Condensed Arrogance

(I realized the full post is really long winded. If you want a Biblical backdrop go ahead and read it. If not, maybe this is enough.)

Joseph goes on a fantastic journey throughout his life. It starts with his dreams of his family bowing to him. Of course, because we have the whole story we know that they were given to him by God, but when did he know that? It never says, and I am going to assume that he was human like us, and thought they were cool dreams that he wanted to come true. It was a dream of power, of fame, and of recognition. I know I have dreams like that.

Yet there is a pivotal moment in his life, and probably one of the more scary: he is sold into slavery. He is placed in a mundane and unfair situation with no hope of escape. He is not recognized, he is scorned and mistreated. Somewhere in all of this he came to have a relationship with God that was blessed the rest of his life (not free from trouble, just blessed). And in this relationship he begins to have an accurate view of himself (as can be seen as he interacts with Potiphar's wife) and he begins to have an obedience that eventually leads the the exact fulfillment of his childhood dreams (Gen. 41-45). So it is in the humble obedience and godly handling of whatever situation he finds himself in that gains him access to his dreams. He didn't push and shove to get there, he was pushed and shoved. While in prison he makes the comment that he was there unfairly (Gen. 40:15), but the whole while he keeps his eyes on obeying God. Even when he is first faced with interpreting a dream (for which he becomes Biblically famous) he says, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (v. 8) and we can see that in every conversation his attitude is first on honoring God. Because of his humble focus on honoring God, he ends up honoring his dreams, not intentionally, but through honoring God. Through the fulfillment of his dreams, his parents are honored by him and through him.