Joseph and the 7 Year Rich: An Expert’s Advice for Today

Ed

We’ve heard the story. But here’s a rehash anyway. (Genesis chapters37–41 Holy Bible)

Cool Joe was an ex-con with an illustrious past. The youngest son, at the time of his birth, he was betrayed by his evil stepbrothers, enslaved as a teenager, and shipped to a foreign nation. Whew! All this before his 18^th birthday. Yet Joe turned tragedy into upward trajectory. While there, he climbed the corporate ladder from the biblical era equivalent of the basement cubicle to the top of the pyramid.

However, when something seems too good to stay true it usually doesn’t. The boss’s wife badmouthing him is what landed him in jail in the first place. But Joe, cool and true to form, then turned the big house into home as a jailhouse prophet and OG (original genius) of old. Joseph landed back on his feet like the cool cat that he is. It turns out that a fellow ex-con remembered his gift from when they stayed at the lockup inn. And it’s a good thing too because THE Boss aka Pharaoh had need of his skills. So, he called for Joseph.

Pharaoh’s Dreams Genesis 41:1-7

The Man had some weird troublesome dreams of late. Initially he turned to his magicians, ancient Egypt’s version of the CEO’s number crunchers and analyst. However, they weren’t up to the task and to their credit they admitted it. Pharaoh’s councilors were good. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be working for him.

But Joseph had the best advantage when it comes to advancing in any field: it’s not just what you know but who you know. And that Who revealed to Joseph what He didn’t divulge to the others. He who helped Joseph is so all that he didn’t even go by a name. When someone asked about him in another story four centuries later, he just said “I am that I am.”

Joseph’s interprets dreams Genesis 41:25–36

Pharaoh was confounded by two dreams. The first image was a herd of meaty cows being eaten up by a group of scrawny ones. The second time fleshy good for the grill corn sprung out the ground only to be overtaken by flimsy stalks of the spit out your mouth variety.

Joseph explained to Pharaoh that the times of feast would be followed by famine. Each would last seven years. So, Joseph suggested storing a fraction of current product during the good years to prepare for the lean years. He, led by the Lord, saved the day.

And the rest is history

Then and Now

Today’s new normal doesn’t feel very normal. And much of this is due to the Covid induced pandemic /endemic reality since 2020. Whereas Joseph was an ex-con whose wisdom led him to become a ruler, today we have someone who was a ruler who’s on course to become a next-con.

However, what’s true is still true. Joseph’s sage counsel is as good now as it was in Pharaoh’s day. So, what would Joseph do? Like all top dog leader types, he’d relate his advice to the present. So instead of cows and corn ole Joe would look at feast and famine in relative terms.

The contemporary feast includes certain time tested dishes. Income that arrives on a predictable basis keeps the bellies full. For instance, when the means of income i.e. employment isn’t reduced by or eliminated by forces beyond our control, the eating is good. When the flow of income isn’t stopped or threatened by layoff, disability or disaster(climate change anyone?) our ice boxes remain stocked and our tables stay topped with plenty. Also, assets, tools to generate income remain safe hunger free nights of sleep follow.

Here, feast doesn’t mean extravagance or living high off the proverbial hog. It simply means stable or comfortable. In Joseph’s Day the times of feast were based upon the Nile River rising high enough. If the river sunk Egypt’s fortunes sank with it.

Joseph of course would keep a weary eye on what could go wrong. That’s where famine comes in.

Famine can be literal, a widespread scarcity of food for any reason. It can be actual, a current threat to survival because financial means fail to meet current needs. It can be potential, future events even when expected and desired can lead to less security such as retirement. Famine then is simply when things get worse or at least tight. It doesn’t always include starvation or homelessness, but it can.

Today’s normal

Joseph’s advice is good general counsel for families and nations alike. However, people have limited control over the world around them. For instance, many in Ukraine suddenly found themselves at a loss. The place you once lived in being blasted into ruins can wreak havoc on the best financial planning. Egypt of that day didn’t fear invasion from a bully whose abilities didn’t match his ambitions.

He who is gave the dreams to Pharaoh and the interpretation to Joseph. So, someone who could act above the fray of competing constituencies oversaw putting the plan in place. Pharaoh didn’t need anyone’s approval to take Joseph’s advice. He unlike America’s president was not burdened by separation of powers or federal/state divisions.

Today, in our next normal phase we need to listen to He who Joseph followed. Those in charge need to listen to Godly counsel. And, if they don’t have that they need to get it. Preparations to prevent pandemic pestilence were made by a previous wise American leader.

But there came a successor who knew not sense. This ruler was no Pharaoh and didn’t have a Joseph nearby. He wasn’t inclined to listen to those who gave him sound counsel. So, it’s easy to see that even if he had Joseph around, he wouldn’t have listened to him. He then proceeded to undo the very work that was done to prevent the crisis. This caused a blight upon America and the world.

That last scenario sounds a lot like what took place in ancient Egypt about four centuries after Joseph.

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