Joseph
(from the book of Genesis)
photo courtesy of: http://weareisrael.org/2014/10/28/joseph-ruled-egypt/
Week 2: The Joseph Principle
There are many principles that can be discussed from the story of Joseph found in the book of Genesis chapter 37 . . . economic prosperity, recession, surplus, storage, leadership, humility, etc. And those are all excellent principles to ponder.
But there is another gem of a principle that has always inspired both my husband and myself in this famous biblical story -- what we reverently refer to as the "Joseph Principle."
A little backstory first: Joseph was the 11th son of his father, Jacob, and the firstborn child of his mother, Rachel. Jacob was way old by this time, and Rachel was his favorite wife, so I think it's pretty safe to say that he was a little excited about Joseph's entrance into the world. The scriptures tell us Joseph was "favored" by Jacob (and naturally, we would assume Rachel would concur). Well, you can imagine how the other brothers felt about this . . . yeah, they were definitely "jelly". So jealous, in fact, that they sold Joseph into slavery (long story short). Joseph, however, was excellent at getting up when life knocked him down, and he ended up becoming vizier (aka: right-hand man) to the Pharaoh (king) of Egypt. Joseph was so smart and resourceful that when the famine came,
Egypt was prepared (another long story short).
But there is another gem of a principle that has always inspired both my husband and myself in this famous biblical story -- what we reverently refer to as the "Joseph Principle."
A little backstory first: Joseph was the 11th son of his father, Jacob, and the firstborn child of his mother, Rachel. Jacob was way old by this time, and Rachel was his favorite wife, so I think it's pretty safe to say that he was a little excited about Joseph's entrance into the world. The scriptures tell us Joseph was "favored" by Jacob (and naturally, we would assume Rachel would concur). Well, you can imagine how the other brothers felt about this . . . yeah, they were definitely "jelly". So jealous, in fact, that they sold Joseph into slavery (long story short). Joseph, however, was excellent at getting up when life knocked him down, and he ended up becoming vizier (aka: right-hand man) to the Pharaoh (king) of Egypt. Joseph was so smart and resourceful that when the famine came,
Egypt was prepared (another long story short).
So what does this have to do with marriage?
Marriage is an opportunity for some individuals to cleanse their family line through being a transitional character.
When Joseph's brother's came to Egypt desperate to survive the famine,
Joseph not only helped them,
Joseph saved his family and generations to follow.
Joseph is a Transitional Character.
"A transitional character is one who, in a single generation, changes the entire course of a lineage. The changes might be for good or ill, but the most noteworthy examples are those individuals who grow up in an abusive, emotionally destructive environment and who somehow find a way to metabolize the poison and refuse to pass it on to their children. They break the mold. The refute the observation that abused children become abusive parents, that the children of alcoholics become alcoholic adults, that "the sins of the fathers are visited upon the heads of the children to the third and fourth generation." Their contribution to humanity is to filter the destructiveness out of their own lineage so that the generations downstream will have a supportive foundation upon which to build productive lives." (p. 18, Carlfred Broderick (1992). Marriage and the Family. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall).
It was approximately 20 years until Joseph was reunited with his family again. Joseph endured much during that time, especially in the early part of those twenty years. He could have given up, become a homeless beggar, vagabond, or numerous other things. But instead, he changed the course of his lineage.
Joseph not only helped them,
Joseph saved his family and generations to follow.
Joseph is a Transitional Character.
"A transitional character is one who, in a single generation, changes the entire course of a lineage. The changes might be for good or ill, but the most noteworthy examples are those individuals who grow up in an abusive, emotionally destructive environment and who somehow find a way to metabolize the poison and refuse to pass it on to their children. They break the mold. The refute the observation that abused children become abusive parents, that the children of alcoholics become alcoholic adults, that "the sins of the fathers are visited upon the heads of the children to the third and fourth generation." Their contribution to humanity is to filter the destructiveness out of their own lineage so that the generations downstream will have a supportive foundation upon which to build productive lives." (p. 18, Carlfred Broderick (1992). Marriage and the Family. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall).
It was approximately 20 years until Joseph was reunited with his family again. Joseph endured much during that time, especially in the early part of those twenty years. He could have given up, become a homeless beggar, vagabond, or numerous other things. But instead, he changed the course of his lineage.
I am a transitional character in my family. I am the youngest of three children, but take on the role of the oldest. The dysfunctional communication and unhealthy family practices that I experienced growing up in my family of origin are STOPPING in my family of creation.
My husband is a transitional character in his family. He is the oldest of three children in his family and joined the church at age 14 which set the example for his younger siblings to follow. Once baptized, he never looked back. His life's mission was clear to him. He was the first in his family to graduate high school, the first to attend and graduate from college, the first to marry in the temple, and the first to STOP the long-established pattern of divorce.
We are living the Joseph Principle and know that part of our earthly mission is
to save, or cleanse, our family lines.
This Joseph Principle applied within our marriage gives us a powerful purpose that strengthens our bonds to one another, to God, and to our eternal family -- our ancestors AND our posterity!
