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Hello everyone, Shalom in Christ! Welcome again to the devotional program, “Joseph at the Marketplace” by GLOBAL REACHOUT. I am Tom Nohelty.
Day 18: Wise… or Cutthroat?
Today, the Scripture is taken from: Genesis 47:11-27.
Theme verse:
“So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh's. As for the people, he made servants of them from one end of Egypt to the other.” Genesis 47:20 – 21 (ESV)
Today’s reading is a reminder of how different our cultures and worldviews are from those of the original readers of Genesis. We see how limited we are as students of Scripture, with our assumptions about what is right and normative when it comes to economic and governmental systems. We look at what Joseph did in this passage and think, “Wow, that was kind of cutthroat. Is this really a model we should follow?”
Here are a few things that help as we think about parts of Scripture that, at first glance, seem off-putting or strange.
First, it is dangerous to assume that the Bible approves or prescribes everything that it records. Yes, Joseph is an example for us in many ways. But the point of this study is not to take each of Joseph’s choices or actions and say, “Here is how we can do the same thing at work.” Nowhere in this passage do we get a “Go and do likewise” imperative from God.
Akin to this is the danger of falling into what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery.” Especially for Westerners with a future orientation, it’s easy to look at how people did things back in the day and say, “How could they?” And it’s true that many evil and unjust things have been done in the past. But consider that future generations may look at us and have the same reaction to how we approach prejudices or environmental stewardship. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make moral judgments about the past, but a little humility is never amiss.
Second, no matter how smart we are, no matter how hard we study, there are going to be parts of the Bible that remain unclear. Parts where we can bring up ideas or possible theories to consider, but where it’s impossible to be sure one way or the other. Fortunately, those parts are the exception. And, as American author and humorist Mark Twain wrote, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
Third, remember who stands at the heart of our faith: Jesus. The Gospel of John says, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (John 1:18). You want to know what God is like, whether you can trust his heart? Look at Jesus.
Philip Yancey used the analogy of a magnifying glass to discuss how we navigate theological conundrums.
I have learned about magnifying glasses using my dictionary. When I train the glass on a word, the tiny print shows up crisp and clear in the center, or focal point, while around the edges it grows progressively distorted. In an exact parallel, Jesus has become the focal point of my faith, and increasingly I am learning to keep the magnifying glass of my faith focused on Jesus. In my spiritual journey as well as in my writing career I have long lingered in the margins, pondering unanswerable questions about the problem of pain, the conundrums of prayer, providence versus free will, and other such matters. When I do so, everything becomes fuzzy. Looking at Jesus, however, restores clarity.
One thing about this part of Joseph’s story is clear: Joseph’s main concern throughout his career appears to have been saving lives. He told his brothers:
“And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” Genesis 45:5–7
We may question what Joseph did in this section, but it does seem clear that his motives were good. And the Egyptians were grateful, thanking Joseph for saving their lives. They were able to continue living on their land, only needing to give 20 percent of their crops to Pharaoh every year. When you consider modern systems of taxation, that doesn’t seem quite so unusual.
Joseph’s actions show that life is precious. And, for ourselves, we want to foster a workplace culture and a society that values life and seeks to preserve life. If you are in a position of leadership, how do your company’s policies demonstrate the sacredness of each individual human being? And, even if you are not in leadership, how do your interactions with coworkers demonstrate this value?
As we align ourselves with God’s heart, we will more and more come to value what he values. And our actions in our workplace and everywhere else we go will reveal those values.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, You love and care for everyone who is created in Your image. We pray that we will embody this truth in our lives, treat each individual with dignity and value the sacredness of lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Time for Reflections.