Today’s Devotion
Topic: The Priceless Value Of A Slave (Self Assessment)
Background: Social life is structured in a hierarchical manner. Some appear very high on the social ladder, others very low. Placement on the various tiers of the ladder could be due to some ASCRIBED FACTORS (desired natural traits/ heredity) OR ACQUIRED FACTORS (academic qualification, work experience etc).
The question is, does the fact that one finds him/ herself up the social ladder necessarily mean they are superior in all things to those beneath them? Can there be a subordinate of priceless value? How are we supposed to handle such individuals without losing our God given position as their LEADER? Let’s study the passage together and find out.
Text: Genesis 39: 2- 6a
2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,
4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Amen
Questions:
i. Practically, what does it mean to say “the Lord was with Joseph” or “the Lord was with David”? (As recorded in Genesis .39: 2 and 1 Samuel 16: 18 respectively).
ii. Read verse 3 again, what kind of leader must one be to be able to identify that the Lord is with someone who is a subordinate?
iii. In verses 4 & 5, we see the blessings of the Lord heavily upon Potiphar’s household because of his servant Joseph. What does this say about the value of an individual who carries the “presence of God” even if he/she is your subordinate?
iv. Is it possible then to live or work with someone as blessed as Joseph and still miss the opportunity to be blessed by the anointing upon his life, because you treated him as a despicable subordinate and didn’t allow him the opportunity to express his God given potential for your benefit?
v. Potiphar entrusted everything he had in the care of Joseph except the food he ate. Why is it necessary for a leader to hold on to some important areas of his life and not entrust it all to a subordinate even if he/she carried so much of the presence of God?
vi. When Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph in her matrimonial bed, the young man replied; “My master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39: 8-9). What must be the attitude and conduct of every subordinate who gets everything entrusted in his/her care in order not to sin against God or betray the trust of his/her superior?
vii. What have you learnt from today’s discussion?
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