Joseph: A Journey of Virtue (Dramatic Reading Teens or Older)

Joseph: A Journey of Virtue

*A Dramatic Reading in Four Movements* 

 

**Movement I: The Dreamer** 

(Reader with soft conviction)

He was just a boy… 

A shepherd in a coat dipped in dreams, woven by love and colored with promise. 

He saw the stars bow low, 

The sheaves lean toward him— 

Visions too great for the valley he lived in.

 

But dreams, when spoken aloud, 

Can stir envy. 

And so, betrayed by blood… 

Stripped of color… 

Lowered into a pit— 

Not by enemies, 

But by brothers.

 

**Pause** 

(Reader lowers voice)

 

Sold. 

Gone. 

Forgotten…? 

No. 

Because the dreamer was never alone. 

 

**Movement II: The Tested** 

(Reader growing in intensity)

 

Into Egypt he came not as a prince— 

But a slave in chains. 

Yet there, Joseph wore integrity like a robe— 

Brighter than any his father gave. 

He fled from temptation’s claw 

With virtue burning brighter than desire. 

 

But even the innocent may fall into the prison of lies. 

And so… he waited. 

In darkness. 

Forgotten again. 

Yet in the silence… 

Faith did not wither. 

Character grew stronger. 

And the dream? 

It lived—hidden in the hands of God.

 

**Movement III: The Rise** 

(Reader with rising tempo and awe)

 

From prison to palace— 

From chains to robes once more. 

God did not forget the dream. 

He exalted the humble, 

And turned famine into favor. 

The boy despised became the man trusted. 

The slave became the savior of nations.

 

But the test was not power— 

The test… was forgiveness.

 

For before him stood the very brothers 

Who once tossed him into darkness. 

And Joseph—oh, Joseph!—chose mercy over revenge, 

Tears over bitterness, 

Grace over justice.

 

He wept. 

They wept. 

He said: 

“You meant it for evil… 

but God meant it for good.”

 

---

 

**Movement IV: The Glory** 

(Reader slows, solemn and reverent)

 

And so the dream was never really about grain or glory… 

It was about **God’s providence**, stitched through pain. 

About a boy who grew into a man of **steadfast virtue**, 

Whose every trial shaped him, 

Polished him, 

Positioned him.

 

Joseph did not rise because he dreamed, 

He rose because he was faithful in every season.

 

*Let all who hear remember:* 

Though pits are dark, prisons long, 

And betrayal bitter— 

*God never wastes a trial.* 

He is writing glory through grief, 

Redemption through suffering, 

And awe through every ending.

 

**And the dreamer’s God? 

He still reigns.**

 

Tis could be a group of teens with parts.

Or one solo reading – memorized is best with emotion.

But reading it solo or as a group with emotion will still be good.

print only coloring page or make visuals for the scenery 

Susan Y Nikitenko June 17^th 2025© - Dramatic Reading (with music is best)

 **Devotional: “Dreams from Heaven”**  

*Inspired by Genesis 37 and connected to Genesis 28*

**Story:**  

Joseph had dreams—big ones. They weren’t just nighttime images, they were glimpses of God’s purpose. Like his grandfather Jacob, who saw a stairway stretching into heaven, Joseph dreamed of rising sheaves and bowing stars. Those dreams weren’t easy to carry. His brothers didn’t understand. He was sold, enslaved, forgotten.

But the dream was never forgotten by God.

Even in the pit, even in prison, Joseph clung to the memory of those dreams. Like the ladder Jacob saw, Joseph’s dreams were a bridge between earth and heaven—a sign that God was near and working behind the scenes. What looked like the end was only the beginning of a bigger plan.

**Reflection:**  

God still speaks to His people—sometimes through dreams, sometimes through whispers in our hearts. When we listen and obey, He leads us, one step at a time, from where we are to where He’s calling us to be.

### **Invitation to the Class:**  

*Do you believe God has a plan for your life?*

Like Joseph, you may not know how everything fits together yet, but God sees the whole picture. He knows the dreams He’s placed in your heart, and He’s building a path—just like Jacob’s ladder—between your now and your one-day. god made a way to show us the way to heaven and that is only through Christ and his saving grace through what he did at calvary. He died for us, he concurred the curse of sin and now he calls you to salvation and a life built on faith. A journey of faith.

Would you like to say yes to that journey today?

**Prayer with the Class:**  

> *Dear God,*  

> Thank You that you remind us You are close.  Our hope is what your will is for us.

> Help us to listen when You speak, and to trust when things don’t go as planned.  

> Like Joseph, we want to walk faithfully, even when we don’t see the end of the story.  

> Like Jacob, we want to say: *“Surely the Lord is in this place.”*  

> Lead us step by step, from earth to heaven, from fear to faith.  

> In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Susan Barker Nikitenko June 16th, 2025© NMbMpBenAnna234KBPBRMNMPM

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.Images are not all Christian, but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family and country.

Jealousy Newspaper Article

Here’s a newspaper-style article that blends biblical insight from the KJV 1611 Bible with real-life examples of crimes driven by jealousy:

Green-Eyed Crimes: When Jealousy Turns Deadly 

*By Faith & Justice Correspondent*

In a world where envy simmers beneath the surface, the ancient words of the King James Bible still ring true: *“Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?”* (Proverbs 27:4). From the pages of Scripture to the headlines of today, jealousy continues to ignite conflict, fracture families, and even fuel criminal acts.

**Biblical Echoes of Envy**  

The Bible offers sobering portraits of jealousy’s destructive power. Cain, consumed by envy when God accepted Abel’s offering and not his, committed the first recorded murder (Genesis 4:5–8). Joseph’s brothers, jealous of their father’s favor and Joseph’s dreams, sold him into slavery (Genesis 37). And King Saul, once a protector of David, turned predator when the people praised David’s victories more than his own (1 Samuel 18:7–9).

**Modern Crimes, Ancient Roots**  

In recent years, law enforcement has documented a rise in crimes of passion—many rooted in jealousy. In 2024, a Cleveland man was convicted of second-degree murder after fatally shooting a coworker he believed was having an affair with his partner. Investigators cited “obsessive jealousy” as the motive.

In another case, a woman in Georgia was arrested for arson after setting fire to her ex-boyfriend’s home. Her social media posts revealed a pattern of envy and resentment toward his new relationship. Authorities described the crime as “emotionally charged and premeditated.”

**A Call for Heart Renewal**  

The Apostle James warned, *“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work”* (James 3:16). The KJV 1611 Bible doesn’t merely condemn jealousy—it calls for transformation. *“Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another”* (Galatians 5:26).

As society grapples with the fallout of envy-fueled violence, the timeless wisdom of Scripture offers a path forward: repentance, contentment, and love that *“envieth not”* (1 Corinthians 13:4).

Scripture:

Josephs Brothers

Joseph’s brothers are a powerful example of how unchecked jealousy can spiral into betrayal—and eventually, redemption.

In Genesis 37, we learn that Jacob (also called Israel) loved Joseph more than his other sons and gave him a “coat of many colours” (Genesis 37:3, KJV 1611). This favoritism, combined with Joseph’s dreams of ruling over his family, stirred deep envy in his brothers. Verse 11 says plainly: “And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.”

Their jealousy led them to conspire against Joseph. At first, they plotted to kill him, but instead, they threw him into a pit and later sold him to Midianite traders. They then deceived their father by dipping Joseph’s coat in goat’s blood, leading Jacob to believe his beloved son had been devoured by a wild beast.

Yet, what began in envy was ultimately used by God for good. Years later, Joseph—now a powerful leader in Egypt—would forgive his brothers and save them from famine. As he told them in Genesis 50:20: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good…”

---------------------------------------------------

1. Social Media Envy Turns to Cyberbullying**  

A 15-year-old girl in California became the target of online harassment after posting about her academic achievements. A classmate, feeling overshadowed and jealous, created fake accounts to spread rumors and post cruel comments. The situation escalated until school officials and parents intervened. This case highlights how jealousy, amplified by social media, can lead to emotional harm and reputational damage.

**2. Jealousy in Friendships Leads to Assault**  

In Florida, a teen was arrested after physically attacking her best friend at a party. The motive? Jealousy over a mutual crush. Witnesses said the attacker had been stewing for weeks, feeling replaced and ignored. What began as silent resentment exploded into violence—showing how unspoken jealousy can fester dangerously.

**3. Academic Rivalry Sparks Sabotage**  

At a high school in New York, a student was caught tampering with a peer’s science project before a major competition. The jealous teen admitted feeling threatened by the other’s consistent success and feared losing a scholarship opportunity. This incident led to disciplinary action and counseling for both students.

**4. Sibling Jealousy and Theft**  

A 17-year-old in Texas was caught stealing money from his older brother’s college fund. When questioned, he confessed to feeling overlooked and jealous of the attention his brother received for being the “golden child.” The family sought therapy to address the deeper emotional wounds behind the act.

______________________________

Each of these stories could be paired with a biblical reflection—like Proverbs 14:30: *“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.____________________

Here are a few notable real-life incidents from 2015 where jealousy played a central role in tragic outcomes—each one a sobering reminder of how envy can spiral into violence:

**1. Germanwings Flight 9525 Crash**  

In March 2015, co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed a passenger plane into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board. Investigators revealed that Lubitz had a history of mental health struggles and was reportedly jealous of colleagues who were advancing in their careers while he faced setbacks. His envy and despair turned catastrophic.

**2. Teen Love Triangle in Florida**  

A 16-year-old girl was fatally stabbed by a classmate in a Florida high school bathroom. The motive? Jealousy over a shared romantic interest. The attacker had reportedly been in a relationship with the same boy and felt betrayed. This heartbreaking case highlighted how teen jealousy, when left unchecked, can lead to irreversible consequences.

**3. Domestic Jealousy in Ohio**  

In Cleveland, a man was convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s ex-partner out of jealousy. The victim had come to drop off his child when the confrontation occurred. Prosecutors described the crime as “premeditated and fueled by obsessive jealousy.”

These incidents echo the biblical warning in Proverbs 6:34: *“For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.”*

__________________________

Susan Barker Nikitenko, Gathering of Real Happenings 2025

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.Images are not all Christian, but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family and country.