David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

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In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations. David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com. He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991. Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”

Character beyond gifting – a rare commodity

Genesis 39:20b-23

But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

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We’ve seen it a thousand times: a sports star with talents and gifts beyond all reason shows himself to be bereft of the character needed to sustain himself. He crashes and burns in some colossal moral failure, drug abuse scandal, or even felonious outburst. Sad and too often repeated: their character is not sufficient to sustain their gifts and opportunities.

Very seldom do we see character displayed as it is in the case of Joseph. When he is thrown into prison he excels. Just as he did when Potiphar had put him in charge of all his affairs, the warden puts Joseph in charge of the prison. There is no hint of conniving or conspiring to gain the system. He is simply given a favorable place of authority by the warden.

There is, however, something more at play in this play of events. We are told that the Lord showed kindness to Joseph and granted him favor with the warden. God surely knew how Joseph would handle things. But more than that he had a plan in the making that would save the entire family of Jacob – the whole Jewish nation – through Joseph.

To do that Joseph’s character would have to be tested, proven, strengthened, refined, and probed. There would be countless opportunities ahead for Joseph to be put in compromising situations. There would be many ways in which his character would come into play as Pharaoh’s number one in command. But for now Joseph’s character is being refined like gold in the furnace (cf. 1 Peter 1:6-7). It will prove true and God will do great things through this man whose character goes beyond his gifting. 

Certainly this is a calling for us to make certain that our character remains strong in the face of either success or trial. 

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