Christians@Work: Episode 3

What lessons do we learn from the life of Joseph?

The building blocks of a great leader

The CV of Joseph, by the time he became the prime minister in Genesis 41:41- 44, was very rich,

• Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Jacobs & Sons Company (Gen 37).

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Portiphar Inc (Gen 39:1-16).

• Chief People Officer (CPO) for the Egyptian Prison Service (Gen 39:17 - 23).

But Joseph was beyond just a COO, CEO or CPO; his cap had many more feathers. He was a man who served with the integrity of his heart, had deep inspiration in the supernatural with the ability to interpret dreams, and, least of all, was not lacking in good looks. Nevertheless, it was his knowledge and commitment to God that kept him ahead of the game and made him exceptional. This is obvious in two key decisions he made

1. He refused to accept Portiphar's wife offer (Gen 39:9). This act was based on his commitment to God; this decision eventually led him to prison and the prison to the palace.

2. He forgave his brothers (Gen 45:1-5). This decision was based on his understanding that God's invisible hand was behind his life's trials, leading to a glorious end. He refused to hold a grudge but embraced forgiveness, though this was not an easy option.

So, Joseph, having built godly character though going through hell, was now ready for the most important job interview ever; Pharoah’s dream.

Providing a Global Vision

For starters, we must note that Pharoah did not invite Joseph to the palace because he was seeking a prime minister. So what made Joseph really special? Why did he ace this unplanned interview with Pharoah? And what made Pharoah and the entire council of Egypt create a job opening that previously had not existed? I believe Gen. 41 provides us with 3 key facts

1. Joseph, by divine inspiration, accurately predicted a looming global recession.

2. Joseph then went one step further and detailed an economic policy that would make Egypt rise above the recession and become a world power with Pharoah at the helm of affairs.

3. Joseph also highlighted how the policy would be implemented and had the credentials to manage its execution.

Thus, Joseph provided a global vision with clear steps for accomplishing it. This is significant because even with the voodoo of Egypt, Joseph's rise to power was uninterrupted by the diabolism of the land. In fact, it seems the diabolical movement paled to wisdom of Joseph, with the Priest of On giving his daughter to be Joseph's wife as a big nod of approval.

How profound!

So what’s in this story for Christians?

Christians are custodians of God's visions. They are supposed to be prophets who, through divine providence, provide divine guidance and have the character to lead people with clear direction. Just like the Joseph provided vision for Egypt and had the character to back it up, so also Christians are supposed to be leaders in the workplace providing vision where there is a blur. Christians should provide guidance when the mist of life blinds the way and be bold enough to walk through the valley of the shadow of death when others are hiding in the shadows.

May we be Christians who like Joseph will provide vision and clear direction by our character wherever we go.

Shalom!