Over the last few months we have been looking at the rather inconsistent and perplexing trajectory in the life of Joseph ben Israel of biblical fame. Though an ancient story, we see when unpacking it that human life even with all of its great advancements in technology, remains strangely analogous over the eons of time.  While peering into Joseph’s life from afar, we have the benefit of hindsight. This was not a privilege afforded him. We read the story already knowing its rather spectacular and splendid ending. Imagine if we didn’t know what was coming? I think we would be gripped by the suspense of the story-line. If this was a movie we would be riveted to our seats, nervously rocking in or grasping onto the arms of our chairs. We also might find ourselves stuffing popcorn down at an accelerated rate. It is an insanely crazy story with so many twists and turns.

I used to enjoy watching movies with my daughter while she was growing up. She could not sit still during the suspenseful scenes when there was mystery involved! When she was little she would constantly ask “Daddy what happens next?” As she grew older she would get up and pace back and forth in the room especially when the melodramatic music started. We’d all laugh but it wasn’t funny to her. I don’t think Joseph was laughing either. I think he was perplexed about his life as it wasn’t the one he had been shown as a child. I don’t think any of what was happening to him made sense in his mind. One moment he was driving down the highway of his life at high speed. In the next moment, suddenly the steering wheel detached and he no longer had control over his own life. Those are terrifying moments much like the scenes in a movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Picking up the story where we left it… Joseph’s last gig got him thrown in jail for responding the right way in a rather uncomfortable situation. We addressed the whole state of affairs in Who Are You?  One might imagine Joseph now sitting in prison with his head in his hands dejected, disorientated and downright depressed. How had his life gone so terribly wrong? His post-mortem thoughts left him more depressed because he really could not think of a different way to have handled the situation. In his mind he had acted with integrity. I’ve been there before experiencing that very moment; I know exactly how he felt! I’m sure you do as well.

BAD BOYS, BAD BOYS

I once unjustly spent a few hours in jail after a bored policeman decided to run my vehicle plates while sitting behind me. He was waiting to pick up his children at a community center. All of a sudden I noticed his red lights flashing in my rear-view mirror as he was parked behind me. Unbeknownst to me, one of my teenage boys had been issued a ticket for a moving violation a year earlier. The ticket wasn’t given to him in person so the plates on the car were recorded and later researched. Since the vehicle plates were in my name, a ticket was issued to me even though I was never involved in the situation! I didn’t recall anything ever being sent to the house and was in shock when told there was a warrant out for my arrest. I was a fugitive from the law! It sounds better in the movies or on TV, trust me. I was handcuffed and put into the back of a police car and driven to the local jail and booked. There I sat wondering what in heaven’s name had just happened.

At the time it was all going down I had no idea as to the backstory and neither did the arresting officer. He did not care that I was innocent! I had no recourse or opportunity to clear my name. I remember sitting there in a moment of disbelief asking myself if this was really happening. I got my one call to someone to come bail me out. It was incredibly humiliating sitting in a barred cell and on top of that, the jail stunk terribly. Upon my release I called the local DA to set up a meeting to discuss the situation. The following week I showed up at her office to tell her my tale of woe. I was so taken back by her response as she about fell out of her chair laughing. She was actually doubled over while I sat there staring on in stunned silence. Once she regained her composure, she kindly told me to simply pay the ticket and she would give me back my bail money. Come to think of it, that child of mine stills owes me $75 for that ticket! Son, if you’re reading this you know where to mail the check.

BUT IT’S NOT FAIR

I imagine Joseph felt that same sense of helplessness I had years ago. Given the judicial process of his day with the guy in power making all the rules, Joseph had no recourse. It didn’t matter he was innocent, right or even talented, he was still demoted from his management position over his previous boss Potipher’s estate. How we handle injustice in what looks like failure in the eyes of others, has significant bearing on the trajectory of our future. Our responses determine not only our character, but whether or not the view ahead changes. Life is full of paradoxes and one of them is losing can sometimes result in winning. There are situations which from our initial impression seems to indicate that we have lost, failed or been unjustly treated. From our POV the circumstances weren’t fair or the decisions made did not seem to recognize our amazing talents. History is replete with stories of people who have gone through these type scenarios. Here are a few of them;

  • Mozart was fired as a musician in the court of the prince-archbishop of Salzburg.
  • Thomas Edison was once fired from Western Union when he spilled sulfuric acid on the floor and it leaked through the floorboards onto his boss’s desk.
  • Nikola Tesla was fired from his job as a draftsman in Slovenia due to his incessant gambling at cards and “mental illness”.
  • In 1919, Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star. According to his editor, he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”
  • Elvis Presley was all shook up after the concert hall manager at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry told him to leave (after one performance) and go back to driving trucks in Memphis.
  • Robert Redford lost his job as an unskilled worker at Standard Oil for accidentally breaking glass bottles and falling asleep on the job.
  • In the 1980’s, entrepreneur Mark Cuban lost his job as a salesman at a computer store. That was the last time he worked for someone else.
  • In 1998, entrepreneur and later NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his severance check from the company which became Citigroup to start his own company. He’s now one of the richest people in the world.

I’M BACK

There are countless other stories which I could mention. What they all have in common is a comeback story. You see, what they made of their lives was a direct result of how they handled unjust, unfair or even uninspired decisions others made concerning them. These decisions initially had a significantly negative impact. These are watershed moments.  In those instants we have a choice as to how we are going to respond to what is happening around us. For some, they allow themselves to be taken under by the strong current against them and overwhelmed by the situation. I think most of us go there by default initially. We wallow for a little while! One then has to make a rather momentous decision; do I want to live or die? It sounds a bit melodramatic I know but life can be that way. For those too tired or depressed to fight to live, they allow the moment to swallow them up and find themselves captive to the situation the rest of their life. In many regards they are like a caged bird with an open door. They learn to feel safe in their captivity and resign themselves that this is their lot in life. It’s the fate of the gods they tell themselves.

What makes the afore mentioned people I listed different, is they chose to fight and live. They decided that while others may not treat me fair or see my talents, I’m not going to let them deter me from my dreams or my potential. Often people like that have what I call a 6th gear. It’s a very low and powerful gear rooted in stubborn determination to succeed no matter what people think. Have you ever noticed how many successful entrepreneurs are strong willed? In fact, (excuse me for being blunt) they can be assholes! Breathe, you are going to be OK I just said that. In fact, be honest, you were just thinking the same thing! I can’t tell you how many entrepreneurs I have worked with who complain they have lots of relationships but no close friends. I think Steve Jobs was the prototype of successful assholes.

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

For years I watched a show called “Biography” on the History Channel. Over time I began to recognize a common life pattern with all the people who had become successful in their particular field. They all had to overcome something substantial in their lives as children, teenagers or early on in their career. Sometimes it was physical ailments, other times it was dysfunctional family dynamics. J Paul Getty, one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time of his death, spent his lifetime trying to exorcise the ghost of his father who told him he would never amount to anything.

The common thread you will hear from most everyone who has found success, is it wasn’t necessarily their college education or their exceptional talents which got them where they are now. It was where they failed and how they dealt with it which were the most invaluable lessons they learned. Those “failure” experiences combined with how they responded was the determining factor in their success. You see, failure is the great teacher of life. We don’t know what we don’t know until we experience the consequences of not knowing.

Joseph would find himself in a similar situation, struggling to figure how to respond to the unfair hand dealt him. His long term life vision was laying torn and tattered at his feet. One could wax eloquent here with some profound sounding words of wisdom. In truth the “what to do next” question is actually quite simple… take one step forward! Look at what is in front of you and move towards it. How did Joseph handle it? What would his next move be? Fortunately for us, we know what happened and unbeknownst to him, it would become a huge key to unlocking the next door of significant opportunity for the young Joseph.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. (Genesis 39:20-23)

I find this story filled with an invaluable lesson; if you get thrown into prison, take control of the situation and run it yourself! You may not be where you want to be, so in that case, take what you have and use it to improve the situation. Trust me, it will get you noticed and open up opportunity for you down the road! I find Joseph running the prison as a prisoner such a poignant word picture. This is the way God prepares men and women for responsibilities He has in store for them down the road. Joseph took what he had learned from running Potiphar’s estate and utilized it in his current circumstances.  It is clear from the narrative not only did Joseph find favor with the warden but his fellow prisoners. His counsel would later be sought out by a Cup-bearer and Baker who once worked for the king. Both of them once had influence and status but fell from grace. They like Joseph, had been demoted and found themselves confused as to what lay ahead. It is amazing how much impact you can have while in a prison-like situation if you take the right approach. Even in the direst of situations there is opportunity. It is difficult to see though when your head is down.

The enigmatic Steve Jobs once said…