47 Then Joseph went to see Pharaoh and told him, “My father and my brothers have arrived from the land of Canaan. They have come with all their flocks and herds and possessions, and they are now in the region of Goshen.”2 Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”They replied, “We, your servants, are shepherds, just like our ancestors. 4 We have come to live here in Egypt for a while, for there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine is very severe there. So please, we request permission to live in the region of Goshen.”5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have joined you here, 6 choose any place in the entire land of Egypt for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt. Let them live in the region of Goshen. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too.”7 Then Joseph brought in his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh.8 “How old are you?” Pharaoh asked him.9 Jacob replied, “I have traveled this earth for 130 hard years. But my life has been short compared to the lives of my ancestors.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again before leaving his court.11 So Joseph assigned the best land of Egypt—the region of Rameses—to his father and his brothers, and he settled them there, just as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph provided food for his father and his brothers in amounts appropriate to the number of their dependents, including the smallest children. Genesis 47: 1-12 KJV
Joseph has already instructed his brothers and his father on how to answer Pharaoh when he ask their occupation. Tell him that you're shepherds, the simple truth, and again he knows his family and that the truth is not always their first inclination. What moral commandment of God goes uncontested by men? We find it somehow appropriate to answer based upon the prejudice or the expectation. They new the perception of the Egyptians when it came to shepherds, and yet that is what they are. It strangely bares witness to the depravity of mankind that the truth itself is a step of faith, and to many a luxury.
They state who they are and request to live in the land of Goshen. It is good ground for their flocks, and Pharaoh's response to the truth is to let them live in the land. He also request, that if there is any among them with special skills, that such a person be put over his own flocks. Pharaoh has learned to recognize talent and the importance of those who do their job well. The greatest man he knows is after all, the son and brother of these shepherds. I have failed often by paper, and been seduced into the hunt for degrees, but the greatest man in my field had the most boring resume. He holds the least degree, and cannot kiss butt to save his life, but he always tells me the truth and is a prodigy with great work ethic. I have found others, while admittedly trying to duplicate this individual, that have great resumes and hold high degrees, and say everything you need to hear, but that was mostly all they had. Somehow having that they thought themselves entitled by the claim of paper and words. When they were lazy they referred me to the paper or talked of publication. For me, the paper should say what you have been trained in and are capable of in the field, but I do not hire you for the paper. I hire you for the business of doing what it says you can do. If you can't or won't do that, then the paper is meaningless. The Egyptians thought they came from the gods, and that all other racist were beneath them. It is an impressive pedigree, but notwithstanding, all those who believed it could not find amongst the "children of the gods", one equal to the shepherds son, who had become a father to their Pharaoh. I refuse to look lowly upon those jobs that society deems so, and I can find no justification for arrogance. The man that takes out my trash is an asset. The man that does whatever his occupation is as unto the Lord is my teacher.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12English Standard Version (ESV)
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
2 Timothy 2:6English Standard Version (ESV)
6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
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