“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives”. Genesis 50:20
I think three of the most powerful letters in the alphabet are D.I.S. In fact, youth culture has adopted these three letters into the phrase. “I got dissed.” It means, according to the Urban Dictionary, that someone is showing disrespect to them. It came from the use of computers. It means to be disconnected.
D.I.S. changes everything. Obey becomes disobey. Respect becomes disrespect. Regard becomes disregard. What was an ability becomes a disability. Engage becomes disengaged, and grace is transformed into disgrace. All because of three little letters: D.I.S.
The most potent “dissed” word of all is appointment. Most people grow up with the feeling they have an appointment with success. They believe, and rightfully so, that it is just a matter of time until the right spouse, the right job, the right boss, the right level of income, the proper behavior from their kids, and the correct medicine for their illness will appear. Just a matter of time. Joseph had an appointment with success, but he suffered years of disappointment to get there. Let’s take a look at Joseph’s Great Disappointments.
Disappointment #1: I once listened to a speaker who said that ninety-eight percent of all families are dysfunctional. I don’t believe it. After everything I have seen and heard, I am confident it is one hundred percent. As a theologian, I think I can defend the statement that the net result of humanity choosing sin over God was and is DYSFUNCTION.
Joseph’s family would be charter members of the Dysfunctional Family Club. The family of Jacob was a textbook example of chaos. In the first scene of the Joseph Saga, we find Jacob playing favorites, Joseph being a brat, and the brothers plotting to kill him and then lying to their fathers about it.
Disappointment #2: But Joseph lands nicely. Joseph’s life in Egypt began in slavery to Potiphar, captain of the Pharaoh’s bodyguard. He would be Potiphar’s slave for 11 years. All was going well. In fact, the scripture records that “the Lord was with Joseph,” and he was made manager of Potiphar’s household. Unfortunately, the mistress of the house, Potiphar’s wife, would like Joseph to manage more than just the family’s domestic affairs. Joseph is framed and put in jail. He invents the infamous phrase, “There is no wrath like a woman scorned”. Joseph is toast. Joseph’s second great disappointment is the anger of Potiphar, being falsely accused and labeled as an adulterer, and he is back in jail. He will be in prison for two years.
Now, we know that God will ultimately restore Joseph, and he will become second in command of all of Egypt. We know God will use Joseph to preserve the Egyptians and the Israelites. In the end, we know that Joseph will be reunited with his family. But Joseph has suffered dramatically.
Here is why this story matters. Sometimes, I have had disappointments and they were my own fault. I bet you can say the same. Instead of doing the intelligent thing, I did the stupid thing. Honest truth: I don’t know if I bring God pleasure but I’m pretty sure I amuse him. I have created a lot of trouble. In fact, if I ever meet someone who makes as much trouble for myself as I have, it will be the worst day of my life. However, other times troubles were visited upon me. To each of us comes a certain number of 911 events. They do. So, amid our self-inflicted and externally inflicted injury, we can count on something as sure as the sun coming up in the morning. God will show up and say the same thing Joseph says about all of his disappointments: “What the world intends for harm, I intend to use to accomplish good, saving many people’s lives.”
Have a Great Week,
-Pastor Corey
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