Bountiful blessings unfold from obedience to the divine will. We find examples of this throughout the Bible, such as the good results of the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream by Joseph; the experience of Moses and the Israelites who were fed with manna during their forty years in the wilderness; and the feeding of the five thousand by Christ Jesus. In each case sufficiency was manifested through prayerful communion with God and obedience to His directive.
When Joseph, a man close to God, was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream he acknowledged that the interpretation came to him as the result of prayer. He said (Gen. 41:16), "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." He then stated that the dream foretold the coming of seven plenteous years followed by seven years of want; and he counseled Pharaoh to store all surplus crops during the good years for use during what would otherwise be a time of famine. This counsel, obeyed, not only resulted in continued supply for the Egyptians, but also provided enough to sell to the surrounding countries as well.
Mary Baker Eddy, who has set a perfect example of obedience to God and conformity to His will, writes in her Message to The Mother Church for 1900 (p. 3): "The right thinker and worker does his best, and does the thinking for the ages. No hand that feels not his help, no heart his comfort. He improves moments; to him time is money, and he hoards this capital to distribute gain." This statement might well give us an insight into the character and spiritual stature of Joseph, who was indeed a "right thinker and worker." His executive ability was hallowed with compassion, for we find that when his brethren, who had wronged him, came to buy corn, he, after testing their sincerity, gave generously to them and would accept no payment.
