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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 13: Wisdom That Bridges Cultural Divides
Today, the Scripture is taken from: Genesis 41: 41-52.
Theme verse:
“And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.” Genesis 41: 49
You may be wondering about some of Joseph’s choices as he adjusted to a new environment. Given the strong thread in the Old Testament about not marrying those of different religions, did Joseph do the right thing marrying Asenath? When should you submit to cultural norms at work and/or in another culture, and when should you resist … take a stand?
It’s interesting that Joseph gave his children Hebrew names with biblical meanings. In Genesis 41: 51 and 52 (ESV), Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Maybe Asenath came to follow God as a result of Joseph’s influence. Joseph’s actions weren’t as crystal clear here as, say, when he refused to sleep with Potiphar’s wife.
To take another example from the Bible, Daniel asked permission not to eat the king’s food. In Daniel 1:8 till 9, But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine he drank. Therefore, he asked the chief of eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favour and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs. But he didn’t protest studying pagan literature, or being given a name that referenced Babylonian gods.
It takes great wisdom to know when to make something an issue and when to go along. The apostle Paul dealt with different cultures throughout his journeys. He wrote, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).
So, does becoming all things to all people mean that anything goes? Not exactly. When Paul advised the Corinthian church on how to navigate cultural differences, he wrote:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:23–31
We’re not going to dive into all the cultural background about food sacrificed to idols, a hot-button issue among first-century Christians. For the purposes of today’s discussion, let’s focus on a few key considerations that Paul brings up. When you are wondering about whether to go along with cultural norms, ask yourself these questions from this passage:
If the answer to all these questions is yes, go for it. If you’re not sure, spend some more time in prayer and get some input from those who have been in your location longer. God has promised to give you wisdom, and you can rely on him.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, please bless us with the wisdom and discernment to decide when to accept the cultural norms at the workplace and when to refuse them. We pray that our decisions will bring glory to the Lord and benefit others, building them up. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Time for Reflections.