Life's highest and best lesson

(J.R. Miller, "The Story of Joseph, Practical Lessons")  LISTEN to audio! Download audio

(You will find it helpful to listen to the audio above, as you read the text below.)

We read that Joseph bore himself so congenially and did his work so well, and was so capable, so true, so trustworthy—that Potiphar "left all that he owned under Joseph's care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate." Genesis 39:6. Joseph would never have won such a success . . .
  if he had given up to discouragement,
  if he had brooded over his wrongs,
  if he had sulked and complained,
  if he had spent his time in vain regrets or in vindictive feelings.
We should learn the lesson, and it is worth learning—for it is life's highest and best lesson.

The problem of life is to keep the heart warm and kindly amid all injustice and wrong; to keep the spirit brave and cheerful in the midst of all that is hard in life's circumstances and conditions; to be true, and right, and strong in all moral purpose and deed—however others may act toward us.

Our inner life should not be affected by our external experiences. Right is right, no matter what others around us may do. We must be true—no matter if all the world is false, even false to us. We must be unselfish and loving, though even our nearest friends prove selfish and cruel to us. We must keep our spirit strong, cheerful and hopeful—though adversities and misfortunes seem to leave us nothing of the fruit of all our labors.

In a word, we are to live victoriously, truly, nobly, sweetly, cheerfully, joyfully—in spite of whatever may be uncongenial in our condition!

This is the lesson of all Christian life. We should not let the outside darkness into our soul. We should seek to be delivered from all morbidness and all unwholesomeness. We should not allow anything to crush us.

Remember, your task in living is to keep sweet; to keep your heart gentle, brave, strong, loving, full of hope—under the worst that the years can bring you of injustice, hardship, suffering, and trial.

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Something to ponder:
J.R. Miller: As the summer sunbeams enter into the flowers, and reappear in their lovely hues and sweet fragrance—so does Christ enter into the lives of His redeemed people, and permeate and transform them, until they become like Him in spirit, in character, in disposition, in every feature.
"Until Christ is formed in you." Galatians 4:19
"Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27