Attention last-borns: this post isn’t for you. If you’re the youngest in your family, we’ll give you a moment to find another post that caters to your needs because this one does everything but that!
My younger brother was as annoying as that fly that bursts into your room uninvited and slams its head on every wall and window before buzzing its way out. Abaolu was our last-born. He didn’t have chores, got practically everything he wanted, and snitched on me all the time. I low-key resented him. I would stare at this short yellow creature that ripped me of my last-born status and wished I could slap that mole off his chin, but I dared not unless, of course, I wanted to invoke my mother’s wrath.
So you see why I kinda rooted for Joseph’s brothers. Yes, I’m about to play the devil’s advocate!
In my opinion, Joseph was that kind of last-born. He was not just spoilt and chatty, he was also naive. “We get it, you’re Dad’s favorite. No need to rub it in our faces; we already see your fancy robe as a daily reminder of our unfortunate status in this house,” his brothers must have told him many times. But the straw that broke the camel’s back was the second dream Joseph excitedly told them, a dream that suggested his superiority, and a belief their father seemed to share even though he tried not to show it.
Now, I’m not excusing Joseph’s brothers’ questionable morals. They weren’t exactly saints, I get that, but what else could you expect when the equation says spoilt kid plus doting parents plus resentful siblings … disaster was inevitable!
You see, some of us ehn, God has seen that we will muddle up His well thought out plan for the future if He doesn’t do something about our excesses and our the community we are rooted in. Joseph needed to be outside of that community to become the ruler and deliverer that God had ordained him to be. You know what I think would have happened to Joseph if he had remained in the family house? His dad‘ overindulgence, and his brothers’ constant antagonism would have prevented him from ascending to the office of prime minister.
Speaking of office, I have come to understand that before you occupy an office, you have to ‘become’ that office. The title is not what makes you a leader; it is the leader in you and the value you bring that makes the title meaningful. God is interested in our ‘becoming’, He wants to mold us so we can become the office first before He puts us in our destined positions. Ever wondered why many of our political leaders are never able to do the country any good? It’s because there’s no substance. Substance is important for sustainable development, but true substance isn’t handed out; it is crafted, molded through trials. And, unfortunately, you can’t mold a thing without breaking it down first.
I have a background in sociology, so I often view things through a sociological lens. This perspective helped me to see what God was doing with Joseph. God was giving him new experiences that were totally different from what he was used to at home; experiences that will mold leadership, character and faith. Socialization is super important in shaping who we are—we’re often limited by our experiences and what society throws at us. For God to really change us, He needs to shake things up with new, sometimes tough experiences to help us become who we’re meant to be.
The journey to ‘becoming’ is not always a pleasant one. Trust me, I’ve had my share of breaking, molding, and more breaking. In fact, I have way too many experiences—why? Because I have coconut head! I am that clay that thinks it can argue with the potter. But guess who loses all the time! “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
Romans 9:20-21 NKJV
God permitted Joseph’s isolation for 13 long years. Your Sunday school teacher probably didn’t tell you, but I’m sure Joseph wasn’t stoic and joyful all that time. How could he be? We’re talking about Joseph here, the pampered last-born from downtown Canaan! There must have been moments of despair and deep questioning. So bruh, I feel you, and yes your devastating is a valid feeling. But you see, in Joseph’s isolation, he matured, he learned crucial administrative skills, and he ‘became’ who he needed to be before assuming the office of prime minister. Did you notice that he used his gifts even in prison? You can be a beacon of light even in that horrible job you are in. By the way, if by now you don’t know I’m talking about the biblical Joseph, you’re either an absentee Christian or a non-Christian. I apologize to my non-Christian readers for not stating earlier that this is a Bible story about Joseph, a young man who was hated and trafficked by his brothers but ended up becoming a prime minister in a foreign country. The story can be found in the book of Genesis chapters 37 through 50.
It’s amazing that what we consider suffering is God actually taking us on a journey of ‘becoming.’ In this journey, we get to discover our true selves and the skills we never knew we had. This is why it is important that even in our attempt to get out of unpleasant situations, we must be wise enough to allow God to do His work while we learn from the experience. We must also always put our best foot forward, ready to serve, because it is in serving that we find that opportunity that finally turns everything around. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
Unlike Joseph, you may not be the last-born of your family and might not have been pampered growing up, but I bet you there is greatness within you, and destiny beckons you to embrace your ‘becoming’ journey. Allow the potter to do His work!
The picture above shows me and my siblings. Can you guess who the youngest is? 
By the way, he’s my graphic designer, website designer, and newsletter manager; if you’re reading this post, it’s because he didn’t read it first!
1 thought on “Joseph Had It Coming”
Great lesson