"The Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand."--_Genesis 39:3._
SO we see Joseph a slave. A slave is a servant who belongs to his
master, as his cows and horses do; he gets no wages, and cannot go
away, but is bought and sold like cattle.
Think of poor Joseph. He was used to live as the son of a great rich
prince, wearing a dress of many bright colors, with many servants, and
no one to obey but his kind fond father; and living in a beautiful
land, all hill and valley, where he used to feed his father's flocks.
But now he was a slave in a strange land, with people speaking a
language he did not know, and no one to care for him or say a good word
to him, shut up in a house in a town, far away from his dear hills.
Still he had one comfort, and the best of all--God was with him. He
could still pray to God, and do his duty. And he did his work well,
for God helped him, and everything he did was made to prosper in his
hand. Then he was trusted. His master knew that he always took care of
everything, as if it was his own, and left all to him, quite sure that
it would be safe.
But his wicked mistress made up a story that he had behaved ill, and he
was put in prison for what he had not done. This sounds hard, but it
was God's own way of bringing good to pass, and making Joseph come at
last to honor. Very soon he was loved and trusted in his prison; and
all he did the Lord made it to prosper.
Think about this. Try when you have anything to do--a lesson or a bit
of work--to ask God to make it prosper. Then if you try your best He
will help, and it will be sure to turn out well.
Then try to deserve to be trusted. That is a great thing. If you always
recollect that God sees you, you will do the same when no one is with
you as if all the world were watching; and that is the way to be true
and just in all your dealings. If you are only good when you are looked
at, you are not like Joseph, but are only doing service outwardly. You
must try to live that your parents may
"Out of sight
Know all is right,
One law for darkness and for light."