“Then Pharaoh sent for [Joseph] and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.” – Psalm 105:20 (NLT)

From the prison to the palace. It happened for Joseph. The institution that put him in chains ultimately promoted him to the second most powerful position in all the land. Even though Joseph’s entire life seemed to be one bondage session after another, God used what most would perceive as a downward spiral to position Joseph, and a nation, for greatness.

Many times we are so concerned with what people think of us. The minute we’re placed in a situation where our reputation is seen as questionable, we’ll do everything in our power to reposition ourselves. The perceptions of people don’t even need to be true.  As we chase the approval of men, the approval of God takes a back seat and we find ourselves doing things we never thought we’d be capable of . . . all for the praises of people.

It appears Joseph didn’t have this people pleasing gene. And I believe that is what saved his life through one precarious situation after another. Because God had given him the ability to focus on the truth through insult and deception, and the strength to persevere in tough situations, Joseph could stay faithful even in times when people were saying demeaning things to and about him. He didn’t let other people’s perceptions become his truth. Our ability to stay fixed on truth despite other people’s opinions is key if we are going to live a life of freedom.

Freedom is based on what we believe. On WHO we believe. Joseph chose to believe that his God was faithful and that what God told him in dreams would come to pass. By faith, God gave Joseph the ability to stay focused and persevere. Despite the detours other people put him through, Joseph kept holding on to God and his promises. And eventually, the “impossible” happened. The very nation that counted him as a slave and threw him in prison called him out of bondage one day and gave him a position. Because Joseph was faithful to God even when it looked as though he would be abandoned, Joseph was eventually promoted and given a place of honor. When we walk with God, even when we would much rather please people to guarantee our position, we’ll find freedom every time.