9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:9-11
Joseph doubled down on his naivete! Even his father was now a little perturbed at his exuberance.
Of course from this point on, most of us know the story…and how it ends. But this is Joseph’s proving ground, so to speak. Had he been pessimistic and sarcastic, life would have gotten worse for him. So with his upbeat and positive ways, he walked through life.
I haven’t met many Pollyanna’s in my life, but one I did know said something that stills sticks with me today. Her husband was bedridden and had Alzheimer’s. Every time she approached him, she was verbally abusive to her. This is what she told me, “Every day I choose to be positive and upbeat. I could get down about my situation, but I choose to be positive.”
Some say she erred on the side of being too positive, but it’s far better than being too negative.
I think Joseph can relate. As we’ll see later, he would need that positive outlook plus faith in God.