We move into the story of Joseph, which continues for the rest of Genesis. So many good lessons!

We left him the victim of Judah and his brothers who sold him into slavery.

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt…Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. (Genesis 37.36 – 38, 39.1, ESV)

Then we read a curious thing. In contrast to the phenomenon of quiet quitting, where it’s estimated that up to 50% of today’s workforce is doing only the bare minimum, Joseph apparently works hard with God’s blessing:

The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. (Genesis 39.2 – 5, ESV)

I can’t imagine anything less significant to God than whether or not Potiphar’s business affairs go well, but “God blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.” Work of all kinds is important and worth doing well, even when you’re a slave in a foreign country. Even when you’re imprisoned for something you didn’t do:

As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. (Genesis 39.19 – 23, ESV)

It sounds like the jailer got to “quiet quit” because Joseph was doing all of his work!

How many believers are not whole-hearted in their work because, after all, it’s just a job, and it’s not “Christian work”? Never forget, our work is an extension of God’s work in the world, and God values work and workers. Tomorrow, we’ll see another aspect of work that Joseph emulates well.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him… Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3.17…23, 24, ESV)