How to keep the top talent

Genesis 45:16-20

It never happened to me or to anyone I knew, but I have read reports of people who are very gifted; they were geniuses, or had special skills or talents.  And it is reported, because of their skill set, some large banker or Wall Street type told their people to offer whatever it takes, to get that person to stay.  Is that what Pharaoh is doing in these verses?  It is only the second year of the famine and the last thing Pharaoh needs, is to have his general manager get home sick and return home.  So Pharaoh puts this plan into action; I will sweeten the pot and give Joseph’s family one of the best pieces of land, I will pay for the moving vans, I will put them up in the nice five star hotel in Egypt until their new home is built, and to top it off, I will tell them not to worry about their stuff, we have better stuff in Egypt and I will cover all the expense of the move.  It was a good offer, they had this choice, stay home and eat dust or come to Egypt and be taken care of.

Verse 16 begins the story; “When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’  And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.  Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

The Scripture does not tell us the motive of Pharaoh’s heart, but it makes sense that Pharaoh wanted his super star general manager to be happy, and having his family in Egypt was good for Egypt.  I bet it crossed Pharaoh’s mind that some of the other brothers might have skills and talents that would help his kingdom.  What is of the most importance is this fact, God was pulling the strings, and He had told Abraham about this move many years before.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice