Joseph and the Amazing Ego

"…And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

Okay...so I think I just read Genesis 37 in a new light.  My entire life I have always looked at Joseph as the victim.  The poor younger brother getting picked on by all the other brothers.  Poor Joseph...

But wait!

First, in verse 3 we see that "Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons."
Then, Joseph has not just one but two dreams about his brothers and parents bowing down to him.

Um, Joseph already knows that he is the most loved and that his brothers "could not speak to him on friendly terms" (vs. 4).  What was he doing telling everyone about these dreams?  I think Joseph was a little bit spoiled rotten.  His brothers couldn't stand him and maybe rightly so.  God sent him off to Egypt to find favor and become powerful, but before that power came there were many trials to endure and dark times to suffer through.  God had to knock Joseph down a peg or five.

But why relate this story of Joseph?  Was it just to tell the history of the rise of the nation of Israel?  No...well, yes...but in reading this I can't help but ask myself if I am need of a few trials.  Have I become haughty in God's favor?

Confession time...I tend to be a little (maybe a lot) arrogant at times.  I'm confident, like Joseph seemed to be.  I'm also often arrogant, like Joseph seemed to be.  I like to showoff when I think I know or have accomplished something.  I like to show others my pretty new multicolored coat.  But I know that no matter how accomplished I think I might be, God is bigger and expects me to humble myself before him and before others. (James 4:10)

God, please give me the endurance to withstand trials and give me the openness to learn from them.  Show me my arrogance and give me the wisdom to push it far away.

Question to ponder: What does humility look like?  Any thoughts?

While there is no 12 step program to becoming a more humble Christian, this is a wonderful (and brief) article on humility--WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...HUMILITY?