"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Gen 50,20)

It is uncertain whether Joseph understood his dreams at first, but his father immediately explained them. Josef was "favored" in the family, so it didn't even surprise him that his brothers would bow to him ("after all, who else is better fit to be the boss here?"). But when he was humbled, he went through the hell of a life that took a completely different direction, apparently shifting his dreams off deep into his subconscious: it will no more come true.

And lo, the brothers are here, bowing to the ground... But in the meantime, Joseph has matured into a different person than he was in the beginning. He did not give in to bitterness, he did not allow himself to be controlled by self-pity, he did not think of revenge.

It always depends on how we look at our lives, from what angle and from what height. Who are we, why are we here, where are we going to? "You intended evil against me, but God intended good". When Joseph looked at the things from above, he found that they looked quite different; he understood that the common events of his little life had far-reaching implications in God's plan.

If we don't see the whole picture, it can deceive us what things look like at the moment. But when our eyes are opened, we understand that the greatest victories of life are fought in secret, and that every little deed, when performed in God, is permanently recorded in eternity.