I want us to take a look at this story about the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Israel and her relationship with King Solomon. What we will find is a pattern for understanding divine relationships in general. We can call it God’s playbook, a pattern which repeated again and again in God’s word and also in lived experience. When God uses one person to bless another, he or she finds that they are being enriched in return in one form or the other by the one they have been a blessing to.
The Book of Proverbs tells us that iron sharpens iron, so shall a man sharpen the countenance of his neighbour. It becomes God’s signature over every relationship He is responsible for. The relationship serves to water and enrich both ways. It is therefore impossible for one to say to the other, that I made you! Or say to the other, “you ingrate”! Even as Joseph was busy thanking God for what He has used Pharaoh to do for him, Pharaoh also was being thankful, that God brought Joseph his way.
Each side gives the other freedom and motivation. It is never something borne of compulsion or negotiation. In fact each side may be completely oblivious, unaware of what God is using them to bring into the life or circumstance of the other.
In Second Chronicles 9:12 we read that the Queen of Sheba brought so many gifts to King Solomon. Solomon also in response, I will say almost by reflex, blessed the Queen with abundant gifts. It comes effortlessly. The blessing works both ways, and sometimes one side realizes what has happened in that relationship much later, when they look back and take stock.
I suspect very much that this account rendered in just one chapter must have taken a length of time to unfold. Definitely it did not last only a few days. Considering the cost of voyaging long distances in those days, one of the first state visits in history, her stay could have lasted several months!
But when a Christian decides to take matters concerning himself or herself into their own hands, rather than entrusting things to God, their relationships often become a tasking, uphill climb. You will hear complaints that they poured so much in, and got next to nothing in return by retrospect. We risk selling ourselves into slavery by insisting on our own way, instead of committing our way to the Lord.
Joseph and Pharaoh did not even represent the same belief system but there was such mutual respect. Joseph was not required to compromise his standing in God, neither did he have to impress what he stood for on Pharaoh. The glory of God in his life and the signature of God over the unfolding scenario were evident for everyone to see.
And it was not the first time: everywhere Joseph went, God’s presence was in evidence and everyone recognized at once what manner of blessing he was if they gave him a chance. From the Portiphar to the Chief Jailor, even to the Baker and the Butler! He never needed to descend into eye service or bend his knee to any Baal or a human presenting himself or herself as one.
Joseph did not need to clear any path for himself either. He did not see or recognize himself in the new role that emerged out of the interpretation he just gave to Pharaoh. We need to be very mindful of a lot of present time life coaching that are all over the place where people are admonished to always make themselves conspicuous. A spiritual man or woman knows that the road opens in the fullness of God’s time. There are no co-contestants there. And there is no need to dig for it.
