My absolute favorite person, besides Jesus, in the Bible is (Old Testament) Joseph - hands down. It was easy for me to pick out J's middle name because of Joseph's character. He was, in so many ways, like Jesus Himself:
Wrong accused, betrayed, hated (even by those who were supposed to be closest to him)...yet he chose to forgive and to love.
Unjustly punished and put through suffering he didn't deserve...yet he remained faithful and didn't cave into bitterness.
He's probably most remembered for running away in the face of temptation and being able to provide wisdom and insight from God for the king. But today, as I read Genesis 39, I was reminded of yet another reason why I chose this as my boy's middle name.
Genesis 39
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.
Amazing! I could understand the Lord blessing Joseph in all the areas of his life because He was with him (as it's mentioned at least 3 times in this chapter)...but the mere thought that God would bless all the people (and even things!) around him just because of Joseph's faith and heart? Amazing.
A blessing carrier. That's what Joseph was. It's ironic because when you consider Joseph's life from the outside (especially the part about him being a slave and prisoner), it doesn't even look like God blessed Joseph's life at all. Yet I believe God did way more than that - He blessed him in such a way that it spilled out into other peoples' lives and thus spoke a louder message to those around him about what kind of God he served.
This is what I want - to walk with God and have His blessings overflow from my life to those around me. That my actions and reactions would only point to my ever faithful, unchanging Father in an unfaithful and transient world. To live like Jesus.
That's good, babe. You are a blessing to me and J and baby, and to many people around you!
ReplyDelete