Changes For Joseph

"Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."

8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind." Genesis 37:5-11

I finished up reading Genesis yesterday, and a great deal of that was the story of Joseph and his brothers, and how Joseph came to be a great leader in Egypt. These verses above are the dreams that he shared with his older brothers while he was still young and at home. It's interesting to read these dreams and read the perspective, which I'll talk about in a minute, but first, here is Joseph later on in life, talking about the dreams that Pharaoh had.

"Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." Genesis 41:15-16

There is a big difference between the two passages as far as Joseph goes, and Joseph's attitude. Notice how when Joseph is talking to his brothers he talks about how he had a dream, and there is no mention at all of God. And later in life, when he is asked to interpret a dream, a newer, more humble Joseph says that God can give the interpretation, not him. All of the trials that Joseph had gone through to this point has helped him to grow and mature in God. Where before he may have been the spoiled brat, walking around talking about himself, now he is more mature, and understands more of the nature of God.

Just like Joseph, God uses our life, the trials and experiences we go through to grow us, and to help us gain perspective. I guess I think about when I pray, and I'm praying for something specific, and then God answers that prayer- what is my reaction? Do I share with people how I prayed for this or that to happen, and look, it happened, so yay me? No... instead, I use the opportunity to share what God has done in my life, and how God blessed us so richly.

Joseph used his position in Egypt to save many people- including his family. He didn't use the position to gain glory and more recognition for Joseph. A younger, less mature Joseph may have done just that, but God used his trials and struggles to grow Joseph into a fantastic man with a heart for God. And God also blessed Joseph, and his entire family because of it.