Different Strokes, Different Folks

This morning, my thoughts bothered on why life doesn't always go the way we plan. A short story of the butler and the baker played in my mind and I believe the Holy Spirit wanted me to see things from a different perspective and learn a lesson or two. Although the short is short (the word short is relative though), this post may stretch it a little.

Joseph had been in the prison for a while when the Chief Butler and the Chief Baker offended Pharaoh and were sent into the custody of the house of the captain of the guard (prison), Genesis 40: 1-4. Coincidentally as some would say, they both had a dream each in one night with different interpretations. The next morning, they were sad because there was no interpreter for them. Joseph however encouraged them and told them the interpretations (Genesis 40: 9-13; 16-22). He begged the Chief Butler however to remember him (Joseph) when he returns to the palace and his duties then went on to tell him this origin and how he got into custody (Genesis 40: 14-15).

Of course the Chief Butler was released from prison like his dream and he totally forgot about Joseph. He had more important priorities and too many duties to attend to.

I would like to go into the mind of Joseph for a bit. I'm sure he was thinking "since I interpreted that guy's dream and he's with Pharaoh constantly, he will put a word for me and I would be out of here in no time". A day passed, then two and a week, then a fortnight, a month, a quarter and then a whole year (365 days) and Joseph was still in prison. No sign of a release and I'm sure he wasn't visited by the Chief Butler either.

It took two years (730 days) and Pharaoh to have a dream that needed an interpretation for the Chief Butler to remember him (Genesis 41:1-13). Joseph was called to Pharaoh. He prepared himself physically, acknowledged God as the interpreter and interpreted the dream. He went ahead to offer a solution. Just for that, Joseph became the ruler next to Pharaoh, decorated and celebrated.

I wondered what would have happened if the Chief Butler had told Pharaoh about Joseph earlier. At best, he would have become a servant or maybe he would have returned home to his family and almost everyone would have suffered in famine. 

Same place, Same time 

Two men, Two dreams

One restored, One killed

Two men moved from prison to palace

One returned as a Chief Butler, the other as second in command

No one's blessing inconvenience another's

We all have our issues and our unique place to function

Never expect the person you have helped to help you in return immediately you need it. It simply may not be the leap God has planned for you and may not be the time. Help comes from God and only He, lays it in one's heart to help another-(Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man- Psalm 60:11 and Psalm 108:12; KJV)

Prayer: Lord, let your perfect will that involves the perfect help at the perfect time and the appointed place be done in my life always in Jesus name, Amen