“I remember my faults this day” (Gen. 40:9).
God gave Joseph the power to interpret dreams when he was a prisoner in Egypt. When his fellow prisoner the butler told his dream, Joseph assured him that Pharaoh would bring him out of prison and give him his job back. Joseph had one request: “But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house” (Gen. 40:14). Three days later the king restored the butler to his position. But notice these sad words: “Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him” (Gen. 40:23).
Two years passed and this man had said nothing to the king about Joseph. He was back in his old routine. He was busy with his work. A good man was in prison all that time because of his neglect.
Then the king had two dreams that troubled him and he wanted to know what they meant. That’s when the butler uttered those famous words in Genesis 40:9.
We can judge this butler, but when we criticize him we judge ourselves because we are guilty. We forget where we came from and who helped us.
There are three things that cause us to remember:
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Time—It took two years for the butler to remember. How long does it take us to appreciate what our parents did for us? How many years pass before we realize how much elders, preachers, Bible class teachers and others in the church helped us?
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Trouble—The land of Egypt was about to face a crisis. Trials cause us to appreciate the people who were there for us. When they are not with us anymore, we wish they were. That’s when we begin to be thankful.
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Triggers—For the butler it was Pharaoh’s dreams. With us it can be something someone says, a verse of Scripture we read or recall, a sermon that makes us think, or a simple event that happens to strike our attention at just the right time.
Don’t wait to tell your spouse, “I appreciate you.” Don’t let years go by before you tell people how much they have meant to you. Don’t wait until they are gone. Tell them today and pay it forward.
Kerry Duke, Vice-president of Tennessee Bible College
