Elementary Level, Block 3—Jacob and Joseph
Week 27
Joseph—Diligent and Responsible
Point to Emphasize: We can be those who are open to learn and do the best we can.
Reference Reading: Genesis 39—41
Memory Verse: And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands… (Psalm 90:17)
Story Sample
Joseph was truly someone special in the Bible. He was someone who trusted in God and was perfect in his behavior. He also waited patiently for his dreams to be fulfilled. You know what else about Joseph? He was the best at what he did. He was a dreamer, but he did not just wait for things to happen. He was responsible for the things he needed to do and worked hard to get things done.
At a very young age, Joseph was separated from his family and was all-alone in a foreign place. But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he did the best he could in the situation he was placed in. That also meant he was wise. He knew that there was nothing he could do about his situation except to accept it and make the best of it. Joseph also knew God was with him and trusted that God would take care of him, even if the situation seemed not-so-good.
When he was first brought to Egypt, he was bought as a slave by a man named Potiphar. Potiphar was the captain of the guard, an official of Pharaoh the king. So the person Joseph worked for was a very important person. Since Joseph was such a good worker and always did his best, Before long Potiphar put him in charge of his house. That’s quite something for someone so young. He was only a teenager. But he was wise, responsible, open to learn new things, and did the best that he could.
Later on, he was falsely accused and put in prison. But he didn’t feel sorry for himself in prison either. In fact, he was again put in charge. The guards made him responsible over all the other prisoners.
More than that, after he was released from prison, he became the second most powerful man in the whole earth at that time. That meant he had a huge responsibility to take care of so many people. He had to be wise to plan for how to do that. And God was with him and blessed everything he did.
Are you taking any lessons, like piano lessons or playing any sports like baseball or soccer? Or how about doing martial arts or dance? Well, if we want to be good at something, we need to practice and do the best we can. If we don’t try our best, it’s hard to be very good at anything and definitely impossible to be the best in anything. But this means that we have to work hard at practicing. When I was younger, I had to learn to play the piano. But I did not work hard at practicing. Sadly, I only did the bare minimum. If I had practiced and done my best, right now I would surely be a better piano player. [Storyteller, insert your own story of being open to learn or working hard and doing the best you can.]
Joseph could be the best at what he did because not only God was with him, but also he was willing to do his very best. He was wise, open to learn, and always worked hard, which made him the best person for any job. Like Joseph, we should be willing and happy to learn and not think that we know everything. We can also do our very best in whatever we do. We may not be the best at everything, but we surely can try our best at everything we do.