Shifting The Focus
Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time, each of the two men-the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison-had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?" "We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams." (Genesis 40:1-8 NIV)
When the subject of dreams came up, Joseph acted on one of the most basic principles of being a witness for the Lord. He shifted the focus to God. Here were these two men, locked in prison because they had each had a dream. In those days, dreams were thought to have great meaning and every dream needed to be interpreted so that its meaning could be revealed. Don't forget that one of Joseph's dreams was the last straw with his brothers and made them mad enough to sell him into slavery. But this time, Joseph was wiser. This time, Joseph had his priorities straight. This time, Joseph turned the focus toward God instead of toward himself. He said, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" And he turned a simple situation into a powerful witness for God.
You and I are given opportunities every day to turn the focus of others away from this world and toward God. But how often do we do it? How often are we aware of God's presence in everything that happens, day in and day out? How often do we turn others' focus toward the Maker and Creator of all things? When we receive recognition for something we do, how often do we acknowledge God's hand in our accomplishment? When someone is going through a tough time, how often do we focus his attention on God's power in helping us through our problems? How many of us really believe in God's power, anyway, much less acknowledge it and focus on it in the presence of others?
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In every way, every day, in everything we do or say, we need to focus not only our own attention, but that of others, on God and His power and glory. It is then that we become the true and powerful witnesses for Him that He wants us to be.
From Newsong Ministries
Newsong6@bellsouth.net
Used with permission.
