Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
Joseph had two dreams that prophetically revealed his future destiny. One was to rule over Egypt, which was the one with the sun, moon and stars as they represent the gods of Egypt. The other dream had to do with relationships (Gen. 37:2-11).
Scripture testifies to the fact that relationships are key to success or failure in one’s life. You can have tremendous calling, potential, skill, education and even anointing, but if you fail in relationships you will experience much heartache and failure in your life.
It is obvious Joseph had favor from God and Jacob, but it is also clear that early on he failed in his relationships with his brothers. You have to think that somewhere along the line, perhaps the day his brothers threw him into the pit, it dawned on Joseph that relationships could make or break you. Joseph had to learn the high value that God places on human relationships otherwise he would never fully enter into his destiny.
One day Joseph was working and his master’s wife attempted to seduce him. Joseph did not want to dishonor the Lord or his earthly master. In other words, Joseph understood the value of relationship with those whom God had placed in his life and proper relational boundaries. In choosing to form and maintain the right relationships and not violate relational boundaries he was misunderstood, falsely accused, and finally, imprisoned. In setting relational boundaries it may cost you up front, but over the long haul you will reap tremendous benefits, like seeing your dreams come true.
The way we treat people in general also has significant influence on our destiny. One day while Joseph was occupied with his duties in the prison he noticed two of the inmates were sad. He could have ignored them; after all, they were inmates going nowhere and who wouldn’t be sad in prison? But Joseph had learned to care about other human beings.
Because of this incident Joseph had the opportunity to interpret the dreams that were troubling the men. And it was because of the interpretation of the dreams, the butler, who was later freed, remembered Joseph when Pharaoh had dreams. Imagine what would have happened if Joseph would have ignored these men. You never know whom God has sent into your life. They could be the very people who will open the right doors for you down the road.
You cannot promote yourself alone; you need favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). Joseph learned the value of healthy relational dynamics and was promoted into his destiny. And later it kept him in his destiny when he faced the brothers who so cruelly mistreated and rejected him. Healthy relationships, proper boundaries in all relationships and simple care about other human beings are basic to success in life and fulfillment of destiny.
Many Blessings, BW