Turning the Unfair into Your Advantage

Most people are familiar with the term “unfair advantage.” If you want to play in the NBA, you have about a 1 in a million chance of playing, unless you are over 7 feet tall, which then means you have about a 1 in 6 chance of being in the NBA. What is this called? An unfair advantage.   

The literal definition of an unfair advantage is some characteristic you possess or some event that has happened to you that gives you a better chance at success – something that other people don’t have, so it seems unfair to them.

I say all of that to introduce you to a man for whom many would have said life was unfair, but his response turned these circumstances into his unfair advantage, and it took him all the way to the top. As you may have guessed by now, his name is Joseph.  

The Story of Joseph  

Joseph was one of the twelve sons of a man named Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel. In the Bible, we are introduced to Joseph and his unfair advantage in the book of Genesis: “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more” (Genesis 37:5). “Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it” (Genesis 37:5).   

Joseph was excited about the dream God had given him, but when he told his brothers about it, they became his critics. The reality is anytime you want to do something great for God, you are going to deal with rejection, betrayal, and haters. 

It helps to remember that the things, people, and events that have been the most unfair are your advantage. 

Unfair Advantage #1: Rejection  

I know it’s not what you want to hear, but when you set out to accomplish something, you are always going to encounter naysayers who have an opinion of how you should live. This is actually a good thing, because man’s rejection moves you in God’s direction.  

You have to embrace rejection, even when it hurts. You may find yourself in what feels like a pit, but the pit is only part of your story, not the end of your story. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). It might be days, months or years later, but you will look back and see how that rejection was God’s way of moving you in the right direction – a direction toward your destiny.    

Rejection leads to redirection. It’s an unfair advantage. Joseph was sold out of the pit as a servant into a house in Egypt. His rejection led him to his destiny. Rejection can do the same for you.   

Unfair Advantage #2: Hard Work  

Genesis 39:3-4: “When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.”  

Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” 

Matthew 6:14: “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”  

No one is going to just hand you greatness. Show up early. Stay late. Go above and beyond. Sometimes, the amount of hard work feels unfair and unseen, but when no one else sees or notices, God does. If you notice Him, this gives you an unfair advantage.  

Unfair Advantage #3: Having Integrity  

Genesis 39:6-8, 12: “Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ But he refused… She caught him by his cloak and said, ‘Come to bed with me!’ But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.”  

Here, we see Joseph trying to honor God and a woman trying to tempt and distract him. Joseph faced unfair temptation, but it gave him an advantage in building his character. Your integrity and your character are important. Proverbs 22:1 states, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” 

There is nothing sadder than the overwhelming number of marriages that have collapsed, the businesses that have gone under, and the families that have fallen apart because when temptation came, it was embraced rather than fled from. 

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:18 to “flee from sexual immorality.” Flee! Run! Get out!  

Joseph could have had the time of his life for those few minutes, but it would have destroyed the dream that God had for him. Keep your integrity, and watch it move you toward your destiny.    

Unfair Advantage #4: Not Quitting  

Genesis 39:20: “Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.” He felt trapped, overlooked and forgotten about. Have you been in a season like this? Maybe you got passed over for the promotion, or you were looked over for the relationship. We have all been in seasons of waiting.    

Joseph’s season of waiting lasted for quite some time. He sat in a prison cell for years – all for a crime he didn’t even commit. Genesis 39:20-22: “But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 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.” After all the disappointment, frustration, and rejection, Joseph had an unfair advantage. In the dark seasons, he leaned into the Lord. 

For you, maybe you thought your “reward” would come by now, but it hasn’t. Don’t quit. If He has you in a season of waiting, He is working on you before he works through you. Your greatest advantage is simply not quitting when everyone else would.    

Turning the Unfair to Your Advantage

The rejection will make you want to quit, but don’t quit; it’s an advantage for you. The hard work is overwhelming, but don’t quit; it’s an unfair advantage you will have. The temptation is tough, but don’t give in and quit; you will have an unfair advantage. The waiting season is discouraging, but don’t quit; you will have an unfair advantage.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/fotogestoeber.de

Aaron Burke is the founding pastor of Radiant Church in Tampa Bay, Florida. His first book, “Unfair Advantage,” releases from Thomas Nelson Publishers on August 8 and is available now for pre-order.