Lucy Maud Montgomery once wrote that there were two types of people in this world, those who know Joseph and those who don’t. If you haven’t the foggiest idea of what I’m talking about, you are either one of two things—-unfamiliar with the Anne series or someone who just doesn’t know Joseph.

During Anne’s adolescent years, she tended to objectify people into two groups, kindred spirits and well, the rest of the world. While Anne and Diana were the perfect example of kindred spirits, by the time Anne approached her mid-twenties, she was looking for more than just a kindred spirit in a friend; she wanted a friend who knew Joseph.

I’ll let Montgomery do the explaining in a conversation between Anne and Captain Jim in chapter seven of Anne’s House of Dreams:

“We both belong to the race that knows Joseph, as Cornelia Bryant would say.”

“The race that knows Joseph?” puzzled Anne.

“Yes. Cornelia divides all the folks in the world into two kinds– the race that knows Joseph and the race that don’t. If a person sorter sees eye to eye with you, and has pretty much the same ideas about things, and the same taste in jokes–why, then he belongs to the race that knows Joseph.”

“Oh, I understand,” exclaimed Anne, light breaking in upon her.

“It’s what I used to call–and still call in quotation marks `kindred spirits.’”

“Jest so–jest so,” agreed Captain Jim. “We’re it, whatever it is. When you come in tonight, Mistress Blythe, I says to myself, says I, `Yes, she’s of the race that knows Joseph.’ And mighty glad I was, for if it wasn’t so we couldn’t have had any real satisfaction in each other’s company. The race that knows Joseph is the salt of the airth, I reckon.”

The salt of the airth? I couldn’t have said it better myself. One knows instantly when in company with one of the race that knows Joseph. Besides just communicating as friends, you communicate on a spiritual level—-the kinship one instantly feels when spending time with another like-minded Christian.

While thinking about the phrase “the race that knows Joseph”, I came across this excellent explanation that helps us understand just why this is so important in each of our lives.

Exodus 1:8 gives the moment in time that Israel ceased its period of comfort in Egypt, while under Joseph’s rule with the Pharaoh. “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” So, the reverse being that those who were believers in God, who followed Him, were of the group that “know Joseph”.

All that to say this — One of the most amazing earthly gifts that God has given us is fellowship with other believers. What joy they bring with their “kindred spirits” — we’re one in the body of Christ! Our fellowship with believers at its best encourages us, strengthens us, and shows love to us. Of course, it’s the Holy Spirit living within us as believers that gives us the ability to do all of those things. When we accept Christ as the living Savior of our lives, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within our hearts, and we begin to show fruit of that — love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. What better qualities could you ask for in a friend?

(source: The Race That Knows Joseph)

Over the years, I’ve met many of the race that knows Joseph. Some I’ve met just in passing, while others have turned into treasured friends. God knew what he was doing when he created the bonds of relationships. Friends do more than just keep us company when shopping in the mall; good friends will influence our lives for Christ—-and ultimately help draw us closer to the truest friend we could ever desire, Jesus Christ.

To all my friends of the race that knows Joseph, thank you. You’ve impacted my life in more ways than you’ll ever know.