Have you read Joseph’s story? I encourage you to read Genesis 37-47 if you haven’t. In brief, Joseph was a boy who dreamt of becoming a leader, but what happened next was far from seeing it manifested into his reality. He was soon after sold as a slave to Egypt by his own brothers – flesh and blood. When he became a manager at Potiphar’s house, he was sent to jail for something he didn’t even do. At this point, he could have thought that his honesty and integrity before God did not bring him any good and be disappointed in God for letting such injustice and adversity happen to him. Instead, he kept his excellence, which gained him the trust of the prison’s head and he was given authority over the whole prison. Even in such a position, he chose to have a good relationship with all the prisoners. Otherwise, how could the baker and the cupbearer share their intimate dreams with Joseph? After divinely interpreting their dreams quite accurately, he was nonetheless soon forgotten. Yet, he chose to serve faithfully for two more years until Pharaoh had a dream that no wise men in Egypt were able to interpret. The cupbearer then remembered him and mentioned him to Pharaoh. Filled with God’s wisdom, Joseph interpreted the dream accurately, advising the Pharaoh what to do, and was promoted to be the prime minister of Egypt. When his brothers came seeking for food – he forgave, accepted, and provided for those who had betrayed him.

During those 13 difficult years, he could have chosen adultery with Potiphar’s wife, which may have saved him from going to jail and letting him keep the job as the house manager. Or, he could have been a typical prisoner begging for freedom, lamenting for the injustice he received, and turning off his ears from listening to the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. Or, he could have chosen to take revenge on his brother, not sell grains to them, capture, enslave, or kill them as he had the authority to. If he made such choices, the story could have gone differently. Instead, he chose to flee from the temptation and keep himself pure despite the false accusation and injustice he received. He chose to serve the prisoners faithfully despite being forgotten. He chose to forgive his brothers despite the betrayal he received. He chose to keep his integrity, excellence, trustworthiness, and tender, forgiving heart, forgetting his sorrow in the land of his affliction (Manasseh) instead of complaining, lamenting, avenging himself, or being bitter and disappointed. 

And look at the rewards God prepared for him. God made him fruitful (Ephraim), and promoted him from a house manager to a prison manager and then to prime minister. God used him to save not only the Egyptians from famine but also his family and their children, even all the Israelite’s, for 400 years before delivering them out of Egypt. From his lineage came out David and then Jesus, our Saviour. Joseph’s choices over those painful 13 years blessed not only his generation then but many generations after him, including us today.

We are not a product of our past but our choices. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us with our choices, and God will use our decisions for the good of not only you or the people around you but also many generations to come. Will you choose to fulfill God’s plan for your life today?