📅 November 17, 2025
🌾 Joseph – Faith That Carries You Through
Devotions from the Life of a Dreamer with Character
💎 20.A Spirit of Excellence
How God Works Great Things Through Excellence in the Small
📖 Daily Bible Verse
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
Colossians 3:23
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👣 Introduction
In prison, every day seemed the same for Joseph. He had no guarantees, no title, no outlook for freedom. The rooms were dark, the tasks monotonous, and his past offered him no support. But Joseph chose to make the best out of his situation. He worked carefully, maintained order, and took responsibility seriously—not because anyone applauded him, but because he knew God saw him.
No one watched him. There was no stage, no crowd, no applause. Still, he acted with an inner attitude showing he refused to be shaped by circumstances. Where others would have given up, Joseph remained dependable. Where others would have grown hard inside, he remained focused and faithful.
His excellence did not appear in great responsibilities, but in everyday tasks. Exactly there his preparation began—in the hidden place, long before he stood before Pharaoh.
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📜 Devotion
Joseph’s story shows that true excellence does not begin in the palace—long before that. As a young man he was sold by his brothers and suddenly found himself a slave in Potiphar’s house. Though this deep fall could have shaken him completely, Joseph immediately began to work—diligently, focused, and with the aim of making the best of his situation. This attitude was noticed, and Potiphar quickly saw that Joseph was trustworthy. His work was not superficial; it was the expression of a conviction that even in a foreign land he was serving God.
Then came the false accusation by Potiphar’s wife. Joseph did what was right and landed in prison anyway. Again, he could have given up inside. But instead, he acted exactly as before: he took responsibility, maintained order, and became a person others could turn to. His excellence did not depend on his surroundings. It was the expression of his character.
For years Joseph remained faithful. He did not know whether anyone noticed. There were no promises, no signs, no outlook for change. Still, he continued with his tasks. It was precisely in this faithful, unseen phase that his character grew strong. When the call from Pharaoh finally came, Joseph was ready. His excellence had not grown by accident but by constant faithfulness in simple tasks.
Before Pharaoh, Joseph did not speak about himself. He directed the attention to God, showing that his excellence was not for personal glory but an expression of his faith. And when Pharaoh placed him in a high position, Joseph could handle the responsibility well—because he had learned to act faithfully in the small things.
Excellence begins in everyday situations, long before anyone watches. It reveals itself in how we work, speak, and act when no one is observing us. And God can use this attitude to open doors we could never open ourselves.
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💡 Thoughts for your heart
• Excellence is not a matter of circumstances but of attitude.
• God sees faithful work even when people overlook it.
• Sometimes excellence is not for immediate reward but for long-term preparation.
• Faithfulness in small things is the soil for calling in big things.
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💎 What we can learn from Joseph
• Excellence is an expression of faith, not ambition.
• Faithfulness in the darkest times shapes character that can carry weight.
• Those who honor God by doing their tasks well will be lifted by Him at the right time.
• Responsibility begins where we stand today.
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👣 Practical steps
• Do your daily work as if you were doing it for God.
• Stay reliable even when recognition is absent.
• Develop habits of order, responsibility, and integrity.
• Ask yourself: Where can I consciously act better today than necessary?
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💭 Questions to reflect on
• What does excellence look like in my everyday life right now?
• Where am I tempted to be less diligent because no one is watching?
• Which areas of my life might God be shaping through faithfulness in small things?
• How can I develop an attitude that honors God—not people?
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🙏 Prayer
Lord,
you see my everyday life and the tasks that often seem insignificant.
Help me remain faithful even where no one is looking.
Teach me to act with a spirit of excellence,
not out of pride but out of gratitude to you.
Shape my character through the small decisions of each day.
Give me strength to work carefully, to remain patient,
and to do everything with a heart that honors you.
And when you bring the time for change,
make me ready for it.
Amen.
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🔑 Key thought of the day
Excellence is not born in the spotlight but in the hidden place—and there God begins preparing great things.
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🌿 Blessing to close
May the Lord who saw Joseph in the dungeon and raised him at the right moment
also see your faithfulness in the small things.
May He strengthen you in your work,
fill you with peace in your attitude,
and give you courage to continue doing good.
And may He open for you, at the right time,
the doors He has prepared for you.
Amen.
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