18. DON'T BE A SLAVE TO THE SITUATION |
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How can a young person live a moral life in an immoral world? Can a person stand for peace in a world that fights? Is it possible to resist drinking alcohol in a world that drinks? Or be honest in a world that is dishonest? Can a young person keep his/her virginity in a world that sleeps around? What would make someone choose to do good when it seems like everyone is choosing evil? In today's lesson, we will look at the true story of two young men. Although their first names are the same, when translated, they responded to the hardships of life in completely different ways.
Josef’s father was quite wealthy, but an alcoholic who approached his son with an abusive fist. They moved at least nine times in Josef’s first ten years of life. The town where Josef grew up was a lawless place. It only had a small police force and a culture of violence that included gang-warfare, organized street brawls and wrestling tournaments.
At the age of ten, Josef began his education. He was one of the best students in the class, earning top marks in all subjects. He had a lovely singing voice and was often hired to sing at weddings. He also began to write beautiful poetry. Josef’s father, who had always wanted his son to be trained as a shoemaker, was infuriated when the boy was accepted into school. In his anger he smashed the windows of the local tavern and later attacked the town police chief.
Josef continued to excel in school. Despite obstacles of contracting small pox, being struck by a horse cart, and being kidnapped by his own father and forced to work in a shoe factory, Josef pressed forward with great determination. He graduated first in his class. At the age of 16 he gained notoriety by having his poetry published in several local newspapers.
Josef was on his way to leading a productive life for the good of others, but something happened that changed his life. Josef read a book in high school written by Karl Marx. After reading it, he became an atheist. But it was his enrollment in a Gregorian Orthodox school that completed his transformation. Josef later described this school experience as one of "surveillance, spying, invasion of inner life, and violation of feelings". In Josef’s own words this greatly influenced the design of his future terror state. Yes, you read those last words, correctly, terror state. You see the Josef we are talking about is none-other than Josef Stalin.
The years of abuse he experienced, violence he witnessed, and atmosphere of paranoia he lived in changed his character. He failed to rise above his circumstances and began using violence to unleash his anger on others. Bombings, assassinations, arson, train hijacking, large-scale murders, and the burning of factories and villages became the norm. Ultimately he became a dictator that was responsible for the physical death of millions of lives and the moral death of millions more. Estimates of the number of people he was directly responsible for killing range from three million all the way up to 60 million!
Josef Stalin was a talented boy who had known much hardship in childhood. Did the hardship excuse his murders? No, because Josef Stalin still had a choice, as do all of us. “What will I make of my life? Will I turn my pain into gain, will my suffering polish me to shine with virtue, or ruin me?”
Now we turn our attention to one of the most fantastic stories of scripture; a boy who also faced bitter odds and came out not as a dictator like Stalin, but a hero and a savior. He chose to rise above the circumstances that were pushing him down.
Here is the story of Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel), the grandson of Isaac, and great grandson of Abraham. He was the 11th of 12 children who grew up in a home full of conflict. You see his father Jacob had four wives and the result of his polygamy left a trail of pain. The jealousy of Jacob's wives had embittered the family relation and the brothers had grown up fighting, impatient and lacking self-control. Needless to say, Jacob’s life was darkened by loads of anxiety and as these eleven sons arrived at manhood they had developed serious faults of character.
But Joseph's character was different than his brothers. He was the oldest son of Rachel (the one Jacob originally wanted to marry) and he had a rare inward beauty of mind and heart. Pure, active, and joyous, the boy gave evidence also of moral earnestness. He listened to his father's instructions, was hardworking, honest, and loved to obey God. Interestingly, his life story begins with a dream and ends with its fulfillment.
One bright morning, Joseph awoke from his sleep, delighted by an amazing dream he had had. Filled with excitement he ran to his father and explained it to him. We will consider his dreams in a future lesson dedicated to the subject of dreams. But for this lesson, it is important to know that these dreams, combined with his fathers special attention made Joseph’s brothers angry and jealous. So jealous that they plotted against Joseph. Let's start reading in Genesis chapter 37 verses 14-28:
14 So he (Jacob) said to him (Joseph), Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word. So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, What are you seeking?16 I am seeking my brothers, he said. Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock. 17 And the man said, They have gone away, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams. 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life. 22 And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Can you imagine being sold by your own brothers into slavery? To become a slave was a fate more feared than death. Surely he cried out in terror appealing to one brother after another, but they only sneered at him. Some had pity, but fear of speaking up against the others kept them silent. The camel caravan moved on with Joseph weeping and hands bound. Back home, the brothers dipped Josephs coat in sheep's blood and lied to their father telling him that they had found the coat. They said that a wild animal probably killed him. A lie that haunted them the rest of their lives.
Joseph was being taken to Egypt. Walking behind the camels the boy turned and looked back at the hills where his father's tents were. He wept bitterly at the thought of never seeing his father again. As Joseph thought of the pit and his angry brothers, he felt cold chills go down his spine.
What a change in situation for Joseph! The tenderly cherished son became a despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror. Then his thoughts turned to his father's God.
In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear God. Often in his father's tent he had listened to the story of the vision of the ladder to heaven that Jacob saw as he fled from his home. He had been told of the Lord's promises to Jacob, and how they had been fulfilled. How, in the hour of need, the angels of God had come to instruct, comfort, and protect him. He then and there gave himself fully to the Lord, and he prayed that the God of his father would be with him in the land of his exile.
This was a pivotal moment for Joseph. He could have used his pain and sorrow to let his life become hard and wicked. Instead, his soul thrilled with the high resolve to prove himself true to God. Under all circumstances he would act as a subject of the King of Heaven. He would serve the Lord with an undivided heart. He would meet the trials of his situation with courage and perform every duty with integrity! One day's experience had been the turning point in Joseph's life.
There are two attacks on character. The first is pain and the second is pleasure. The pain of betrayal, an abusive spouse or parent, an unfair boss, a terrible accident, a disease or some other injustice can often cause people to wallow in self-pity. Even worse, it can cause us to fall into all kinds of shameful sins. But the same pain can also make a person's character strong, if they so choose. Joseph triumphed over the first attack and didn't allow his pain to destroy him.
Now Joseph was to face the second test: the fire of pleasure. Would he withstand? Lets continue by reading Genesis 39 verse 1:
1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
Joseph found himself in the middle of a luxurious, pagan world. In Egypt royalty and the most highly civilized nation of its time glamorized the worship of statues, and the immoral life that went with it. Even back then, luxury was an effective advertisement for sin! After witnessing the wealth of Egypt, could Joseph have wondered if the simple story passed to him about the invisible God of his father Jacob was really true? After all, wealth has a way of making every lie believable.
Similarly in our day, television celebrities with their beautiful cars, clothes, and bodies can play tricks on a person's mind. Their alcohol drinking, having sex outside of marriage, and lavish lifestyles gives the illusion that they are enjoying their lives. It can make paradise seem as if it is on earth and the paradise of God seem as if it doesn’t really exist. And it can make God’s laws seem old fashioned. But if a person searches for happiness long enough, he/she will realize that only God knows the source of real happiness and He wants to reveal it to us!
Joseph had grown up in a farming village with his family raising sheep. Now he found himself a slave in a big thriving city, with nobody around who believed in the God he believed in. He had no one but his own conscience and God to help him through the temptations that come with manhood: immorality and greed.
While working for Potiphor, he did not allow his thoughts to linger on subjects that would lead him toward darkness. It’s amazing, but the desire to gain the favor of the Egyptians did not cause him to hide his principles. Principles that he wouldn’t compromise at any price. He was not ashamed of the religion of his father, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was a worshipper of the true God. Let's read verses 2-4:
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
Potiphar's confidence in Joseph increased daily and he finally promoted him to be his personal steward. You can imagine that Joseph’s work at first was cleaning, cooking, and gardening. Although some people consider these jobs low, he did them with excellence. His employer saw his passion for personal excellence, and soon the jobs seemed too low for a young man so worthy! Much like when Mustafa Kemal was given the name Kemal by his teacher – excellence is noticed.
Prosperity came to Potipher as he put Joseph in charge of more and more of his business. The success that came to the captain’s house was not some miracle. It was the direct result of Joseph’s industry, care, and energy. God then blessed these efforts of Joseph. Joseph hoped that through his faithful work and moral uprightness, his life would stand in contrast to the heathenism around him.
Joseph's faithfulness won the heart of the chief captain, who came to regard him as a son rather than a slave. It ended up that through this trust the youth was brought in contact with men of rank and learning, and he acquired a knowledge of science, languages, and political affairs. The scriptures give us this powerful description in verses 5 and 6 of the trust Joseph won:
5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
One day while Joseph was alone in the house with Potipher’s wife a fiery temptation came to him. The scriptures tell us in verse 7 this short but clear sentence:
7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, Lie with me.
This woman's invitation was against the law of God. Up to this point Joseph had remained untainted by the corruption teeming in that heathen land. But this temptation, so sudden, so strong, so seductive was different. How should it be met? Joseph felt like he was backed into a corner. If he submitted to the woman, she would treat him well and he would gain personal pleasure. But he would have to go against his principles. And if he rejected her, who knows what a vindictive, idol worshipping woman would do. His future life depended upon the decision of one moment. Would principle triumph? Would Joseph still be true to God? The woman wanted him and no one was around.
Joseph's answer reveals the power of personal moral principle. He would not betray the confidence of his earthly master and, whatever the consequences, he would be true to his Master in heaven. Many people do things behind closed doors that they wouldn't do if people were watching. But what they don't realize is that God and His angels are always watching! Joseph's first thought was of God.
"How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" he said.
And the Bible tells us he ran from the room. Which is really the best defense for all of us, leave the scene of temptation. Are you tempted to sin? Get away from it, or her or him. Run to the safety of God. Let each of us ever remember that wherever we are, and whatever we do, we are in the presence of God. God is the only safe place for those who are tempted. God would rather us remain pure, than to ask for forgiveness because sin forever changes our ability to relate to others and ourselves.
Joseph ended up suffering for his integrity. Potiphor's wife didn't take the rejection lightly and vowed to destroy Joseph. She sought revenge by accusing Joseph of rape. Of course he was innocent, but nonetheless, he was thrown in prison. Had Potiphar believed his wife's charge against Joseph, the young Hebrew would have been executed. But Joseph’s life pattern of strong character and good conduct were proof of his innocence.
At first his jailers treated Joseph with great severity. The prophet David writing in the Psalms says about Joseph,
"His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron: until the time that his word came to pass; the word of the Lord tried him." (Psalm 105:18, 19)
In prison, after being wrongly accused and under the torture of jailers he decided to remain loyal to God. Joseph gradually gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison, and was finally entrusted with the charge of all the prisoners. Joseph allowed neither pain nor pleasure to pull him off course from the agreement he made with himself to be loyal to God and God’s laws. Consider this short story:
An old man and his boy were watching sailboats on the Bosporus one day. The boy said,
“Grandpa, are there two winds? How can some sailboats be blown by the wind up the Bosporus, and others be blown by the wind down the Bosporus?"
The Grandfather kindly corrected the boy,
“Son, it’s not the wind but the set of the sail that determines the boats course.”
Very similarly, it isn’t the circumstances, good or bad, that determine our destiny, but what we choose to do with those circumstances. Bad things happen to good people. In the midst of injustice and with God's help, we can forgive and in the midst of dishonesty we can choose to be honest. Where will you set your sail?
Questions for Discussion
1) Do you think Josef Stalin was destined to kill millions of people or could he have chosen differently?
2) Joseph was sold as a slave. Had he not chosen to live a moral life in Egypt, how might of he spent his years there?
3) Have you ever been sexually tempted like Joseph? If you gave in to temptation, how did you feel about yourself afterwards? How can you get a new start?
4) The experience of pain and pleasure has a powerful effect on our lives. What circumstances are you faced with that can affect the rest of your life?
Josef’s father was quite wealthy, but an alcoholic who approached his son with an abusive fist. They moved at least nine times in Josef’s first ten years of life. The town where Josef grew up was a lawless place. It only had a small police force and a culture of violence that included gang-warfare, organized street brawls and wrestling tournaments.
At the age of ten, Josef began his education. He was one of the best students in the class, earning top marks in all subjects. He had a lovely singing voice and was often hired to sing at weddings. He also began to write beautiful poetry. Josef’s father, who had always wanted his son to be trained as a shoemaker, was infuriated when the boy was accepted into school. In his anger he smashed the windows of the local tavern and later attacked the town police chief.
Josef continued to excel in school. Despite obstacles of contracting small pox, being struck by a horse cart, and being kidnapped by his own father and forced to work in a shoe factory, Josef pressed forward with great determination. He graduated first in his class. At the age of 16 he gained notoriety by having his poetry published in several local newspapers.
Josef was on his way to leading a productive life for the good of others, but something happened that changed his life. Josef read a book in high school written by Karl Marx. After reading it, he became an atheist. But it was his enrollment in a Gregorian Orthodox school that completed his transformation. Josef later described this school experience as one of "surveillance, spying, invasion of inner life, and violation of feelings". In Josef’s own words this greatly influenced the design of his future terror state. Yes, you read those last words, correctly, terror state. You see the Josef we are talking about is none-other than Josef Stalin.
The years of abuse he experienced, violence he witnessed, and atmosphere of paranoia he lived in changed his character. He failed to rise above his circumstances and began using violence to unleash his anger on others. Bombings, assassinations, arson, train hijacking, large-scale murders, and the burning of factories and villages became the norm. Ultimately he became a dictator that was responsible for the physical death of millions of lives and the moral death of millions more. Estimates of the number of people he was directly responsible for killing range from three million all the way up to 60 million!
Josef Stalin was a talented boy who had known much hardship in childhood. Did the hardship excuse his murders? No, because Josef Stalin still had a choice, as do all of us. “What will I make of my life? Will I turn my pain into gain, will my suffering polish me to shine with virtue, or ruin me?”
Now we turn our attention to one of the most fantastic stories of scripture; a boy who also faced bitter odds and came out not as a dictator like Stalin, but a hero and a savior. He chose to rise above the circumstances that were pushing him down.
Here is the story of Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel), the grandson of Isaac, and great grandson of Abraham. He was the 11th of 12 children who grew up in a home full of conflict. You see his father Jacob had four wives and the result of his polygamy left a trail of pain. The jealousy of Jacob's wives had embittered the family relation and the brothers had grown up fighting, impatient and lacking self-control. Needless to say, Jacob’s life was darkened by loads of anxiety and as these eleven sons arrived at manhood they had developed serious faults of character.
But Joseph's character was different than his brothers. He was the oldest son of Rachel (the one Jacob originally wanted to marry) and he had a rare inward beauty of mind and heart. Pure, active, and joyous, the boy gave evidence also of moral earnestness. He listened to his father's instructions, was hardworking, honest, and loved to obey God. Interestingly, his life story begins with a dream and ends with its fulfillment.
One bright morning, Joseph awoke from his sleep, delighted by an amazing dream he had had. Filled with excitement he ran to his father and explained it to him. We will consider his dreams in a future lesson dedicated to the subject of dreams. But for this lesson, it is important to know that these dreams, combined with his fathers special attention made Joseph’s brothers angry and jealous. So jealous that they plotted against Joseph. Let's start reading in Genesis chapter 37 verses 14-28:
14 So he (Jacob) said to him (Joseph), Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word. So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, What are you seeking?16 I am seeking my brothers, he said. Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock. 17 And the man said, They have gone away, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams. 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life. 22 And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Can you imagine being sold by your own brothers into slavery? To become a slave was a fate more feared than death. Surely he cried out in terror appealing to one brother after another, but they only sneered at him. Some had pity, but fear of speaking up against the others kept them silent. The camel caravan moved on with Joseph weeping and hands bound. Back home, the brothers dipped Josephs coat in sheep's blood and lied to their father telling him that they had found the coat. They said that a wild animal probably killed him. A lie that haunted them the rest of their lives.
Joseph was being taken to Egypt. Walking behind the camels the boy turned and looked back at the hills where his father's tents were. He wept bitterly at the thought of never seeing his father again. As Joseph thought of the pit and his angry brothers, he felt cold chills go down his spine.
What a change in situation for Joseph! The tenderly cherished son became a despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror. Then his thoughts turned to his father's God.
In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear God. Often in his father's tent he had listened to the story of the vision of the ladder to heaven that Jacob saw as he fled from his home. He had been told of the Lord's promises to Jacob, and how they had been fulfilled. How, in the hour of need, the angels of God had come to instruct, comfort, and protect him. He then and there gave himself fully to the Lord, and he prayed that the God of his father would be with him in the land of his exile.
This was a pivotal moment for Joseph. He could have used his pain and sorrow to let his life become hard and wicked. Instead, his soul thrilled with the high resolve to prove himself true to God. Under all circumstances he would act as a subject of the King of Heaven. He would serve the Lord with an undivided heart. He would meet the trials of his situation with courage and perform every duty with integrity! One day's experience had been the turning point in Joseph's life.
There are two attacks on character. The first is pain and the second is pleasure. The pain of betrayal, an abusive spouse or parent, an unfair boss, a terrible accident, a disease or some other injustice can often cause people to wallow in self-pity. Even worse, it can cause us to fall into all kinds of shameful sins. But the same pain can also make a person's character strong, if they so choose. Joseph triumphed over the first attack and didn't allow his pain to destroy him.
Now Joseph was to face the second test: the fire of pleasure. Would he withstand? Lets continue by reading Genesis 39 verse 1:
1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
Joseph found himself in the middle of a luxurious, pagan world. In Egypt royalty and the most highly civilized nation of its time glamorized the worship of statues, and the immoral life that went with it. Even back then, luxury was an effective advertisement for sin! After witnessing the wealth of Egypt, could Joseph have wondered if the simple story passed to him about the invisible God of his father Jacob was really true? After all, wealth has a way of making every lie believable.
Similarly in our day, television celebrities with their beautiful cars, clothes, and bodies can play tricks on a person's mind. Their alcohol drinking, having sex outside of marriage, and lavish lifestyles gives the illusion that they are enjoying their lives. It can make paradise seem as if it is on earth and the paradise of God seem as if it doesn’t really exist. And it can make God’s laws seem old fashioned. But if a person searches for happiness long enough, he/she will realize that only God knows the source of real happiness and He wants to reveal it to us!
Joseph had grown up in a farming village with his family raising sheep. Now he found himself a slave in a big thriving city, with nobody around who believed in the God he believed in. He had no one but his own conscience and God to help him through the temptations that come with manhood: immorality and greed.
While working for Potiphor, he did not allow his thoughts to linger on subjects that would lead him toward darkness. It’s amazing, but the desire to gain the favor of the Egyptians did not cause him to hide his principles. Principles that he wouldn’t compromise at any price. He was not ashamed of the religion of his father, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was a worshipper of the true God. Let's read verses 2-4:
2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
Potiphar's confidence in Joseph increased daily and he finally promoted him to be his personal steward. You can imagine that Joseph’s work at first was cleaning, cooking, and gardening. Although some people consider these jobs low, he did them with excellence. His employer saw his passion for personal excellence, and soon the jobs seemed too low for a young man so worthy! Much like when Mustafa Kemal was given the name Kemal by his teacher – excellence is noticed.
Prosperity came to Potipher as he put Joseph in charge of more and more of his business. The success that came to the captain’s house was not some miracle. It was the direct result of Joseph’s industry, care, and energy. God then blessed these efforts of Joseph. Joseph hoped that through his faithful work and moral uprightness, his life would stand in contrast to the heathenism around him.
Joseph's faithfulness won the heart of the chief captain, who came to regard him as a son rather than a slave. It ended up that through this trust the youth was brought in contact with men of rank and learning, and he acquired a knowledge of science, languages, and political affairs. The scriptures give us this powerful description in verses 5 and 6 of the trust Joseph won:
5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
One day while Joseph was alone in the house with Potipher’s wife a fiery temptation came to him. The scriptures tell us in verse 7 this short but clear sentence:
7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, Lie with me.
This woman's invitation was against the law of God. Up to this point Joseph had remained untainted by the corruption teeming in that heathen land. But this temptation, so sudden, so strong, so seductive was different. How should it be met? Joseph felt like he was backed into a corner. If he submitted to the woman, she would treat him well and he would gain personal pleasure. But he would have to go against his principles. And if he rejected her, who knows what a vindictive, idol worshipping woman would do. His future life depended upon the decision of one moment. Would principle triumph? Would Joseph still be true to God? The woman wanted him and no one was around.
Joseph's answer reveals the power of personal moral principle. He would not betray the confidence of his earthly master and, whatever the consequences, he would be true to his Master in heaven. Many people do things behind closed doors that they wouldn't do if people were watching. But what they don't realize is that God and His angels are always watching! Joseph's first thought was of God.
"How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" he said.
And the Bible tells us he ran from the room. Which is really the best defense for all of us, leave the scene of temptation. Are you tempted to sin? Get away from it, or her or him. Run to the safety of God. Let each of us ever remember that wherever we are, and whatever we do, we are in the presence of God. God is the only safe place for those who are tempted. God would rather us remain pure, than to ask for forgiveness because sin forever changes our ability to relate to others and ourselves.
Joseph ended up suffering for his integrity. Potiphor's wife didn't take the rejection lightly and vowed to destroy Joseph. She sought revenge by accusing Joseph of rape. Of course he was innocent, but nonetheless, he was thrown in prison. Had Potiphar believed his wife's charge against Joseph, the young Hebrew would have been executed. But Joseph’s life pattern of strong character and good conduct were proof of his innocence.
At first his jailers treated Joseph with great severity. The prophet David writing in the Psalms says about Joseph,
"His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron: until the time that his word came to pass; the word of the Lord tried him." (Psalm 105:18, 19)
In prison, after being wrongly accused and under the torture of jailers he decided to remain loyal to God. Joseph gradually gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison, and was finally entrusted with the charge of all the prisoners. Joseph allowed neither pain nor pleasure to pull him off course from the agreement he made with himself to be loyal to God and God’s laws. Consider this short story:
An old man and his boy were watching sailboats on the Bosporus one day. The boy said,
“Grandpa, are there two winds? How can some sailboats be blown by the wind up the Bosporus, and others be blown by the wind down the Bosporus?"
The Grandfather kindly corrected the boy,
“Son, it’s not the wind but the set of the sail that determines the boats course.”
Very similarly, it isn’t the circumstances, good or bad, that determine our destiny, but what we choose to do with those circumstances. Bad things happen to good people. In the midst of injustice and with God's help, we can forgive and in the midst of dishonesty we can choose to be honest. Where will you set your sail?
Questions for Discussion
1) Do you think Josef Stalin was destined to kill millions of people or could he have chosen differently?
2) Joseph was sold as a slave. Had he not chosen to live a moral life in Egypt, how might of he spent his years there?
3) Have you ever been sexually tempted like Joseph? If you gave in to temptation, how did you feel about yourself afterwards? How can you get a new start?
4) The experience of pain and pleasure has a powerful effect on our lives. What circumstances are you faced with that can affect the rest of your life?