Today’s Reading Genesis 37 – 39
Focal Scripture: Genesis 39:3 “When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful,”
Joseph was being watched by Potiphar, the person who purchased him. He was being watched so closely it was evident that the LORD was with Joseph and he was not like everyone else that was around. Of all the positive statements that can get said of Joseph this is one of the most astounding. Everywhere he went people could tell that the LORD was with him. Yes, the Bible says that he was also successful and everything he did flourished but that is an overflow of who Joseph was in God.
The biblical account of Joseph clearly demonstrates that he had a character that was above others around him. N.T. Wright states that “character is the pattern of thinking and acting which runs right through someone, so that whenever you cut into them, you see the same person through and through.” Joseph was being watched and people took notice of who he really was. Joseph was authentic and that draws people to the cause of what makes a person that way.
If you are a believer people are watching how we live. They are not just watching when it is convenient for us either. They want to see character that is different from others around them. This does not mean perfection but it does mean we do not act like the world around us, especially when things do not go our way. How we respond driving down the road when we get cut off demonstrates our character. How we respond when people do not meet our expectations. Also how we respond when we are treated poorly and mistreated for no reason at all. These are just a few examples of when people will watch our character.
I encourage you today to do a self evaluation and ask yourself these questions.
- How would I have responsed in Joseph’s situation
- When was the last time something didn’t go my way? How did I respond and would that have ruined my testimony?
- Am I a gracious person even when others around me treat me poorly?
- Does my character match what Jesus demonstrated for us when he was on Earth?
We can draw more people to Christ if we will take on more of his attributes in our lives. We can also repel people from Christ when we act in our flesh. Eyes are always watching us and that should be viewed as a positive in our lives.
Tomorrow’s Reading 40-42
