Genesis 39:2a The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered.

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Let’s step back to the Old Testament and look at a familiar story.  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers.  God had ‘favor’ on Joseph and Joseph was put in charge of the entire kingdom.

Joseph was trusted because the leaders recognized that God was with him.  They gave him everything and since God was with him, everything was perfect, right?

Well, Potiphar’s wife decided that she wanted Joseph.  She created a ploy to trap him and Joseph stood his ground.  Long story short, Joseph was thrown into prison for something he did not do.

Even in prison God was with him and the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in prison.  It was amazing to see God working even in the horrible circumstances that Joseph goes through.

If we jump to the end of the story, God uses Joseph to save his entire family and the nation from famine.  It is because Joseph was favored and he had such a high character that God could use him in such a powerful way.

I used to hate this story as a teenager.  I did not understand how God could let things like that happen.  I eventually realized that God used the circumstances to bring Joseph right where he needed to be and save his family.  I reality, Potiphar should have killed Joseph based on what he was accused of, but he didn’t.  God was still with him.

In business, our character is worth more than money.  What we do and how we run our business matters.  We must act with integrity, honor and a character so strong that no matter what we are accused of, we remain in God’s presence.

Character is that deep down rooted part of ourselves.  It peaks up when we have a tight month financially and have to pay our taxes.  It rears its head when we have a client or customer who is attacking us and we want to lash out.

Character stays the course and knows that we are in God’s favor.  We line our lives up with God and our business keeps moving towards the calling God has placed on us.  When temptations or accusations come, we ride the storm in a peace that surpassed understanding.

As Christian business owners, we are to act differently in this world.  We live in a fallen world and bad things happen.  We, however, trust in the sovereignty of God and know that He will bring us through anything this world throws at us.  It is not about us, it is about Him.

Be a person of integrity like Joseph. “The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered.” Genesis 39:2a

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