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 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:3

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Patience gives us time to do things right. The right way.

There is difference between growing food and buying it. If cooking takes time, imagine having to wait for something to grow and then eating it. The responsibilities are different. You become vulnerable to weather conditions, to the soil, to the insects, etc. When your source of income is connected to produce, you could easily go hungry if there is a famine.

This is what happened to Joseph in the land of Egypt. He found himself abandoned, thrown in a pit and then send as a slave to a foreign land. His life journey took all kinds of twists and turns before his divine appointment with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. When the time came, he was ready, prepared, firmly founded and established. Overnight. Within hours he was promoted to the second in command over Egypt.

But the story doesn’t end there. Joseph wasn’t relaxing by a pool with his beautiful wife and children for the rest of his life, having conversations about the wrongs done to him. He was at work, leading a reform. There was a famine on the way. The pressure was rising. Millions of people could die from hunger. There was a lot more to be done before the reconciliation with his family. Years went by. The weather was nice, Egypt was prospering. There were seven good cows. I’m sure Joseph had his alarm set – 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. What about the grain? Will it be enough?

Before promotion, God teach us to be good stewards. A good steward is committed, never in a rush, consistent under pressure, and not self-seeking.

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Father, in the name of Jesus, thank you for the gift of the Spirit who teaches us all things. Amen.

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