By: Esther Muzzanganda
Life will test you, storms will come, people may betray you, opportunities may vanish, yet there is one thing that no circumstance can ever take away: your character.
Joseph was his father’s favourite, given a beautiful coat of many colours, a symbol of favour and promise. That caused jealousy in his brothers, and they plotted against him.
They sold him into slavery and watched as he disappeared from their lives. From the comfort of a home, Joseph was thrust into the harsh reality of a foreign land.
Joseph was a special character
Even in slavery, Joseph’s character shone. He didn’t allow bitterness, anger or self-pity to dictate his actions. He rose from the ruins and kept a character that outlived the circumstance.
He worked faithfully, earned trust, and rose to a position of responsibility in Potiphar’s House. Even if life tested him again and again, his character saw him through a bush of troubles to a resting place.
Falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, he found himself behind bars. Prison could have broken him, but integrity did not waver. He refused to compromise what was right, and he continued to serve with diligence and faithfulness.
A harvest of unwavering integrity
Years later, that very character of unwavering integrity, discipline and faith became the key to his rise. Joseph went from a prison cell to becoming the second most powerful man in Egypt.
He didn’t just survive circumstances, but rather, he transformed them. Through his steadfastness, he saved nations, preserved his family and fulfilled his God-given purpose.
If circumstances outlive us, we become victims of life, but when character outlives circumstances, we become architects of our destiny. Life may betray you, opportunities may be delayed, people may disappoint you, but when you have a character, every trial becomes a stepping stone, every setback becomes a lesson, and every storm becomes a stage for your greatness.
Respond to challenges with courage because it is not the trials that define you; it is how your character responds to them. Circumstances are temporary, but character is eternal.
