Thoughts on the Life of Joseph # 1

Joseph has been my favorite Bible character for as long as I can remember. I remember liking the story of Joseph as a child, but it wasn't until sometime later, probably in my teen years, that Joseph decidedly became my favorite.

My mom used to read a Bible story to me and my siblings almost every night before bed, especially when we were really young. (under age 10) I still remember our dark blue sofa with its fine, white lines and checks that ran through the weave of the sturdy and scratchy fabric. I have so many memories on that sofa! I would snuggle as closely as I could next to my mom with my eyes glued on the colored, picture illustrations in our Bible story book. The stories were short, but captivating. 

"Read another one!" we begged when she was finished with a really short one. Sometimes she would do that, much to our satisfaction. 

The story of Joseph and his coat of many colors was one I always loved. Joseph's dreams, Joseph's brothers throwing him in a pit, then selling him to Egypt, kept my attention closely. Poor Joseph when he was later thrown in prison and didn't do anything wrong! But the best part was when he got out of prison and then revealed himself to his brothers as a surprise later! I always loved the ending of that story. I still do. (Genesis 37 - Genesis 45 in the Bible) 

An illustration of Joseph with his father, Jacob,
 and his younger brother, Benjamin.  

As shared in a more recent blog post, I've decided to write several, short, inspirational, blog posts about Joseph's life. In reading about the life of Joseph in the Bible, I see many things that stand out to me as being both significant and inspiring. 

As a child, the story of Joseph was simply that - just a nice story. Though I knew it was true and it really did happen thousands of years ago (Joseph was a real person!), it wasn't much more to me beyond being a nice story.

But after I gave my life to the Lord at the age of 11, Bible stories, like Joseph, became more inspiring to me. Naturally, I got more out of them than I did as a young child.

Something that has stood out to me, significantly, about Joseph's life is this: he was, clearly, a Godly young man, even at the age of 17. Joseph had a relationship with God. Joseph walked with God. I think it's clear by reading the story - Joseph wanted to please God in every area of his life.  

Joseph must have made some choices in his young life, perhaps even in his childhood, that he wanted to know and walk with God. I cannot help but think of Joseph's mother, Rachel, who died giving birth to his younger brother, Benjamin. 

Many Bible preachers tend to put Rachel down. I can understand why. His mother, Rachel, stole and hid some idols, something that I believe led to her death. I don't like to hear Bible speakers and teachers put Rachel down though because I’m sure she had a tremendous influence on her son's young life. I believe there was something good, and even Godly, about Rachel. Rachel was the mother of Joseph.

The thing that stands out to me the most about Joseph's young life is this: 

Everything that Joseph went through in his life, beginning with his brothers selling him at the age of 17, says to me that Joseph was a Godly young man even before he went through all of the enormously hard things that he did. How do I know this? 

To me, there is absolutely no way Joseph could have gone through all of the difficult things that he did and remain totally faithful to God, if he did not have a strong walk with God at the age of 17. 

Joseph's trials did not make him a Godly man. 

Rather, Joseph's trials revealed the Godly man he was - even at the young age of 17.