Year 4, Day 46: Genesis 47

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Character

• Character: Having the interior life that is necessary to support the work that God sets before a person.  It is hearing from God and obeying.  It is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.

Every time I read Genesis 47 I am amazed at the taxation involved.  Eventually the food among the people runs out.  So the people turn to Joseph and he sells them food in exchange for their livestock.  Then the food runs out again so Joseph sells them food in return for their land and servitude.  Here’s the deal, though.  Joseph asks for a 20% tax in exchange for provision with respect to food.

How does this lead us to a conversation about character?  Well, the reality is that God has given us all that we have: our talents, our intellect, our skills, our abilities, our opportunities.  All that we have came first from God.  Yet God simply asks for 10%.  Even our own country demands more than 10% – which, for the record, our country doesn’t provide food to those of us who are employed.  God gives us so much in this life and relatively speaking asks for so little in return.

Character is having the interior life to support the work that God sets before us.  Having good character implies doing the right thing with what God has given to us.  We are so willing to give to our country and to our own passions.  But are we willing to give back to God when He has given us so much?

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