Man, Joseph was one cool guy.
In Genesis 39 we read of Potiphar's wife. Potiphar was a wealthy Egyptian who put Joseph in charge of his entire estate. God was blessing this estate/household because of Joseph, so Potiphar didn't worry about any day-to-day cares (except for what he was eating...I bet he was overweight).
Potiphar's wife, who wasn't even named in this story, was a true seductress. To be blunt (and a little crass), she was a slut. She came on to the handsome Joseph all the time. And this guy refused her politely but firmly, never dis-honoring his boss. On a day where no one was around and she had opportunity, she tried to get him in bed again. Like the righteous young man that Paul affirms, this guy fled temptation. In his hurry he left his cloak, which the hussy (I'm sorry, I can't help but think not much of this woman) used to blackmail him.
Now, there are plenty of cool things to glean from this story.
One of those lessons is that Joseph obviously made previously made a commitment to purity. That way, when he was faced with a temptation, he already knew what he'd do (or what direction he'd try to take). This is a great lesson we can all learn from. If we make "Advance Decision Making" and base those ADM's on God's Word, we can win half the battle of future temptations right there. It arms us with resolution and equips us with fortitude and wisdom. That way, when we are faced with temptation, we can ask God to help us, to strengthen us, and provide for us that way out (that) He promised would always be there (1 Cor. 10:13, the Lust Control verse).
Another lesson we can glean from this story is how Joseph even treated his enemy (this lonely but manipulative woman) with dignity. We have no record of Joseph stating what would probably be the first words out of my mouth: "What? You can't arrest me! I didn't do anything wrong! She came on to me. I refused her." I'd probably call her a tramp in my anger and I wouldn't easily give up from being falsely imprisoned for something I didn't do. Now, maybe Joseph did speak up in his defense, but the Word the Lord's Spirit instructed Moses to write does not include this activity. Like the Messiah to follow after him, Joseph was silent before his accusers. But the thing that really impresses me was that he had enough class to not talk down about his master's wife. She caused him this grief, but he did not return the cruelty with the truth (even): that she tried seducing him but he refused. That shows a lot of self control and class. Here was a chance to put that woman in her place and humiliate her, and he didn't take it. Wow. Joseph was a big man. I respect that.
Joseph accepted his circumstances and God quickly blessed his activities there in prison. So much so that the jailer (warden) even put him in charge of everything. Wow.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at October 25, 2004 12:55 PM