January 17
“And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, it is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” Gen. 41:16.
“Potiphar… found out that Joseph was in all respects trustworthy. Thus it was that he became Potiphar’s number one man. Even Mrs. Potiphar fell for him. It was at this juncture, you recall, that he came to the climax of his graduation test.
Joseph’s faithful integrity led to the loss of his reputation and his liberty…. His religion kept his temper sweet and his sympathy with humanity warm and strong, notwithstanding all his trials…. No sooner does he enter upon prison life, than he brings all the brightness of his Christian principles into active exercise; he begins to make himself useful to others…. He is cheerful, for he is a Christian gentleman. God was preparing him under this discipline for a situation of great responsibility, honor, and usefulness, and he was willing to learn; he took kindly to the lessons the Lord would teach him. He learned to bear the yoke in his youth. He learned to govern by first learning obedience himself.
It was the part he acted in the prison — the integrity of his daily life and his
sympathy for those who were in trouble and distress — that opened the way for his future prosperity and honor. Every ray of light that we shed upon others is reflected upon ourselves. Every kind and sympathizing word spoken to the sorrowful, every act to relieve the oppressed, and every gift to the needy, if prompted by a right motive, will result in blessings to the giver.
Passing the greatest test of his life, he graduated from the house of Potiphar,
then from the prison house, whereupon he was promoted to Egypt’s throne, the world’s greatest. In promotion or in demotion Joseph gave God the glory and did his honest best. At everything he was put to, he was second to none, and thus he became the greatest among all earthly living…. This is why Joseph was great in his father’s house, in the hands of the Ishmaelites, in the house of Potiphar, in the prison cell, on the throne of Pharaoh, and in all the world. This is why all the ancient world bowed down to him.
Joseph’s patience and meekness under injustice and oppression, his ready
forgiveness and noble benevolence toward his unnatural brothers, represent the Saviour’s uncomplaining endurance of the malice and abuse of wicked men….
Of him it is written, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob….” Gen. 49:22.
SOURCE REFERENCES
January 17th
CC 76.2, PP 218.3, 1TG No 2:24-27, CC 79.4