Joseph...Why did you say that?

Joseph, Why Did You Say That?

I just started into the story of Joseph of Egypt. One of the first things Joseph does in this story is have a dream that indicated all his family would bow down to him. When I read this, I thought, “Joseph, read the room. That was not the smartest thing to say.”

Joseph’s brothers hated him because he seemed favored by their father, Israel. The brothers conspired against him, almost killed him, but finally sold him to be a slave.

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Joseph had had some street smarts and knew when to keep his mouth shut? Sure, it may have saved him some trouble initially, but what about the big picture. This story is so much larger than the initial events that took place. Joseph was destined to go to Egypt and he became a leader that his family eventually did bow down to.

Let’s consider some reasons why Joseph did open his mouth, even if it might have seemed like a bad idea. It says that Israel loved Joseph more than any all his children and gave him a coat of many colors. Joseph received this love. Joseph also had a dream, and maybe Joseph knew that this dream was from God. Maybe he had a loving relationship with God and knew that this dream needed to be told to his family, regardless of the ramifications. Maybe Joseph felt so much love from God and his own father that he had no fear to speak the truth. We know from the Book of Mormon that “perfect love casteth out all fear.” (Moroni 8:16)

In spite of the many difficulties Joseph endured, he never turned his back on God. He stayed true to being honest and chaste. He trusted in God even through years of trials. God remained with him and kept giving him power to interpret dreams. This would later lead him to a position of great importance. Joseph did not fear men. He trusted in God.

As a side note, as I talked with my wife about this topic, she said it reminded her of Joseph Smith. Why did Joseph Smith tell people about the golden plates? Why didn’t he just keep that to himself? Wouldn’t that be easier? Joseph Smith could not be quiet about his experiences. He feared God more than he feared man.

So what does this mean for us? It makes me wonder what I can do to fearlessly speak the truth of God, even if it is awkward or not a popular thing to say. Personally I feel like social pressure is difficult to overcome. How can I be filled with God’s love so that I do not fear?

Ultimately, the story of Joseph is a type of Jesus Christ. Many of his experiences foreshadow the life of Jesus Christ. Christ is the ultimate example of fearless love and honesty. He humbly, yet powerfully, testified of truth and He received the worst treatment with faith. He willingly bore it all because of His love.