The life of Joseph offers us a glimpse of God at work in the lives of those He loves and provides us with several valuable leadership lessons we can employ in our respective work. Through the various ups and downs of Joseph’s life, God is there, ever-present, always working. When Joseph’s brothers toss him in a well the Lord does not abandon him. When Joseph finds himself imprisoned in jail, God does not forsake him or forget him. Joseph’s story is filled with twists of jealousy, deceit, slavery and turns of misrepresentation, injustice, lust, rivalry. It’s a magnificent story that ends in forgiveness.
Bloom Where You Are Planted
In sharing his insights about the life of Joseph, Pastor Aliaster Begg points out that the most ideal place to serve the Lord is in the place where He has set you down. My late friend, Mark Jones, often quipped “Bloom where you are planted.” You see, real leaders shine no matter where they are, regardless of their role, no matter what their title. Leadership isn’t simply a title. Leadership is about your ability to influence others and to impact the lives of the people God puts in your path. Leadership centers on your ability to influence a group of individuals to work collaboratively toward a common objective.
When you read the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis, we learn what it takes to be a leader: Perseverance, Character, Diligence, Humility, and Trustworthiness.
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Perseverance
Throughout all his trials, Joseph never doubted God’s plan for his life. If you’ve ever been in challenging situations or encountered difficult circumstances then you know how hard it can be to stick it out through the tough times. Most of us remember that old saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar’s wife. Yet, he never lost faith that God had a plan for his life.
Character
We see Joseph grow from a spoiled, arrogant young boy to a man of great character beloved by all. Joseph did the right thing when no one was looking. He resisted temptation and demonstrated forgiveness.
Diligence
Joseph isn’t shy of hard work. Throughout his life, we see God bless his diligence and work ethic. He does his work to the best of his ability and leaves it up to the Lord to bless it.
Humility
Joseph took no credit for his success but gave the Lord all the praise and glory. We read an example of that humility in Genesis 42: 15-16, when Pharaoh tells Joseph that he has had a dream and heard that Joseph can interpret dreams. Instead of taking the credit, Joseph humbly and honestly points to God.
Trustworthiness
Joseph’s refusal to sleep with the wife of his boss speaks to his trustworthiness and loyalty. He demonstrates that same trustworthiness in the story of the cupbearer and the baker, as well as to his brothers who once sought to do him harm.
From being enslaved to being imprisoned to becoming second in command to Pharaoh, the Lord was always with Joseph and Joseph stayed the course and remained faithful to God, ever trusting in the steadfast love of God. We can learn a lot from his example and become better leaders as a result.
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Prayer:
Lord, we trust in Your plan for our life. May we show the perseverance, character, diligence, humility, and trustworthiness that Joseph demonstrated throughout his life as he trusted in Your plan for his life. Help us become better leaders of the people You have entrusted to our care. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
I pray that the Lord showers you with His blessings in the upcoming week.
Humbly,
The Devotional Guy™
The Devotional Guy™ 