Last week we saw how God reassured
Jacob that he should go to Egypt. We saw how God clearly told him
to go. And we learned that God will help us in our big decisions in
life too. We simply need to honor Him and seek His advice first and
above all else. Unfortunately many times we run to others first or
make hasty decisions. But when we take it to God first, we can rest
assured that it will be the right decision for us and that it would
take us on the best plan of God for our lives.
Jacob and his descendants moved to
Egypt. With Joseph, his wife and two sons, they were seventy people
in total. When Joseph and Jacob reunited it was a very emotional
moment. They cried for a long while holding one another. I wish I
could have seen this reunion; it must have been something very
special. His son that he thought had died was still alive and he
had the privilege of being reunited with him. And I bet Jacob was
so proud of the man that Joseph had become.
Then Joseph said to them that they
must go and live in the land of Goshen, as Goshen was the best
place to live for shepherds. But first they needed to clear that
with Pharaoh. On the way to Pharaoh Joseph told them to tell
Pharaoh that they were shepherds, even though shepherds were an
abomination to the Egyptians.
I wonder how Joseph's brothers must
have felt like. Here they come to Egypt, their brother is honored
above all, and yet their occupation was an abomination and
Egyptians refused to eat with them. Under different circumstances
they might have felt inferior, but I think they were just so
grateful to have food and an escape from this dreadful famine.
Once they were in front of Pharaoh
they didn't lie about their occupation, but told him that they were
shepherds and he agreed to give them the land in Goshen to live. He
even offered them the job of being chief herdsman over his flock as
well.
Sometimes we might be embarrassed
by our occupation, our education, by where we are in our career,
how our children are doing at school etcetera that we do not speak
the truth. We might sugarcoat some things in our lives, exaggerate
a bit or down right lie just to feel better about where we are in
life.
I have experienced it many times
before that people in the business world would downgrade what I do.
I have attended business conferences for my CPD points, where I
tell people how I work for the Lord by writing books, presenting
Bible studies etcetera that they literally turn their backs on me
and start talking with someone else. I contemplated to change my
story in future, but why? So that I can feel better about myself at
that moment? That people who I do not even know would think highly
of me? I know I am exactly where God wants me to be and in that
lies a lot of freedom and grace and I am proud of it. Even though I
might not seem as successful in their eyes, I know I am in God's
eyes and that is at the end of the day what counts. I know it is
not always easy to see it this way, but it is the truth.
We should stand tall in who we are
in Christ. We should be proud of who we are even though the world
shuns us and makes us feel less important. We are the apple of
God's eye and He loves us and is so proud of who we are. We needn't
pretend to be someone else. Joseph's brothers stood tall in front
of Pharaoh and declared who they were. And Pharaoh didn't ridicule
them, no in fact he gave them the best place to live for shepherds
and he asked that they be in charge of his flock too. He honored
them. And we should do the same. Imagine his brothers lied about
their occupation. Then Pharaoh would have given them another piece
of land, not suited for shepherds and it would have been a
disaster. He could also have given them positions in his government
for which they were not ready if they pretended to be someone that
they are not. And that would not have ended well either.
Stand tall in who you are in Christ
and do not allow the world to faze you. They will always have their
opinions and when will good enough be good enough? No, rather stand
up in who you are, be proud of who you are and face this world,
knowing that God is proud of you and with you every step of the
way.
Father thank you for who You made
us to be. You made every one of us unique, thank you for that. Help
us to stand up in who we truly are and to make You proud of us. At
the end of the day it is only Your opinion that counts. We love
You. Amen