptist Church in Beaumont (and I did NOT want to)
  5. God led me to break up (again, I did not want to), and etcetera….

What has God done in your life? When has he spoken to you? Has he ever said the opposite of what you wanted him to say? It may be disappointing, but it lets you know you’re probably hearing from him and not simply imagining the answer for which you already hoped.

Make a list. Memorize everything God does in your life.

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Wrestling With God.

Jacob is the only person to wrestle with God literally. But countless others have wrestled with God, figuratively speaking. Have you? If God seems silent, or seems to be saying no, DON’T GIVE UP! Keep praying! Don’t quit until the Holy Spirit tells you to quit.

“A certain woman … heard of Jesus and came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenecian by nation, and she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, ‘Let the children [the Jews] first be filled. For it is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.’

And she answered and said unto Him, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.’

And He said unto her, ‘For this saying, go thy way. The devil is gone out of thy daughter.’ And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed” Mark 7:25-30.

Do you see what happened? This young mother, a woman and a Gentile, mustered up the courage to approach a Jewish rabbi and beg Him to heal her daughter, but He said no. 

And she ARGUED! She argued with Jesus!  She wrestled with God, like Jacob: I’M NOT LETTING YOU GO UNTIL YOU BLESS ME!

And Jesus was PLEASED! And He gave her what she asked for. He blessed her, just as God blessed Jacob simply because he fought for it.

God WELCOMES your arguments. When He seems to say no, maybe He’s just waiting to hear you argue back to Him. Jesus actually told the woman “For this saying, go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.” He LIKED her answer! He liked her argument! In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus compliments the woman for her great faith, 15:28. 

It takes FAITH to argue with God. Why? Because He said no, but you have enough faith to see His heart of love, and FAITH convinces you that you can argue, plead, grapple, wrestle with God. He welcomes your arguments! Don’t give up.

“Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. “You have not because you ask not” James 4:2.

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The Hopefulness of an Open Mind.

Often there are two ways to look at things, a doubting view and a view rooted in faith.  And you may not know which view is correct.  Can you think of one topic about which you have not made up your mind?  We are uncomfortable with uncertainty.  We have to KNOW, even if what we “know” is wrong.  It is easier to pick a side and go all-in than to remain undecided. 

But some questions remain unanswered.  And those who choose sides do so based on assumptions, not evidence.  This is true not only of global issues, but in our personal lives.  Some of us, like JUDGE JUDY, decide instantly: “You’re LYING!” Yet, we really don’t know. 

THERE MAY BE SECURITY THAT COMES FROM CHOOSING A POSITION. BUT THERE IS HOPE THAT COMES FROM KEEPING AN OPEN MIND IN MATTERS OF FAITH. When Abraham took Isaac up Mt. Moriah, he was terrified, but kept an open mind.  ‘Maybe God will rescue Isaac,’ he told himself.  ‘He’s the child of promise.’  Hebrews 11 says Abraham kept the faith.

I believe Jacob did the same when told Joseph had been killed.  In spite of evidence, the bloody coat of many colors, Jacob had an alternative view.  He remembered Joseph’s dreams of the family bowing to Joseph.  The dreams were offensive, and Jacob rebuked Joseph over them.  But he also “kept the matter in mind” Genesis 37:11. 

Jacob had an open mind, and it gave him hope.  Perhaps Jacob was 99% sure Joseph was dead.  But in his darkest moments, God brought to mind those dreams that Jacob had to know came to his son from the same God who gave Jacob miraculous dreams.

God gave Joseph those dreams to give him hope.  But God gave the report of them to his father Jacob—to help him keep the faith.  And eventually, the dreams were fulfilled.

There can be HOPE in uncertainty.  Don’t rush to make up your mind on all subjects.  Take your time and never give up on faith when God has spoken.

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Do You Ever Feel Mistreated?

Have you ever been treated unfairly? Have you ever felt left out by friends or teammates or family? God sees. He knows what happened and He knows how bad it feels. Can you forgive? Can you leave the problem in God’s hands and trust Him to make things right?

We are called to trust Him, to forgive and let Him handle it.

In Genesis 31, Jacob (the deceiver) complains of having been deceived and cheated by his father-in-law Laban. For twenty years Jacob served Laban and for twenty years, Laban constantly tried to take advantage of Jacob. But one night God spoke to Jacob in a dream. Jacob had made a deal with Laban that would allow Laban to keep all the white sheep from Laban’s flocks, but Jacob could take the spotted (flawed) sheep:

“Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ ”He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you” Genesis 31: 11-12.

God tells Jacob, “I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.” That reminds me of another passage where God tells Moses he has seen the way the Egyptians are abusing the people of Israel. God hears your cries too. God sees when you are abused. God knows when you suffer. And He will make it better. He will bring justice. He will comfort you in your affliction.

In this case, God says that He knows Laban is trying to trick Jacob out of the payment that he owes him for his work, but God is going to make sure Jacob gets what he deserves. God can take care of our needs as well.

He sees when we suffer. He knows how bad it feels. And He will take care of us.

Ask God for the patience to endure suffering, and the patience to trust Him, and the grace and humility to forgive those who take advantage of us. And for the wisdom to know when we need to defend ourselves and when we need to leave it in His hands.

Dear God, thank you that you have seen our suffering, that you know how we feel, and you understand our hurts even when those closest to us may not understand. Help us to forgive and leave our grievances in your powerful hands.

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