“And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.” (Genesis 39:10 NIV)
In last night’s youth service, we spent the evening with Joseph. Our students were stunned to learn that he was sold into slavery at seventeen by his brothers, that he found himself in a foreign land before his eighteenth birthday. Several of our seniors are seventeen and making plans about life after graduation, not at all ready to adjust to a life of servitude as young Joseph did.
This scripture stood out to me in the many chapters of Josephs’ story. Joseph was hundreds of miles from home. He had been mistreated sold into slavery and presumed dead. The culture in Egypt was entirely different than Canaan; the diet, lifestyle, values and worship were all foreign. One commentator I read suggested that Potiphar was likely a eunuch in service of Pharaoh, as most high-ranking officers were, denoting their absolute loyalty to the throne. If that was the case, Mrs. Potiphar would have likely met her physical desires by other means, perhaps young Joseph was fair game. The Potiphar marriage may have been more social arrangement than genuine, intimate covenant.
The point is, Joseph likely could have gotten away with the affair Mrs. Potiphar was clearly after. But Joseph held to the values of his homeland; insisting such an act would be an offense against his earthly master and God Himself.
I think there’s a lesson here for all of us. Sure, sleeping with the boss’s wife may not be your particular temptation, but we can recognize that we live in a land where the moral code has taxed considerable. What was considered outright sinful twenty years ago has become acceptable, even trendy. Many churches have steered away from employing the word ‘sin’ altogether because it’s offensive and makes people uncomfortable. News flash: sin is offensive and it should make us uncomfortable because it’s an affront to God.
“When I regarded God as a tyrant, I thought sin a trifle; but when I knew him to be my father, then I mourned that I could ever have kicked against him. When I thought that God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against one who loved me so, and sought my good.” (Spurgeon)
Living far from home is not an adequate excuse to abandon Kingdom values. We, like Joseph, live in a foreign land. We face the same choice he did: absorb the value system of the culture or uphold the value system of home. The value system of our homeland is found and demonstrated within the pages of scripture. The way God longs for us to live is not a master, it’s spelled out quite clearly in His word. We decide if we belong to this world or if we belong to Him. Are we settling in here or are our hearts still set on home?
“By faith he made his home in the praises land, like a stranger in a foreign country, he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the praise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:9-10 NIV)
We, too, live and tents and are merely passing through. We do well to remember this when the value system of this world is thrust upon us. As followers of God, His values are the ones we must hold too. Joseph lived such a strong example of christian conviction: refusing to sin even though he was a long way from home. May we be inspired and strengthened in our own commitment to God as we consider this story.
Lord, help us live out the values of heaven even as we walk upon the earth. Strengthen us as we study and implement the directives of Your word. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit as we seek to honor You in a land far from our true home. Amen.