Joseph was a manager, first in the household of Potiphar (Genesis 39.1-6) and then again when he was in charge of grain purchase, storage, and distribution in a time of famine in Egypt (Genesis 41.41-57). He succeeded in both instances. Reflect on how specifically Joseph’s responsibilities, obligations, and choices in Potiphar’s household and/or as ‘prime minister’ in Egypt may be similar or different from today’s medium level supervisor or manager.

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1. Joseph was a manager, first in the household of Potiphar (Genesis 39.1-6) and then again when he was in charge of grain purchase, storage, and distribution in a time of famine in Egypt (Genesis 41.41-57). He succeeded in both instances. Reflect on how specifically Joseph’s responsibilities, obligations, and choices in Potiphar’s household and/or as ‘prime minister’ in Egypt may be similar or different from today’s medium level supervisor or manager. How do you think his faith in his God helped him succeed as he went about his tasks? Are there lessons for us as managers in the modern age?

2. Jesus often surprised those who sought guidance from him. In one case a “rich young ruler” approached Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (New International Version, 1973/2011, Luke 18.18) After telling him to follow the traditional Jewish teachings, Jesus followed with up an additional requirement, “Sell your possessions, give to the poor, and come follow me” (New International Version, 1973/2011, Luke 18.22). The Bible reports that “when he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy” (New International Version, 1973/2011, Luke 18.23). Presumably the young ruler never became a disciple of Jesus (read Luke, chapter 18 for context). Did Jesus mean it literally that the man had to actually sell everything and then follow him? Why or why not? What does this story reveal to us about following Jesus? What does it reveal concerning the relative importance of possessions to his followers?

3. The concept of cost is an important concept that must be considered in life decisions. Individuals and businesses are affected by the costs of decisions that are made. Jesus shared the concept of cost as reported in Luke chapter 14. In this case, he was speaking to a large crowd and reminding them that there was a cost to becoming a disciple. Using the analogy of building a tower, he indicated the necessity of considering the cost of a decision.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

Can you apply the concepts of cost to your own life? What are the fixed costs of being a spiritual person? What are the variable costs? Is there a marginal cost and a marginal return to consider or are these concepts only applicable to business decisions?

ONE SMALL PARAGRAPH 4-6 SENTENCES PER NUMBERED QUESTION. INCLUDE A BIBLICAL REFERENCE FOR EACH QUESTION.

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