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 Thoughts on a Monday  

Growing up in small-town Texas meant that, in the fall, our Friday nights were always accounted for. Everyone in town would turn out to see one of two things: the football team or the marching band. In junior high, I was a part of both. I played the saxophone in the marching band and end, guard, and tackle on the football team. I would sit on the end of the bench, guard the Gatorade cooler, and tackle anyone who came near it!  

My freshman year of high school, to my mother’s displeasure, I decided that the band was not for me. I didn’t care to practice the marching, or even my instrument for that matter. I started focusing on football, powerlifting, and theater. One thing that I did gain from my experience in the marching band was the ability to read and see music on the page. That really helped out when I joined the choir in college, and even now when I’m trying to sing a new song in church.  

You never know what experiences in life are going to shape and mold you into the person that you become, but the more experiences that you have the better. That is the way that we learn, through experiences. Last year, we spent a lot of time in the book of Genesis on Sunday mornings. I am reminded of the time that we spent studying and talking about Joseph. Here was guy that definitely learned from experience.  

At a young age, by no choice of his own, he was thrust into a leadership position while serving in the house of Potiphar. He then was put in charge of an entire prison. Now, these experiences were not what one would consider a “dream job,” because holding these positions meant that he was either enslaved or in prison. Joseph had two choices. He could’ve wallowed in his plight or made the best of it. He chose the latter. It wasn’t easy and I’m sure there were several times that he struggled and questioned God during the years of his imprisonment, but when the time came, he took advantage of all that he had been through.  

Joseph became the top dog in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. A position that he only acquired through his experiences as a slave and convict. I love what he tells his brothers, when they finally come to see him out of desperation: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Genesis 50:20.  

The next time that you are tired or fed up with your circumstances, just think about how you can benefit from your experience. God can use any person, in any situation, for His glory. In these times, we must remember Joseph. We must keep the faith. We must trust in the one true God, and realize that He is in control!  

Have a great week!  

-Jason