Learning from Joseph's life

This was my message to about fifties high school students last Saturday in a service. I told them that they (and I too) can learn many things from Joseph's life.

From my observation, Joseph's life in the Book of Genesis can be divided into four phases. The four phases are:

• Joseph in his father's home
• Joseph in Potiphar's house
• Joseph in the prison
• Joseph in Pharaoh's palace

In each phase, we can pull similar threads about Joseph's outstanding characters. I see eight of them.

• Joseph feared God. It seems that he fully realized the omnipresence of the LORD. This was apparent from his definite stand agains the daily seduction of Potiphar's wife. I know it must be very hard to bear for a normal man. She was very likely a beautiful woman since Potiphar was a high official.
• Joseph was a man very faithful and dedicated to every responsibility given to him. Potiphar must be a crazy man in trusting nearly all his possessions to a man who can not be trusted with small things. Joseph must had been successful in doing jobs from his master, starting from daily small ones up to those with higher level of trust. Joseph a trusted man can be found in every phase of his life and the Bible give us the key to it: the presence and blessing of the LORD in everything he did.
• It can be predicted that Joseph was a man who loves to tell the truth. Telling lies must not be found in his dictionary.
• Joseph took great cares to people he served. See how he treated the two Pharaoh's official in the prison. He asked what their problem was and he was insterested to know so that perhaps he could help them. He was generous in offering help.
• Joseph was a forgiving person. Prejudice is far from him. See how he showed no doubt in doing his father's order to see his brother eventhough he must know that they hated him so much. Spending years in palace did not change Joseph. Notice how he treated his brothers when they came to Egypt for foods.
• Joseph was a clever person too. He not only used opportunities, but he also created them. He asked the official to remember him after telling the meaning of his good dream. Anyway, Joseph was still a normal guy. Who likes to be in prison all time, eh? And see when the Pharaoh asked him only to interpret the dreams, Joseph also gave additional advices that paved the way for him to be raised from rags to riches and fame! He walked another mile by giving more than expected.
• Joseph was a man of remarkable persistence and endurance. He spent a long 13 years in Egypt before hailed as king. It was not found in the Bible that he grumbled. Instead, it seems that Joseph just received the unfortunate conditions and worked the best he could do for his masters who eventually loved him.
• Joseph was a man who achieved true meaning of success in life. He finally became a great blessing for so many people, not only the Israelites and the Egyptians, but also people of all nations which future was determined by the stock of food in Egyptian barns built by Joseph. He fulfilled God's amazing masterplan designed for him before the earth was created.

Is it possible to be a 21th century Joseph?