Maturity in Faith: Genesis 40:1-8
When we are mature in our righteous behavior, the world gets a glimpse of God as He works through us. This is faith in action; it is the model Jesus showed us when He came. Jesus’ life was all about servant leadership. He demonstrated God’s power through His righteousness and the world saw God’s hand at work through Him as He served.
Joseph was not just in any prison. Joseph was in the prison where the people who committed crimes against important people went. This makes sense. Joseph had been the servant of Potiphar, and Potiphar was one of the chief officials over Egypt underneath Pharaoh. Potiphar was a significant figure in Egypt, so when he had Joseph arrested, Joseph went to the same prison that those who committed crimes against Pharaoh would go.
This is where Joseph meets the king’s cupbearer and the king’s baker. We have no idea what crimes these servants committed, but one way or another they found themselves in trouble under Pharoah. Pharoah placed them in prison while he figured out what to do with them.
While Pharoah is sorting through the lives of his officials, God is sorting through Egypt. He is making plans. All along, God desired for Joseph to become elevated in Egypt so he can save the people in Canaan when the famine comes. Potiphar chose to listen to his wife and have Joseph arrested, so God will use the prison to get Joseph into the presence of Pharoah.
This is how God’s provision looks. Who would have thought God capable of using a prison and criminal elements in His plan? Who would have thought God would take the lies of Potiphar’s wife and use them to accomplish His will? As difficult as it may seem, this is exactly what God does. As we’ll see over the next few chapters, God takes the lies of Potiphar’s wife and uses them to see His will through.
God remembers Joseph in prison. He does not forget the great-grandson of Abraham. Neither does Joseph forget God. When the cupbearer and baker have strange dreams while they are in prison, Joseph tells them that dreams are the realm of God. Joseph encourages them to tell him their dreams knowing that if God desires, He could use Joseph to give an interpretation of the dreams to the cupbearer and the baker.
The neat part of this story is how we begin to see Joseph grow up. Joseph continues to act righteously as he has since we’ve met him, but now his righteousness is directed at benefiting others rather than lifting himself up in pride. Instead of bragging on himself, Joseph acts righteously to comfort others. Joseph’s maturity shows God he is ready to step into leadership and use his relationship with God to reach into the lives of others. When we are mature in our righteous behavior, the world gets a glimpse of God as He works through us.
