“The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” NIV

I knew a sincere Christian lady who greatly admired a man – a church leader – who was also a close friend of her family. She had admittedly put him on a pedestal, and when she discovered he had fallen morally, she was so dejected she almost lost her faith.

People will disappoint you. Realise it. You too will probably disappoint some folks along the way. Although our aim should always be to bless others, at times we will let them down.

Of course, there will be those occasions where people are disappointed by what we  say/do or don’t say/don’t do, and it’s their problem not ours. There isn’t much we can do about that. My greatest concern lies in the potential to disappoint others through my sin or weakness. I know we all will.

Only of Jesus can we say: ‘He is not a disappointment.’

Joseph was let down by a man he helped in prison, and Matthew Henry’s observation is helpful:

“The chief butler remembered not Joseph, but forgot him. Joseph had deserved well at his hands, yet he forgot him. We must not think it strange, if in this world we have hatred shown us for our love, and slights for our kindness. See how apt those who are themselves at ease are to forget others in distress. Joseph learned by his disappointment to trust in God only. We cannot expect too little from man, nor too much from God. Let us not forget the sufferings, promises, and love of our Redeemer. We blame the chief butler’s ingratitude to Joseph, yet we ourselves act much more ungratefully to the Lord Jesus. Joseph had but foretold the chief butler’s enlargement, but Christ wrought out ours; he mediated with the King of Kings for us; yet we forget him, though often reminded of him, and though we have promised never to forget him. Thus ill do we requite Him, like foolish people and unwise.”

PRAYER: Lord have mercy upon us for all our sin, weakness and failure, and enable us to so live that we do not needlessly disappoint anyone.