When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
Genesis 46:33-34 NIV
In Genesis 46, we witness a pivotal moment in the journey of Joseph and his family—one that powerfully illustrates the impact of God’s favour. After years of separation, Joseph, now a man of high status in Egypt, used the influence granted to him by God to make plans for his father Jacob, his brothers, and their households to settle in the land of Goshen. This wasn’t just a strategic move but a divine provision that God’s favour made possible through Joseph’s life.
During his conversation with his family, Joseph made a significant statement that quietly revealed the grace of God operating in his life. He advised his father to be truthful when Pharaoh asked about their occupation. Joseph instructed them to say, “Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did” (Genesis 46:34, NIV). He explained that by doing so, they would be allowed to settle in Goshen because “all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
That phrase—“all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians”—stood out to me deeply. It highlights a cultural disdain for Joseph’s people based purely on their profession. In the eyes of Egyptian society, being a shepherd was enough to warrant rejection. Yet despite this prejudice, Pharaoh granted them the best part of the land. Why? Because of Joseph.
Joseph’s standing with Pharaoh and his reputation across Egypt became the bridge for his family’s acceptance. It was not their status, wealth, or merit that opened the door to Goshen, but the divine favour resting upon Joseph. What should have disqualified them became irrelevant in the face of that favour. The detestable were welcomed; the rejected were embraced, and the foreign became family.
This account beautifully illustrates how God’s favour can override societal rejection and man-made limitations. Where there is divine favour, doors open—doors that would otherwise remain firmly shut. The standards set by men, cultures, or systems cannot withstand the power of God’s grace operating in a person’s life. Just as Joseph’s favour covered his family, so too can God’s favour position us in places of glory, abundance, and purpose, despite what the world thinks of us.
When God’s favour is upon a life, it breaks barriers. It silences disqualification and turns impossibilities into divine access. God’s favour brings a person before kings, even when their background says they don’t belong in the palace. It causes enemies to welcome with warmth those they would normally reject. God’s favour transforms limitation into opportunity and brings honour where there was once dishonour.
This truth calls us to reflect deeply. It’s not about who accepts us or what systems reject us; it’s about whether God’s favour is upon us. That’s where the true shift happens. Divine favour is the currency of access, elevation, and breakthrough.
Living It Out
Let this be your reminder today: God’s favour is powerful enough to bypass every human boundary and lift you into places of destiny. Choose daily to stay under the covering of His favour by walking in obedience, humility, and trust. Don’t strive to impress Pharaoh—stay faithful like Joseph, and let the grace of God speak for you.
Ask yourself today: Am I depending on human approval, or am I anchored in God’s favour? Remember, when God’s favour rests upon your life, no man-made system can stand in your way.