Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
GENESIS 41:53-57 | 53 The seven years of plenty that
prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.” 56 And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became
severe throughout the world.
Joseph’s entrepreneurial idea saved millions from starvation and death. This included both Egyptians and Joseph’s family—the family that would become the nation of Israel and birth the Messiah.
Economic growth is good! Not as an end in itself, but as a tool that can move beyond prosperity to create permanent spiritual blessings. Surplus can, of course, be used in unholy and selfish ways. It can be a way of showing off, falsely measuring human value. It can be used only for personal amusements and pleasures, in a series of self-indulgent moments. It can be leveraged in the quest for power and influence. It can be produced in immoral ways.
Yet, without an economic surplus, life degenerates into a struggle for survival and investments in art, education, science, and culture are diminished or eliminated. Entrepreneurs are key within the kingdom of God.
How have you created or deployed surplus?
