John Maxwell Profiles in Leadership: Joseph – It Starts With A Dream

This is the eleventh lesson in bestselling author and speaker John Maxwell’s Leadership by the Bible series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, tell them to sign up to receive John’s free email devotional here.

By John C. Maxwell

Genesis 37:1–11

Joseph went from privileged son, to the pit of slavery, to the palaces of Egypt—and it all started with a dream. Effective leaders have dreams—inspiring pictures of the future that energize and empower. The period between a dream’s birth and realization is always a process. During this process, you will experience good and bad days. Frequently you will be faced with a dilemma: Do you give up or go on? Joseph’s example encourages you not to give up on your dreams.

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Joseph’s dreams came to him when he was 17 years old. He received visions from God that his brothers and father would bow down to him. Joseph foolishly and insensitively shared them with his family. That got him into trouble. But even after his brothers sold him into slavery, he held onto the dream.

The beginning of a dream often generates more enthusiasm than wisdom. You may say things you shouldn’t say and do things you shouldn’t do. Like Joseph, you may not start off well. But Joseph went on to provide an example of lasting faith and persistence.

All, too often we give up on our dreams in the early stages when they are most fragile. What dreams has God given you to fulfill as part of your calling? Don’t give up on them—even if you didn’t start off well. Let Joseph’s example encourage you to go back to your unfulfilled dream, and once again claim it as your own.

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The above is adapted from The Maxwell Leadership Bible / Third Edition by John C. Maxwell (@JohnCMaxwell). Copyright © 2002, 2007, 2018 by Maxwell Motivation, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com.

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