There are individuals who have “gone before” us to clear the path. Their wisdom, utilized in the process, is critical. We honor these mentors who are forerunners for our future. It is the reverence of God that keeps us to this principle; otherwise, we would grow to believe it was of our own doing whereby we advanced.
Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years. . . (Genesis 40:23-41:1).
Many times we have prospered on the shoulders of others; humanly speaking the tendency is to forget when circumstances improve. Yet spiritual maturity serves us well at such times and we realize we have been blessed to step into wisdom for which we paid little, the cost having been paid by another whose life is invested in rigors we may never even know. It is to their credit and our debt that we have received. Most often, the estimation of how far we’ve come is the sum total of how we got there.
. . . but there was no one who could interpret. . . Then the chief butler spoke . . . saying, “I remember my faults this day” (Genesis 41:8-9).
Therefore we go back to the place where they marked us and we set out again, and this time our course proceeds with wisdom as we tie our lives to their counsel. We imitate their courage. And recalling their wisdom to “go before” and open doors, we do the same for those “coming after” us. The procession is a sight to behold.
. . . and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:14).
Amen.