Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: In
- In: This is the word we use to express our relationships with our spiritual family. These are often the people who hold us spiritually accountable. They are the ones to whom we typically go for discussion and discernment. These are the ones with whom we learn to share leadership. They are the ones with whom we become family on mission.
This is one of my favorite stories from my childhood. There’s something about a boy, a
multi-colored coat, brotherly infighting, and a slaughtered goat that really
can get the attention of a young boy.
But as I’ve matured, I think I am seeing this story through a new
lens. It’s a lens that was unavailable
to me when I was a child. It’s the lens
of leadership.
One of the successful dimensions of leadership is having a good
In. We need people with whom we can be
honest. We need people with whom we can
discern. We need people that we can
trust. It’s a part of effective
leadership. I need people who can help
me see the good ideas from the bad ideas.
I need people to encourage me and support me while also helping me to
avoid as many of life’s pitfalls as possible.
The truth is, we all need those In people. We all benefit when we have spiritually
mature people to help us discern.
Having said this, let’s look at Joseph. When he has his visions, to whom does he
turn? He turns to his brothers. His brothers are neither spiritually mature
nor are they able to help him discern properly.
Rather, they become jealous.
Rather than helping Joseph hear from God, they grab him and become an
obstruction.
This chapter is really a great example of the failure of In. Joseph chose to confide in the wrong
people. Without those discerning people,
Joseph’s life turns upside down. He
struggles unsuccessfully and finds himself in a heap of trouble. Life without the right In people is far more
difficult than it could be with the right In.
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