约瑟──一个最像基督的人
创世记三十七章1至10节
1雅各住在迦南地，就是他父亲寄居的地。
2雅各的记略如下：约瑟十七岁与他哥哥们一同牧羊。他是个童子，与他父亲的妾辟拉、悉帕的儿子们常在一处。约瑟将他哥哥们的恶行报给他们的父亲。
3以色列原来爱约瑟过于爱他的众子，因为约瑟是他年老生的；他给约瑟做了一件彩衣。
4约瑟的哥哥们见父亲爱约瑟过于爱他们，就恨约瑟，不与他说和睦的话。
5约瑟做了一梦，告诉他哥哥们，他们就越发恨他。
6约瑟对他们说：“请听我所做的梦：
7我们在田里捆禾稼，我的捆起来站着，你们的捆来围着我的捆下拜。”
8他的哥哥们回答说：“难道你真要作我们的王吗？难道你真要管辖我们吗？”他们就因为他的梦和他的话，越发恨他。
9后来他又做了一梦，也告诉他的哥哥们说：“看哪！我又做了一梦，梦见太阳、月亮与十一个星向我下拜。”
10约瑟将这梦告诉他父亲和他哥哥们，他父亲就责备他说：“你做的这是甚么梦！难道我和你母亲、你弟兄果然要来俯伏在地，向你下拜吗？”
信息分享
此外，我们对约瑟的人生遭遇和经历过的试探，有许多地方都可以感同身受。年少的他，因为向家人分享神给他的异象，而惹来严峻的试炼。连他父亲对他的特殊宠爱，也似乎对他有害无益。
其后，在他工作的地方，他也接连遭到试探，并总是以悲剧告终。到了后来，他终于擢升高位，拥有很大的权力。许多处于这样高位的人，都很容易被各种试探所迷惑。以上每一种情况，都是今天的基督徒会随时遇到的，其险恶的程度也不减当年。
当读到约瑟少年时的异梦，你有甚么想法呢？假如他把神在梦中向他启示的异象藏在心中，不告诉任何人，是否会较好呢？若我们的家人并非信徒，我们向他们分享我们的属灵经历，并很容易造成大家的隔膜。他们未必会明白，而造成的隔膜却可能要用很长时间才能消除。
是甚么因素造成约瑟与兄长之间的问题？是兄长对他的妒忌吗？但不管兄长怎样待他，约瑟始终没有报复。即使在他的少年时代，他与神之间似乎已有一种特殊的关系。纵然他不知道梦境最终会如何应验，但他却一直信靠神。他只知道，神掌管了他的人生和各种处境。我们今天有这份信心吗？
我信靠你，主耶稣，
唯独你会带领我，
并每时每刻供应我。
JOSEPH-THE MAN MOST LIKE CHRIST
Genesis 37:1-10
1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2 This is the history of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”
Message
But we can also identify with him personally in many of his true-to-life situations and temptations. As a teenager he was tested severely when he tried to share his God-given visions with his own family. Even his father's special love for him seems to have hindered rather than helped.
Then he was tempted frequently in his place of employment, a sad story with a traumatic ending. Much later he moved into an upper-income bracket and a place of enormous power. Many men have succumbed to the temptations which come with such a position. Each of these situations can be the experience of many Christians today and are still as dangerous as they were back there in Joseph's day.
As you read the story of Joseph's teenage dreams, what did you think? Would he have been better off to keep quiet about what God was revealing to him? It is sometimes easy isn't it, to alienate our own family when telling them about our spiritual experiences if they are not believers. They may not understand and barriers can be built up which may take a long time to break down.
What was the root of the brothers' problem? Jealousy? But no matter how his brothers treated him, Joseph did not retaliate. Even as a teenager he seems to have had a special link with God. Joseph knew what it was to trust him, although the way ahead with its ultimate fulfillment of his dreams was not clearly seen. All he knew was that God was in control of his life and circumstances. Can't we take that same position today?
I am trusting Thee Lord Jesus,
Thou alone shalt lead.
Every day and hour supplying
All my need.
Frances R Havergal.