Good day people. How is the day going?
The Holy Spirit led me to the story of Joseph and the
Potiphars in the Bible as I was pondering over how to retain well-performing
staff as an employer of labour. The story of Joseph and the Potiphars is in
Genesis 39: 1-21. It is a very long read so I won't reproduce here. I know a
lot of us are familiar with the story from Joseph's perspective. I want to look
at it from Potiphar's perspective.
Potiphar bought a 'regular' slave, the regular way slaves
were bought. Somehow, though, Potiphar realised that "the Lord was with
him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did", he was smart
enough to ignore protocol and put Joseph in charge. I can imagine how much envy
that would caused already amongst Potiphar's servants. I'm tempted to ask a
Joseph-focused question but I'll resist the temptation. Instead, I'll ask a Potiphar-focused
question. Can you, as an employer spot the employee that brings so much value
to your enterprise? If yes, how do you treat such employees?
It's funny that some employers are blessed with such
employees and they put in effort to frustrate them. Instead of setting yourself
up to enjoy the benefits of the Lord's favour, you have appointed yourself as
the Frustrator of the Universe. #BeGuided
One issue I can deduce with Potiphar's handling of his
wife and Joseph is that he left the door wide open. I'm not saying he should
have been policing Joseph and/or his wife but I think there should have been
boundaries. My dear sister, Omolola Mary Omosebi, is currently writing a series
on Protecting Your Marriage. I think some of her posts address my concern about
Potiphar's naivety here. Joseph and Mrs. Potiphar were spending way too much
time together. Of course, Mrs Potiphar was a seductress and (un)fortunately,
Joseph was handsome and well-built (not that it was his fault, though). A
lesson for me, as an employer, is to maintain boundaries between my staff and
my spouse.
I wonder what Potiphar would have done if Joseph had told
him that Madam was making advances at him. I don't think Potiphar would have
sided with Joseph and taken up issues with his wife. What would you do if your
most valued employee told you that your spouse is making advances at them? I'll
appreciate candid answers. You can send me a private message with your answer,
if you wish to remain anonymous.
I sincerely think Joseph was a bit too relaxed,
considering the fact that he knew Madam wanted him. I don't know why he
continued to work when there was no one in the house; I mean what task is that
important, lol. Anyway, I'm not focusing on Joseph today so let me quickly move
on after saying this - "When you're crying, ensure you're still
seeing" #AWordIsEnoughForTheWise
Potiphar heard only his wife's side of the story. I think
there should have been some form of investigation, considering the gravity of
the allegations. He took a decision when he burned with anger. Every successful
person KNOWS that the best decisions are made when calm. Potiphar lost the
staff that caused his household to prosper because of the Lord's favour. Why?
Because he took a decision while he was angry. I know of families that let
their best domestic staff go because "Mama" told them that the staff
was stealing food. They didn't investigate; they just took Mama's word for it.
They have been changing domestic helps and have many tales of woe. I'm not
saying everyone who is having problems with domestic helps let a good help go,
though that is the case with many of the people I know dealing with bad helps.
Potiphar threw Joseph in prison and propelled him to the
next phase of his destiny. Unfortunately for Potiphar, that is the last time he
or any member of his household was mentioned in the Bible. His hasty, angry
decision led him to oblivion. In contrast, Joseph continued to soar until he
became Prime Minister. I suppose that when the famine became very terrible,
Potiphar and his household would have had to go to Joseph to buy/beg for grain.
A wise man once said, "Be careful how you treat those beneath you on your
way up; you may just meet them on your way down". Such a case is playing
out before my very eyes today. Thank God they both had a smooth relationship
before the roles were reversed.
I pray that your eyes will be open to see the good in
your staff. I pray for wisdom to treat our staff right while protecting our
families. I pray for wisdom so we don't make that hasty, angry decision that
will destroy our homes/businesses. I pray for anyone who has made such a hasty
and angry decision that the mercy of God will speak for you and cause
everything to work out for your good as you repent and return to the Lord, in
Jesus' Name. Amen.
Enjoy your day
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