We read that in his youth, Joseph “listened to his father’s instructions, and loved to obey God. The qualities that afterward distinguished him in Egypt—gentleness, fidelity, and truthfulness—were already manifest in his daily life” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 209).

We, as the sons and daughters of God, have to do the same thing that Joseph did. Let’s obey our Father in heaven, let’s have faith in Him—and tell everyone that He is our Creator who has given us salvation, through His only begotten son. (John 3:16.)

When faced with the worst crisis of his entire youth, Joseph’s “thoughts turned to his father’s God” (Ibid., p. 213). When in terrible difficulties, he “had the peace that comes from conscious innocence, and he trusted his case with God” (Ibid., p. 218).

Joseph allowed God to be foremost in his heart, believing that He could make his life better and enable him to be a light for the Egyptians. Although sold into slavery, “Joseph preserved his sim plicity and his fidelity to God. The sights and sounds of vice were all about him, but he was as one who saw and heard not. His thoughts were not permitted to linger upon forbidden subjects” (Ibid., p. 214).

Sometimes we allow our thoughts to stray far away from God onto other things, just because something is not going quite right compared to what we were expecting. We need to have our thoughts stayed on Christ, and be the way He was—the light of the world.

Yes, he did. Should we do the same thing? Yes! Not for our own glory, but for God’s glory.

“The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph’s care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God, and even his idolatrous master accepted this as the secret of his unparalleled prosperity. Without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could never have been attained. God was glorified by the faithfulness of His servant. It was His purpose that in purity and uprightness the believer in God should appear in marked contrast to the worshipers of idols—that thus the light of heavenly grace might shine forth amid the darkness of heathenism”—Ibid., pp. 214–217.

Dear young people, if we believe that God is at our side at every moment, then why do we do some things that are not according to His will—thinking perhaps that we can get away with it because our parents or pastors do not happen to be there to see? Let’s take a look at what the Spirit of Prophecy tells us:

“If we were to cherish an habitual impression that God sees and hears all that we do and say and keeps a faithful record of our words and actions, and that we must meet it all, we would fear to sin. Let the young ever remember that wherever they are, and whatever they do, they are in the presence of God. No part of our conduct escapes observation. We cannot hide our ways from the Most High. Human laws, though sometimes severe, are often transgressed without detection, and hence with impunity. But not so with the law of God. The deepest midnight is no cover for the guilty one. He may think himself alone, but to every deed there is an unseen witness. The very motives of his heart are open to divine inspection. Every act, every word, every thought, is as distinctly marked as though there were only one person in the whole world, and the attention of heaven were centered upon him.”—Ibid., pp. 217, 218.

Basically, what is being said here? That you need to be careful of what you say, what you see, what you do, and so forth, because everything you do is being recorded and weighed by God in heaven.

Everything we say, whether for good or evil, comes back to us in some form or other. “Every kind and sympathizing word spoken to the sorrowful, every act to relieve the oppressed, and every gift to the needy, if prompted by a right motive, will result in blessings to the giver” (Ibid., p. 218).

When we say something nice to someone, we feel a sense of having done something good. This happens because we have a sense of his or her well-being. I’m sure that you must have comforted someone in the past, and you felt all was well—you were at peace with the world, and all was fine and good.

However, what would happen if we would say destructive things to someone? Clearly something undesirable would happen from then on. Therefore, let’s not wish upon others what we don’t want for ourselves, but rather only things that will glorify God. In our work we do things that are needed, right? If not, let’s start today before it is too late.

“Faithful attention to duty in every station, from the lowliest to the most exalted, had been training every power for its highest service. He who lives in accordance with the Creator’s will is securing to himself the truest and noblest development of character”—Ibid., p. 222.

We need to give our “all” from the start, whether we’re involved in small or large things, so all will be done for the honor and glory of God, that we may “shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

—Yuri Gessner writes from Virginia, U.S.A.