The Free Prisoner

The Free Prisoner

March 6, 2017

My Church is currently teaching a series entitled PREGNANT WITH DESTINY that centered on the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis Chapter 37. The teaching is quite phenomenal and I recommend you to follow it here. Often times, I have been reminded of many things or my eyes have been opened to other realities which I seek to share in this blog.

The first point that came to my attention was the fact that although Joseph had been imprisoned, he continued to look out for the affairs of others. See Genesis 40:7 So he (Joseph) asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, “why do you look so sad today?”  Joseph was concerned that some prisoners were sad!! This was quite interesting for me. How can one who was unjustly treated, thrown in the pit, sold as a slave, imprisoned, etc be the same slave (for he never lost that status) who cares that those who have hitherto had it easy (Chief Butler and Chief Baker) are feeling under the weather in the prison?

Ideally, one would think that some people are not allowed to be sad when compared to those like Joseph. Our sense of justice generally would assume that such butlers and cup bearers who have had the easy way of life should style up and we need not care about their feelings. It would be justified for someone like Joseph to move around with a sad face but not them. More surprisingly, Joseph was not sad in spite of his circumstances – being a slave and a prisoner at that. Instead Joseph cared for others. He cared about others. He remained a FREE MAN in spite of his circumstances. This means that whereas he might have physically been in prison, he never stopped hoping that he would physically leave one day. It is for this reason that we see him asking the Chief Butler to remember him. Verse 14 but remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon,”

We get a glance into the mindset of Joseph. In spite of his circumstances, including his ‘‘promotion’’ as glorified slave, Joseph never lost focus of who he was. Being in charge of fellow prisoners was never Joseph’s final purpose. He remained focused on the prize – his calling as a son of God. He might not have seen how he would get out of the mess, but he kept the faith. He never forgot that God had called him to be ruler. He never forgot his relationship with God. That is why he refused to sleep with Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:9). How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? In Genesis 42:9, the Scripture also states he remembered the dreams he had dreamed about his brothers bowing to him.

So Joseph knew who he was and never lost focus. He might have been a slave and a prisoner physically, but he remained a free man, a favorite son of Jacob his father. His dreams possibly never stopped including scenes of his multi-coloured court, racing with the goats and lambs in his father’s compound, reciting his dreams (dreaming big) etc. Similarly, Sadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who were glorified slaves in Babylon, also refused to bow to the golden image of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3).  We too need to always keep focus. We shouldn’t let the challenges and perks that come along life’s way, temporarily distract us from the bigger picture.

The above therefore begs the question – what is my version of prison and what is my attitude towards it?

In case one is in a bad or abusive marriage, one ought to have the right attitude and not settle for less. One should always dream for a marriage made perfect in Christ. The marriage might be a prison but the attitude of the prisoner to the prison should be one of hope for the better – a perfect marriage. Don’t settle for the few kisses that a physically abusive husband remembers to give you when he has a ‘momentary lapse’ of regret.

In the workplace, in the country, in our physical bodies, in our businesses, whatever our momentary prison is, it should not determine who we are. We remain free people – free in the mind to dream and think and plan and believe that in due season we shall reap a harvest if we do not faint. 

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