In our deep-dive into Joseph’s life, we’ve seen that he’s a good man. But we see red flags in the way he administers his food program during the Egyptian famine (Genesis 47:13-26). While Joseph saves many people, the way he does so is an example of missing God’s heart. While Joseph saves the Egyptian people, he exploits their vulnerability, turning them into slaves. If God is God over all nations and if he cares about all people, then he must care about the enslavement of Egyptians as much as he cares about the enslavement of Israelites.  Joseph is an example of how even good people can sometimes get it wrong.

The good news is that God uses broken and sinful people like you and me. So we can serve him boldly, even when we’re not perfect. At the same time, our sinfulness means that we must serve him humbly. We can avoid missing God’s heart by making ourselves accountable to the Christian community. Only they can help us see past our blind spots. Together, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can discern God’s leading and direction. In that way we can serve him without harming those we’re trying to serve.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1. Do I ever shrug off a sense of God’s calling because I feel inadequate? What would serving God boldly look like for me?
2. Do I have people who can offer me criticism, whom I trust? How could I use this network to guard me against pride?
3. Have I ever been hurt by another Christian’s lack of humility? Have they tried to set it right? If so, how did I respond to their efforts?

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE SERIES

1. Pride and Privilege
2. Temptation and Faithfulness
3. Hope In Hard Times
4. Testing & Forgiveness