If you’ve been in church or read the Bible for any length of time, you’re probably acquainted with the story of Joseph, the boy with the coat of many colors (Gen. 37, 39-50). As children, that’s sometimes the only thing we remember about him. But as we read more of the story, we find that there is a lot to learn from his life, this boy who went from slavery to Prime Minister of all Egypt.

Be cautious when sharing God-given dreams.

Joseph was already the favorite of Israel (a bad start to his life, though he may not have thought so at the time). And then God gave him some dreams. In the first, his brothers bowed down before him. In the second, not only his brothers but also his mother and father bowed down before him. Now, let’s be real: If your younger brother had told you something like that, how would you have reacted?

Joseph’s brothers didn’t take it kindly. They already hated him, so then they decided to get rid of him. Thankfully, that was not the end of the road for him. God had other plans. But, we must ask the question: Was it really a wise thing to tell that to his brothers? Some of the things God gives us are meant to be kept in our heart to hang onto. Like Mary, we should keep them in our heart. There’s no suggestion that she ever told anyone the things Gabriel told her.

There’s a popular saying today that suggests you have to “speak your dreams into existence.” That’s a fairytale, and that’s not how God works. If He gave you the dream or vision, then it’s His responsibility to bring it to fruition. Your responsibility is hold onto it and act in faith.

God honors acts of faithful obedience—in His time.

So, Joseph was sold into slavery to a man named Potiphar in Egypt. The Lord was with Joseph, and He caused all Joseph did to prosper. Potiphar’s thinking, “I’m glad I found this guy! He’s taking care of everything and everything is running smoothly!” We’re told that Potiphar had no worries while Joseph was there. But then came the test. Potiphar’s wife decided she liked Joseph (yes liked, in “that” way). There’s no reason to believe she was anything less than beautiful. She kept urging Him until one day she grabbed the sleeve of his garment—and he left it in her hand. He ran out of the house. Why? He gave a great answer:

Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God (Gen. 39:8-9)

Joseph realized that Potiphar had given him a position of not only power but trust. He would not take advantage of that trust. And he recognized that he was bound to the God of his fathers, when he acknowledged that breaking that trust would be a sin against God. So, Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife. He kept his integrity—but ended up in prison. She made up a story that Joseph tried to force himself on her. It seems that Potiphar might not have entirely believed her. He could have executed Joseph, yet he only sent Joseph to prison—and again God took over. It was at least 2-3 years, but God not only brought Joseph out of prison but set him over all Egypt. Joseph had proven himself faithful in smaller things (of his character), and thus God gave him responsibility over larger things (the whole nation).

God is the Redeemer of your past.

In societies that condoned slavery (virtually all societies at that time), a slave was on the lowest rung of the ladder, no better than property—in fact slaves were property. That’s why Potiphar could have executed Joseph at will and not faced any sanctions. So, Joseph may have had a colored coat, but his past was checkered. Yet, God, in His timing used that very past—the life of a slave—to fulfill His plan to not only save lives but also to bring Israel into Egypt, just as he foretold to Abraham. It was through Joseph that God fulfilled His purposes, slavery and all.

That’s not just true of Joseph, by the way. Look at his brothers. They sold their brother into slavery. They lived with the guilt of their actions for years, even after Joseph forgave them and even after Israel died. (One can just imagine what they were thinking, “Now that our father is dead…. what will Joseph do to us?” And they reminded Joseph, “Dad said to be nice to us.”)  Their sins were forgiven, though, and they became the great nation of Israel, so much so that in just a few generations, the land was literally teeming with Hebrews!

No matter what you have done in the past—or what was done to you—God is not finished with you and will not be finished until He accomplishes His purpose in you.