The story of Joseph is one of the best known and best loved stories in all of scripture. His story has reverberated down through the centuries because it touches so many facets of the human experience.

We are introduced to Joseph in the book of Genesis, and his story occupies over twenty-five percent (13 chapters) of the book. He was the love child of Jacob and Rachel and was blessed with the capacity to interpret dreams.  As an insignia of his affection, Joseph’s father gave him a coat of many colors, which predictably incurred the wrath of his brothers. They stripped him of his coat, threw him in a pit, and originally planned to kill him. Instead, they decided to sell him to a man named Potiphar, who was a high ranking official in the Egyptian government. Joseph worked for Potiphar until he was falsely accused of sexual harassment by Potiphar's wife and thrown in prison.  While in prison, he met two men who worked for Pharaoh. One was Pharaoh’s butler. The other was Pharaoh’s baker. Both men had dreams which Joseph correctly interpreted. The baker was hung, but the butler was restored—just as Joseph had predicted. Several chapters later, Pharaoh himself has a dream that he cannot interpret, and the butler finally recalls the promise that he had made to Joseph during their mutual imprisonment. Genesis 41: 9-14 recounts the scene:

Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.” Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.

Rereading this story reminded me that it was not only Joseph’s capacity to interpret dreams that changed his life. It was also the recommendation of the butler! Unfortunately, the Butler is rarely given the credit that he deserves. If it had not been for the Butler, Joseph would have never made it out of prison.  The Butler was the vessel that God used to usher Joseph to his destiny. What seemed like a random encounter became the conference room where Joseph met the agent that would negotiate the deal that propelled him to destiny.

One of my favorite preachers often says that he has never received a check postmarked from heaven.  What he means is that God uses people to achieve his goals, advance his agenda, and distribute his blessings. Moreover, I have learned that the people that God uses are not always the people who you might think that God should use or that you would prefer he use. We don’t know the Butler’s name, address, or resume. But God used him to not only shift the destiny of one man but also of an entire nation.

Here’s the key takeaway: one encounter can change the entire trajectory of your life. You are only one click, one conversation, and one chance away from your next dimension.

Joseph didn’t meet the Butler in the palace. He met the Butler during one of the lowest moments of his life. That reminds us that we should never allow our present circumstances—no matter how dismal, dark, or difficult they may be—to annihilate or obnubilate our hopes.

Do me a favor: start looking at your current situation with the eyes of faith. You butler maybe nearby. A random encounter in a dark place may become the conference room where you meet the agent that negotiates the deal that propels you to destiny.