From Prison to Prime Minister
This post is about the life of Joseph. For the biblical account, read Genesis 37-50. For my series on the life of Joseph, click here.
The following is a creative first-person narrative based on my understanding of the biblical account of the life of Joseph.
(Servant 1) – (drops down onto the steps in front of the empty throne, juggling a small cloth bundle of snacks) You know, ever since Joseph took over the day-to-day, Pharaoh’s been on more vacations than the royal cats. Last I heard, he was sailing somewhere near Thebes for ‘sun clarity.’ Whatever that means.
(Servant 2) – (joins him, glancing up at the grand empty throne with a cautious look) And you thought that meant we should have lunch here?
(Servant 1) – (grinning as he unwraps some food) Hey, the man’s gone, Joseph’s busy running the country, and the guards are all napping. That spells lunchtime throne room picnic to me.
(Servant 2) – (sits stiffly, half-laughing, half-nervous) If anyone catches us, I’m blaming you. I can already hear the story: ‘Two servants executed for eating dates in front of the seat of Ra.’
(Servant 1) – (shrugs, bites into a date) Worth it.
(Servant 2) – (leans back, stealing one from his bundle) It is quiet today. Feels strange. Like the whole palace is holding its breath.
(Servant 1) – (nods slowly, looking toward the throne with an uncharacteristically thoughtful expression) Yeah… It’s strange, alright. All this power, all this space—and the one really holding it all together doesn’t even sit there.
(Servant 2) – (watching the empty throne) Hard to believe how much has changed… and all because of him.
(Servant 1) - I have lived in Egypt all my life, and have been working as a servant since I was a teenager. I have seen many things, but I have never met someone like Joseph.
(Servant 2) - I hear you, Joseph is definitely a unique guy. I noticed he was different right away, but I never imagined he would become second in command to Pharaoh!
(Servant 1) - I first met Joseph when he was thrown in prison by his master Potiphar (Genesis 39:20). I had just started working in the prison a couple of weeks earlier. I was sent to work there as punishment because my master caught me eating on the job too many times. I got to know many of the prisoners while I was there. All of them claimed to be innocent, but all of them deserved to be there.
(Servant 2) - All of them except Joseph. That’s about the time I met you. My family was going through financial struggles, and I needed a job to help support my parents and siblings. I was not excited to work at the prison, but they were hiring. I remember having a strong feeling that Joseph didn’t belong there. He was always so kind and polite. What really shocked me was when I heard about what landed him there. Clearly, it was a lie. If I had been thrown in prison for something I didn’t do, I would have been furious. Joseph had every reason to be angry with everyone, especially the gods. But he was kind and positive. I began to think that maybe he had something wrong with his head.
(Servant 1) - Joseph’s ability to maintain a positive attitude was superhuman. And he wasn’t just kind, he was also very capable. He gave great advice to fellow inmates and even shared some tips with me on improving my work performance. That’s how I got my old job back, cleaning at the palace. I didn’t really believe much in the gods, but I got a clear sense that God was with Joseph. At first, I made fun of him for not having enough gods, but I began to learn that his God was different from our Egyptian gods.
(Servant 2) - Joseph also encouraged me to work hard and do my best. He also gave me some tips about how to handle my personal finances. I shared his advice with my parents, and slowly our family began to pay off our debt. I was not the least bit surprised when the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of everything that happened at the prison. Even though the prison was full of, shall we say, “less than ideal” people, Joseph had that place neat, organized, and running efficiently.
(Servant 1) - In talking to Joseph and observing his interactions with the other prisoners, and even based on what he told us, I could tell that he had learned how to run a household efficiently while he worked as a slave for Potiphar. I don’t know how a foreigner who didn’t even speak our language could be so successful in everything he did! As much as I hated to admit it, I had to agree with Joseph that his God had given him wisdom.
(Servant 2) - I agree that Joseph’s wisdom and ability to learn and figure things out were supernatural. But what stood out to me was his attitude. When he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison, that was not even the worst thing that happened to him. I found that the reason he even ended in Egypt in the first place was because his brothers sold him as a slave. And this was not because their family was struggling financially. It was because his brothers hated him. If that had happened to me, I would probably become hateful and bitter. I can’t understand how Joseph could remain kind and optimistic, even when everything was going wrong in his life. Do you think this is related to his faith in God?
(Servant 1) - Joseph’s strong faith is the only way any of this can make sense. But even that is a mystery to me. The way Joseph talks about it, all these things are gifts from God. Joseph claims that his God gave him wisdom and that God was with him, and that God gave him special abilities. I used to make fun of Joseph for having just one God, while we have so many gods. But none of our gods could reveal the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph’s God not only revealed to him the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream but also gave him wisdom on how to act.
(Servant 2) - I love how Joseph’s God gives him everything he needs to face life’s challenges. Joseph has not lived an easy life, but his God was with him, giving him strength, wisdom, and special abilities at every step of the way. And I never saw Joseph making any special offerings to his God to get His attention or to get his God to bless him. This is so hard ot believe, but it’s like Joseph’s God loves him!? Can you imagine being loved by God? What would it be like to go through life being loved by such a powerful Being?
(Servant 1) - Maybe I would finally stop worrying about my next meal, or what the future holds. Perhaps, like Joseph, I would be able to remain optimistic, kind, and helpful even when mistreated by those closest to me. I keep thinking that if only I had enough food, or a better job, or more money, then I would finally have peace, or be happy. Although I have been promoted at work and no longer have to worry about food, I still find myself anxious. Perhaps it's out of habit, or maybe I'm aware of how quickly I can lose my job and security. I think that what I need is a God like Joseph’s. A God that loves me and gives me wisdom and special abilities to succeed in life, even when everything goes wrong. If there was a God out there who loved me and promised to never give up on me, I would totally worship that God.
(Servant 2) - But that God does exist! Both of us witnessed the hand of Joseph’s God at work. Not because Joseph’s life was perfect, but because his God was with him even through all the challenges he faced. Think about this. Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave; that is terrible! But instead of becoming bitter and angry, Joseph was the best slave in Potiphar’s house. Joseph not only learned our language and customs, but he thrived as well. He should have been Potiphar’s worst slave. Joseph should have been resentful, lazy, dishonest, and selfish, but instead, he was kind, helpful, hardworking, and earned the respect of others.
(Servant 1) - You’re correct. Joseph did everything right, and instead of being set free, he was wrongfully accused and thrown in jail! That would have broken me for sure. I would have given up on being kind, and I would have given up on being a hard worker. I would have been resentful and figured that life is so unfair, there’s no point in trying to be nice and kind. But even in prison, Joseph was an example to all of us, and instead of complaining about how unfair and hard life was, he sought ways to improve the lives of everyone around him. All of us at the prison learned to love and respect Joseph.
(Servant 2) - Now that I think about it, it was probably while in prison that Joseph learned about the intricacies of the court. We were all in the prison where the Pharaoh’s prisoners were confined (Genesis 39:20). There, Joseph heard about what life in the palace was like, whom to look out for, and what the challenges were. So when Joseph was made second in command, he had a pretty good idea about the political traps that existed in Pharaoh’s palace.
(Servant 1) - It is almost like Joseph’s God had a grand plan all along, and all the betrayals Joseph suffered helped prepare him to be so successful in the end. As a slave, Joseph learned how to run an Egyptian home effectively. He picked up the language and customs. Then, in the prison where Pharaoh’s prisoners were confined, Joseph learned about the political landscape of Egypt.
(Servant 2) - Even when things went wrong for Joseph, they worked out to his benefit somehow. This must be the work of his God. There’s no way that all of this was a coincidence.
(Servant 1) - But Joseph must have had incredible faith to continue to trust his God even when things felt like they were falling apart. His life was not an easy one, but he continued to be kind and do his best, and in the end, it all worked out.
(Servant 2) - It all worked out because Joseph’s God was in control all along. His God managed to turn every bad situation into a blessing. None of the blessings took place right away, but over the span of years. It takes a lot of faith to trust in a God you can’t see for years while you wait for the ultimate blessing. I am sure Joseph didn’t feel blessed when he was sold as a slave by his brothers or falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. Joseph spent years as a slave in Potiphar’s house and in prison, but he never gave up.
(Servant 1) - I asked Joseph about his God once and whether He was the God of only Joseph’s family or his homeland. He told me that anyone could worship his God and that his God was the true God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars!
(Servant 2) - Now that is a God I want to learn more about. Maybe Joseph will teach us about his God and his faith?
(Servant 1) - Joseph is pretty busy, but it’s worth a try. One thing he told me while he was in prison is that anyone can talk to his God. Maybe we can pray to his God together and ask Him to guide us and bless us like He did Joseph.
(Servant 2) - Yes! If his God knows we want to believe in Him, I believe that He will make a way for us to learn more.
- Prayer -
God, there is so much we don’t know. But we know enough to want to learn more. Please bless us, guide us, and protect us. Please reveal Yourself to us and teach us your ways.
