OnFire Encouragement Letter

Hi Folks:

This is a quick OnFire today because I'm getting ready to leave for a youth conference in Moncton. We're leaving a day early so that we can start the house hunt. We're excited about looking, but it means an awfully short workweek, trying to get everything ready for Sunday by Wednesday night. Many people have called or emailed to ask how they can help. Prayer would be really good. Its already been a full week and its not done yet - driving five hours each way, house hunting, giving a seminar on faith to jr high students 4 times, and coming back late Saturday. Yes, prayer would be good.

Blessings for your week

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I’ve done my share of jobs half-heartedly. In one summer job evaluations were unfair and the best assignments went to those who partied with the supervisors. At some point in the summer I decided I wouldn’t go back next summer and after that my attitude went downhill. I figured there wasn’t any point in taking more initiative than I needed. I did my job, but only just. No special effort. I did enough to avoid notice, but  I didn’t do much extra. It was definitely half-hearted service.

We pick up the story of Joseph in Genesis 39. Joseph was sold as a slave to an Egyptian military officer. Strangely enough, Joseph did well, and soon stood out on Potiphar’s staff. Promotions followed and eventually he became executive assistant, running all of Potiphar’s personal affairs.

Joseph stood out for two reasons. First, the Lord was with him. The passage gives credit for his success to the Lord at least five times. He gained success and position because he served the Lord and God gave him success.

Second, Joseph’s character was proven through this trial. He wasn’t sitting around moping, watching the sundial, or putting in only enough effort to avoid trouble. Rather, we see him working hard, taking initiative, proving himself trustworthy.

What strikes me through this passage is that we don’t see any sign that Joseph was serving half-heartedly. This surprises me because he could have handled it very differently. He could have thrown himself a life-long pity party. Wouldn’t he deserve it? Coming from a dysfunctional family, misunderstood and mistreated by his brothers, unjustly sold into slavery, now in a foreign place?

This is not the Joseph we see in Gen 39. He gives his best despite his horrible circumstances.

We don’t know how long it took for Joseph’s situation to improve. Years? Sometimes life isn’t always fair, and we can’t always count on things improving quickly, even when we do everything right. But I still believe Joseph shows us that we can respond with character and integrity even when we don't like life’s circumstances.

I hope this helps. Be OnFire.

Troy

ON FIRE is a weekly letter of encouragement by Troy Dennis. To be added to or removed from the ON FIRE list contact him at onfireletter@gmail.com.  Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com This letter published May 7, 2008.