Just a Guy
Scripture Reading: Genesis 36-38; Psalm 14
And a man found [Joseph] wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?”
Imagine the scene: Joseph, a young man with dreams of greatness, is wandering in a field, unsure of where to go. Fast-forward years later, and this same Joseph is second-in-command to Pharaoh, ruling Egypt, saving his family from famine, and setting the stage for God’s people to flourish in the land of Goshen. This multiplication of the Hebrew people would eventually lead to Moses’ leadership, the Exodus, and the fulfillment of God’s promises in the Promised Land. Ultimately, through this nation, the Messiah would come.
But here, in Genesis 37, Joseph is just a young man looking for his brothers. Enter an unnamed man.
It’s been said that large doors swing on small hinges. This brief encounter between Joseph and a stranger may seem insignificant, but it changes the course of history. What if Joseph hadn’t met this man? What if he had given up and returned home to his father? Without this meeting, Joseph might never have been sold into slavery, sent to Potiphar’s house, thrown into prison, or elevated to Pharaoh’s court.
This man, whose name we’ll never know, wasn’t a prophet or a king. He was just a guy—a stranger who asked a simple question and shared a bit of information. Call it luck, chance, or coincidence if you like. I call it providence.
The word providence comes from the Latin pro (before) and videre (to see). It means “to see beforehand.” God sees the whole picture. He orchestrates events, even the small and seemingly random ones, to accomplish His purposes.
Years later, Joseph would tell his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). It’s unlikely Joseph thought that while sitting in the pit or languishing in prison. But through his journey, he came to see God’s hand at work, weaving even the painful and perplexing moments into His redemptive plan.
If Joseph could have spoken to that unnamed man in the field years later, perhaps he would have said, “You didn’t mean it for good or evil—but God meant it for good.”
What about us? Sometimes we’re like Joseph, wandering in uncertainty. Other times, we’re like the unnamed man, offering directions without realizing how God will use our simple acts for His purposes.
The truth is, God is always working. In the big, dramatic moments and in the quiet, unnoticed ones, He is unfolding His plans. What seems like coincidence is often providence in disguise.
Be encouraged: whether you feel lost or simply “just a guy,” God is using your life and your interactions to work out His will. Trust Him in the wilderness, in the waiting, and in the wondering. He sees beforehand, and He is faithful.
