Take The First Step

The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” This encouraging insight is a reminder that one of the best ways to achieve success is to understand that it is a process. Unlike Superman, who can jump over buildings in a single bound, most of our goals will not be achieved with a single effort. For those of us who were born on planet earth with regular vision and not on planet Krypton with X-ray vision, we have to accept the fact that life rarely gives us all that we want at once. Success usually comes one step at a time. And I have discovered that taking that first step is often the most difficult and challenging step of all.

I read somewhere that a plane uses most of its fuel during takeoff! That makes intuitive sense because in order for that much weight to get in the air, the plane has to break through the force of gravity. The same principles apply in whatever realm you are trying to “takeoff” in. Whether you are waiting for your finances to take off, your relationship to take off, or your career to take off, there are gravitational forces that are trying to keep you grounded. And those forces are frequently so great that we are tempted not to start the journey at all. In the face of high hurdles, challenging opposition and seemingly impossible odds, we tend to cower, procrastinate, or surrender. But I want you to bear in mind that you don’t have to make the journey all at once. A single step in the direction of your desired outcome can accelerate your journey.

I was reminded of this truth while meditating on the journey of Joseph, one of the main characters in the book of Genesis. His story is told over 13 chapters, and is one of the best known, most read, and most inspiring stories in the scriptures. The favorite son of his father Jacob, Joseph was blessed with the ability to interpret dreams. In his youth, his brothers envied the affection his father showered on him, (and the coat that proved it) and they threw him in a pit. They eventually sold him to a traveling merchant named Potiphar. While working for Potiphar, Joseph enjoyed a season of success but eventually was falsely accused of sexual harassment by Potiphar’s wife and was thrown in prison. But during his prison stint, he met two men who worked for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He successfully interpreted both of their dreams. Upon his release, one of them told the King about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams after the King had a dream that he did not understand. Joseph was quickly summoned to provide assistance. After successfully interpreting the King’s dream, Joseph was brought into the palace, and rose to become the second most powerful man in the nation. We all love Joseph’s journey. Every step of the way, God was with him: from the pit, to the prison, to the palace.

Most of us assume that it was Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams that accelerated his journey from the prison to the palace. But after rereading his story, I saw an equally significant, but often overlooked feature of his experience. When Joseph is first thrown in prison, Genesis 40:1-7 (NLT) gives us the following details:

Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, 3and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. They remained in prison for quite some time, and the captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, who looked after them.

While they were in prison, Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker each had a dream one night, and each dream had its own meaning. When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them.

If you read the highlighted portion of the story, you will notice an EXTREMELY significant fact. The cup bearer, the baker, and Joseph are ALL in prison. They are ALL in the same situation. They are ALL dealing with the same difficulty. But notice that Joseph takes the first step. He asked them how they were doing! That simple action opened the door for him to exercise his gift. Without the simple action of inquiring about their welfare, he would have never learned that his fellow prisoners had a dream. If he had never learned that his fellow prisoners had dreamed, he would have never interpreted them. If he does not successfully interpret both of their dreams, the butler would have never become his “agent” and told Pharaoh about his gift. And if Pharaoh had never learned about his gift, he would have never been able to use his gift to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, which got him out of prison! It wasn’t Joseph’s gift that got him out of prison. It was the question he asked, a question motivated by his concern for two men who were suffering just as he was. Everyone wants to exercise their gifts. Not everyone wants to exercise their humanity.

That simple action….

That kind gesture….

Was the step that started Joseph’s journey to the palace.

Here is what all of that means for you TODAY:

You may not be where you want to be. You may not be doing what you want to do. And you may not be around who you want to be around. You may have no idea how you are going to get from your pit to your palace. But there is a simple action that you can take, a kind gesture that you can perform that could have destiny-altering consequences. It will only cost you some foresight, attention, and concern.

So go ahead.

Take the first step.