16 I cannot do it, Joseph replied to Pharaoh, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.
38 So Pharaoh asked them, Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all this known to you, there is no-one so discerning and wise as you.
40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.
Yet again Joseph defers to God and gives him the praise. It would have been so easy to tell Pharaoh that yes, he could interpret dreams and then to take the reward for himself. Instead, Joseph puts God first, makes a suggestion about putting a wise man in charge of the problem and does not push himself forward at all.
This is difficult to imagine in this day and age, when it seems that it is every man for himself, that you have to always be pushing yourself forward, presenting yourself in the best possible light to get on, get moving, get rich. Imagine what a better place the workplace would be if everyone took this attitude? If instead of stabbing in the back a colleague, trying to outdo others all the time, get the promotion, the favour of the boss, you actually took the time and the trouble to give the glory to God, because after all, isn't he the one who has given you the ability to do that job? Yes you may have studied and gained the qualifications, you may have applied for the job and had the experience they were looking for, were prepared to work for that pay and do those hours, but God is the one who gave you the experience, the intelligence to pass the exams, the patience to do those hours, and so on.
Joseph could have literally have written his own blank cheque there and had Pharaoh sign it, but instead, he gave the glory to God and was rewarded accordingly.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
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