The Joseph Principle

Alba 6-30-13

THE JOSEPH PRINCIPLE

Genesis 50:19-21

Have you heard of the Peter Principle? It was formulated by Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book called The Peter Principle.

The Peter Principle is a proposition that states that the members of an organization where promotion is based on achievement, success and merit will eventually be promoted beyond their level of ability.

The principle is commonly phrased, "Employees tend to rise to their level of incompetence." In more formal parlance, the effect could be stated: Employees tend to be given more authority until they cannot continue to work competently.

The principle holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Eventually they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions.

Peter's Corollary states that "In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties". And adds that the real "work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence."

But that principle does not apply to the story of Joseph in Genesis. In fact, the example of how Joseph succeeded and was used by God is the opposite of the Peter Principle. It is enough different that it deserves its own name. It can be called the Joseph Principle.

Instead of becoming less competent, instead of missing the plan God had for his life, he lived by the plan. As a result, Joseph went from the bottom to the top, and became more competent along the way, in spite of the fact that not everything went the way he would have liked it to go.

Today, let's learn how to live by the Joseph Principle! I Think it will help us be more thankful.

A lot of bad things happen to Joseph. He is sold into slavery by his brothers. That’s bad. He finds himself in Egypt working as a slave. That’s bad. He is falsely accused of attempting to rape his master’s wife. That’s bad. He is cast into prison, and that’s bad. Meanwhile, his father is grieving over his death as it was reported to him by the brothers. That’s bad. It’s all bad!

Until suddenly Joseph finds himself second in command over the whole country of Egypt, dishing out grain to the starving multitudes who have come to that land for something to eat.

How does one make that transition? Let's look in our Bibles at Genesis 50:15-21 for clues how to be thankful and live by the Joseph Principle.

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

These brothers should have been thankful for Joseph's forgiving attitude. But the brothers weren’t convinced that Joseph had truly forgiven them for selling him into slavery. They were thinking that since their father was dead nothing would stop Joseph from getting revenge on them for their crime. Because he had suffered a lot.

Most of us have experienced enough of the battles and burdens and heartaches of life to find ourselves at one time or another crying out, "Why, Lord? Why did this happen to me? How can I be thankful in my situation?” And we might want revenge.

Joseph had every right to be angry with them. The natural man would not have shown grace. But that is why God highlights the life of Joseph. He is not the “natural man.” He is a man who shows amazing grace.

How can we live by the Joseph Principle? First...

1. Be Thankful That You Are Not God.

In verse 19 Joseph tells his brothers, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?