Genesis 41:9-16
Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
What a turn.
For years Joseph sat in the dark, and then suddenly everything moved at once. The butler remembers. Pharaoh sends. Joseph is rushed out. He is shaved, changed, and standing before the most powerful man in the land.
That is how quickly God can turn a thing.
One moment you are in the dungeon.
The next moment you are in the room that matters.
Joseph could have walked into that moment with a little swagger. After all, Pharaoh had heard about him. Pharaoh was asking for him by name. This was Joseph’s opportunity to finally be noticed, finally be vindicated, finally show what he could do.
But Joseph does something beautiful.
Pharaoh says, in effect, “I hear you can do this.”
Joseph answers, “It is not in me.”
That is the mark of a man who has really been with God.
He is not false modest. He is not fishing for more praise. He simply knows the truth. Whatever light is in him came from somewhere else. Whatever wisdom he has is borrowed glory. Whatever help Pharaoh needs, Joseph knows he himself is not the source of it.
“God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
I love that.
Joseph is standing at the doorway of the palace, and he is still pointing away from himself.
That sounds like Jesus.
Again and again, our Lord turned attention toward His Father. In John 5:19 He said, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do.” In John 14:10 He said, “the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” Even in His ministry, Jesus kept directing glory upward.
And Joseph, in his measure, is doing the same thing here.
That is one reason God could trust him with elevation. Joseph had the kind of heart that could stand before Pharaoh and not inhale the praise. He could be used without needing to be worshiped. He could help without trying to build his own name.
That is rare.
A lot of people want to be used by God, but what they really want is to be admired. They want the platform, the recognition, the reputation, the feeling of being the answer. But Joseph shows us a better way. The Lord uses the man who says, “It is not in me.”
That man is safe to bless.
That woman is safe to lift up.
Because when the moment comes, they will not act like the stream is the fountain. They will not take what belongs to God. They will let people leave saying, not “What a gifted person,” but “God is good.”
And that really is the issue.
When people walk away from our life, what do they talk about?
Do they talk mainly about our cleverness, our talent, our strength?
Or do they leave with a bigger sense that God is wise, God is kind, God is faithful?
Joseph had every reason to make the moment about himself.
He had suffered.
He had waited.
He had been wronged.
But when the door finally opened, he was still free of self.
Beloved, that is a deep work of grace.
To wait a long time and still not be bitter.
To be gifted and still not be proud.
To be noticed and still not grab the glory.
That kind of heart can stand before Pharaoh and still belong fully to God.