Joseph

[Thompson, Darryl]

Joseph 

     And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this
is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet
and wise as thou art: thou shalt be over my house, and according unto
thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be
greater than thou. Gen. 41:38-40  

     From the dungeon Joseph was exalted to be ruler over all the land
of Egypt. It was a position of high honor, yet it was beset with
difficulty and peril. One cannot stand upon a lofty height without
danger. As the tempest leaves unharmed the lowly flower of the valley,
while it uproots the stately tree upon the mountaintop, so those who
have maintained their integrity in humble life may be dragged down to
the pit by the temptations that assail worldly success and honor. But
Joseph's character bore the test alike of adversity and prosperity. The
same fidelity to God was manifested when he stood in the palace of the
Pharaohs as when in a prisoner's cell. He was still a stranger in a
heathen land, separated from his kindred, the worshipers of God; but he
fully believed that the divine hand had directed his steps, and in
constant reliance upon God he faithfully discharged the duties of his
position. Through Joseph the attention of the king and great men of
Egypt was directed to the true God; and . . . they learned to respect
the principles revealed in the life and character of the worshiper of
Jehovah.  

     How was Joseph enabled to make such a record of firmness of
character, uprightness, and wisdom?--In his early years he had consulted
duty rather than inclination; and the integrity, the simple trust, the
noble nature, of the youth, bore fruit in the deeds of the man. . . .
Faithful attention to duty in every station, from the lowliest to the
most exalted, had been training every power for its highest service. He
who lives in accordance with the Creator's will is securing to himself
the truest and noblest development of character.  

>From My Life Today - Page 66