When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.” (Genesis 40:6-8)
I smile as I read this, because if anybody ought to have had a sad face, it should have been Joseph. His plight was much worse than theirs. They were there on a whim of the Pharaoh and surely would not be there forever. But Joseph had been accused by the chief executioner's wife and didn't know if he'd ever see the light of day. But in spite of his own circumstance, he noticed the plight of these two men.
When your heart is right, even though the bottom may have dropped out of your life, it is remarkable how sensitive you can be to somebody else in need. They don't even have to spell it out. Rather than saying, "You think you've got a lot to complain about, listen to my tale of woe!" Joseph said, "How come you're so sad today, guys? What's wrong?" I admit it may be stating the obvious to ask this in a dungeon, but it shows Joseph's ability to think beyond his own immediate cares and needs in order to minister mercy to others.
One of the beautiful things about the right attitude is that, with it, every day has sunshine. You don't have to have cloudless days for there to be sunshine days.
Actually, it's rather amazing that Joseph would want to have anything to do with dreams. The last time he did that, remember what happened? He told his brothers about his dreams and it was "Operation Pit City." He wound up in an Egyptian slave market. You'd think he would say, "Not me, man! I'm off of dreams forever." But not Joseph. He said, "Oh, really? A dream, huh? Tell me about it."
That's what a positive attitude will do. It gets you beyond common hurdles. It will clear the deck. It will free you from hang-ups. It will show you an opportunity for ministry you never would have touched with a ten-foot pole.
Taken from Great Days with the Great Lives by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Listen to today's broadcast of Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll at OnePlace.com.
Visit the Bible-teaching ministry of Chuck Swindoll at www.insight.org.
