Warm hellos friends, brethren, co-workers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.

I often like to go back a few years to see trends in how society functioned then, how it does now, and changes taking place.

I was reading a report from about 5 years ago where in the U.S. there was an honoring and recognition of several Capitol Police officers who rushed to save congressman Steve Scalise on June 14 after he was critically wounded by a crazed Antifa (the Antifa movement was then described as a conglomeration of autonomous, self-styled anti-fascist groups in the United States) supporter. Three other officers of the Alexandria Police Department were also honored for their part. These heroes placed themselves in mortal danger to save this congressman and others who were also shot.

It’s disturbing to see the current continuous trend of a movement in our country to paint the police with a broad brush of racism and abuse of authority. Most members of police forces try to faithfully do their job and promote law and order to protect the public. When they are forced to confront law breakers they never know what they might encounter. Of course there are a few bad police officers because of the law of averages. and some few might be on a power or ego trip. I believe this is the exception. Just wearing the uniform makes them a target and every year there are policemen who are gunned down while trying to sincerely fulfill their duty.

We live in a world that continues down the path that God knew it would, once Adam and Eve rejected God’s offer of the tree of Life. Blatant disrespect for authority seems to be the norm for many, and even justified and publicized.

Last Friday was Veterans Day and was an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11 that honors military veterans, those persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. There are countless stories of acts of heroism performed by these veterans, especially in coming to the aid of wounded comrades and carrying them to safety and medical help while putting themselves in harm’s way.

Might we stop for a moment, and think of some heroes mentioned in the pages of the Bible?

One of our heroes is Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob. At times he lacked wisdom when he announced some of the dreams he had.

His story begins when he is 17 years old. “. . . Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.” (Gen. 37:2)

We don’t know if Joseph was asked to keep an eye on these sons who were his brothers, or just took it upon himself to report the bad behavior. Regardless, it did not endear him to his brothers.

Then he told his brothers about the dream he had where the grain sheaves of his brothers bowed to his sheaf. (v.5-7) This caused his brothers to hate him even more. (v.8) Then he had another dream that he told to his father and brothers about the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowing down to him. (v.9) His father was incredulous and his brothers envied him with no doubt even more anger. (v.10-11) I don’t necessarily perceive that Joseph related the dreams with bragging and I’m better than you are attitude. He comes across as a man without guile. I guess we’ll have to wait and find out someday.

Genesis 37 goes on to describe how Jacob told Joseph to check on his brothers and the task of feeding Jacob’s flock in Shechem. Even when Joseph was afar off wearing his special coat, some of his bothers devised a plot to kill him. Reuben intervened to stop them from killing Joseph. Joseph was stripped of his special coat and was thrown into a pit of some kind. A company of Ishmaelites and Midianites came by and Judah proposed selling Joseph to them. Young Joseph was then sold and taken to Egypt.

The brothers killed a kid or young goat and dipped Joseph’s coat in the blood. They then returned to Jacob and showed him the bloody coat or tunic. Jacob convinced himself that a wild animal had killed his son Joseph and then went into a deep state of mourning.

Once in Egypt, the Midianites sold Joseph to 1918, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Even though Joseph was unfairly made a slave, he served Potiphar with such skill and respect that Potiphar made him overseer of his house. Potiphar was blessed because of the presence and skillful management of Joseph.

Joseph obviously was a handsome, good looking man. (Gen. 39:1-6) Potiphar’s wife tried numerous tomes to seduce Joseph and induce him to engage in a sexual relationship. We don’t know if the woman was beautiful or not, but Joseph refused time after time.

It’s probable that her husband with his office was able to have a good looking woman for a wife. Finally when no servants were around, she grasped Joseph’s garment and again tried to make him give in to her lustful demands. Joseph again refused her advances and fled, leaving his garment behind in the woman’s hands. She convinced the servants and her husband that “it was Joseph who tried to seduce her”. Potiphar again unfairly had Joseph placed in the prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. (Gen. 39)

Here we see that Joseph practiced self-control, righteousness, and did the right thing. However, he was still treated wrongly. A lying lustful woman influenced her husband to unfairly treat Joseph. I’ve a hunch this was not the first time that the woman had acted unfaithfully, but she was sly and clever enough to evade his uncovering the truth.

What I find encouraging, was it seems that Joseph did not make an angry exposure of the woman or vehemently contest Potiphar’s unjust actions. He simply accepted the situation, and made the best of it. Joseph was not a person to hold grudges or seek revenge…wow!

There’s a lot to ponder, muse, meditate and think about in regards to how Joseph, one of our Bible Heroes, handled himself in the situations he faced.  What can we learn from him? What about today in this world we live in? Would we be considered a hero, by doing the right thing?

Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.