Some background: Joseph, after being sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers, was purchased by Potiphar, the captain of the guard for the Pharaoh. In that household, he became very successful, becoming overseer of all that Potiphar owned. However, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph and when she was unsuccessful, accused him of trying to have his way with her and Potiphar, believing her, had Joseph thrown into prison. There he quickly earned the trust of the chief jailer, and he subsequently interpreted dreams for two of the inmates—the Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker—giving all credit to God for his interpretations. When these came to fruition, and Pharaoh began having disturbing dreams, the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him.

So, Pharaoh sent for Joseph and told him the dreams which had so disturbed him, and which all of his magicians could not explain—dreams about seven thin, ugly cows eating up the seven fat, sleek cows; about the seven blighted ears of corn swallowing up the seven good ears. Again, giving all credit to God, Joseph interpreted these dreams for Pharaoh, predicting seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine, and urging Pharaoh to plan for those lean years during the seven plentiful years. He also suggested that Pharaoh appoint an overseer for this project, and pleased by his proposal, Pharaoh appointed none other than Joseph himself to head the project, conferring on him power second only to Pharaoh himself.

Reading this passage made me aware over and over again how, often in life, “bad” things happen which make no sense at the time but in retrospect, often prove to be vitally important milestones in our lives, growing us into the people we had been created to be. It doesn’t mean that God created or caused these things to happen—after all, it was Joseph’s very human and jealous brothers who sold him into slavery; a very human and jealous Potiphar who had him thrown into prison; a very human and disturbed Pharaoh who sought his counsel. But using the inner resources of wisdom and wit with which he had been created, Joseph was able to fully become the man he was meant to be, the one created by a wise, loving, caring God. May it be so with us.