“In the Old Testament book of Genesis, Joseph is put in prison.  He is imprisoned unfairly.  If we had any say in the matter, we would likely rescue Joseph from jail, and we would likely insist on the rescue happening quickly.  In fact, we would probably insist on that rescue happening immediately.  In today’s world, we might petition governments and international entities to assist in the rescue of this brother or sister wrongly accused and in prison.  In the Genesis story, however, God is content to leave Joseph in jail for a long time.  Somehow, God gives purpose to this time of suffering in Joseph’s life.  Our typical assumption is that the highest goal would be to lessen Joseph’s suffering, to reduce his time in prison, and to put an end to his persecution.  The astute biblical question is, “How do we know when to leave Joseph in jail?”