Glean, store up, and share

Notice what Joseph told Pharaoh: “Collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years…gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up…Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine…that the land may not perish” (vv. 34-36 NKJV). There are two important lessons for us in this story. (1) Don’t let your bad times eat up your good ones. And what is the best way to do that? By standing on the Word of God during times of discouragement and difficulty. “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 NKJV). (2) Don’t just enjoy your good times; glean from them the wisdom, strength, strategies, relationships, and resources that will sustain you in the bad times. Paul wrote, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character” (Romans 5:3-4 NLT). But when God blesses you, don’t just store it up – share it with others. Practice the law of reciprocity that Jesus taught: “Give, and it will be given to you…For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38 NKJV). What you cling to for selfish purposes, you will eventually lose. But when you give to bless others, God has promised to reward you both now and in eternity.