From favored son to lowly slave, betrayed by his own family, and in a foreign land where his God was mocked, Joseph had every human excuse to give up his values, and grab some enjoyment for himself for a change. As Potiphar’s wife continues to implore him, surely the thought crossed Joseph’s mind that he had taken his share of abuse, and it would only be fair to use this opportunity to humiliate his slave master. As the inquiry is made again and again, surely a man with Joseph’s struggles, abandonment, and pain would relish this chance and give in to greed and lust, right?
Yet what do we see in Joseph? Loyalty to human authority, and reverence to God:
“With me in charge, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Genesis 39:8-9 NIV
How tempting it is to think the wrongs we suffer give us license to even the score. To only see the sins done towards us and be blind to the sins we commit. Let us, when confronted with sinful opportunity, respond with humble reverence to God and His standard.
And, like Joseph, if the temptation persists…FLEE!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Andrew Zoschke
Yet what do we see in Joseph? Loyalty to human authority, and reverence to God:
“With me in charge, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Genesis 39:8-9 NIV
How tempting it is to think the wrongs we suffer give us license to even the score. To only see the sins done towards us and be blind to the sins we commit. Let us, when confronted with sinful opportunity, respond with humble reverence to God and His standard.
And, like Joseph, if the temptation persists…FLEE!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Andrew Zoschke