"When in Egypt......" (Joseph's journey cont.)

So Joseph is now in slavery...sold by his brothers to Ishmaelites for the price of 20 sheckels of silver (30 is considered the norm for slave trading). Joseph must be thinking: "What is going on, God?!?" The Bible doesn't tell us, so I can only imagine. He finally meets his new master in Egypt...Potiphar, the captain of the Pharoah's guard. No small post, I'd say. This was the guy who was in charge of hanging criminals...a tough guy who knew the power he possessed. Stinky chickens for Joseph, the Hebrew slave. However, instead of a wallowing in sorrowJoseph, we a see a Joseph that quickly suceeds in his current position! What's this?.... Joseph, despite his grief, finds himself responsible for Potiphar's entire household! This implies that Potiphar's real estate, house, fields and business ventures were all in Joseph's control! Potiphar (according to Genesis 39) saw that God was with Joseph so he entrusted his livelihood to this foreigner. God showed Himself faithful and gave him favor because of his righteousness. God did not take him out of the unpleasantness of the situation: Egypt and slavery, BUT, He DID bless him in those circumstances. What mercy God has for His children!
We continue...as with every blessing, Satan tries to snatch it away with temptation and suffering. Potiphar's wife comes on the scene. Picture a beautiful women who has never been told "no". She has everything.....except the handsome Hebrew who has grown from looking like a slave to a healthy representative of Potiphar's household. Like a hungry wolf, she hunts him down, desiring to sleep with him. No doubt this is not the first time she has tried to seduce one of her hubby's men. Joseph refuses her advances with an awesome response! He says to the adulteress that he cannot sin against Potiphar in all his kindness to him and he certainly cannot knowingly sin in the face of God(Gen. 39:7+)!
I am sure this REALLY ticked off Potiphar's wife as it must have come as a complete shock and with such strong accompanying conviction! She doesn't stop here, though. She continues to pursue him to the point where he chooses to avoid her very presence. He could have just slept with her to get her to leave him alone, afterall, he wasn't married and it would be all her fault.... NO!! He knew that his loyalty fully belonged to God and losing His presence would be the worst kind of sacrifice.
When avoidance failed, Potiphar's wife cornered him....she wasn't going to let him go this time....Joseph booted out of the house so fast he left his coat behind. BIG PROBLEM! Of course Potiphar's wife used this encounter to punish Joseph for turning her down. She whipped out the coat in front of her hubby stating that Joseph had been trying to pursue HER and had left his coat behind when she screamed for help. Women can be soooo demanding and manipulative! Potiphar is caught between his angry wife and the word of a Hebrew slave. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to know which side he took and once again, Joseph ends up in suffering...a prison....the prison where Pharoah's naughty men ended up. Sucky deal.....and all for acting righteously in the face of temptation! Interestingly enough, adultery was punishable by death in those days....but Potiphar must have believed Joseph's side of the story enough to not hang him! Sounds like the wife had tried this art form before.
So what's the lesson? Well, there's a lot left to discuss in the life of Joseph...later. The lesson here is a harsh one for me. What's my attitude when I encounter unjust suffering? Does it make me bitter or better? Do I seek revenge of those who hurt me, or do I serve them believing and trusting God that His plans are better than my own? Do I suceed in serving my enemies with a thankful and righteous heart.....gosh...I suck BIG TIME! BUT, I really desire to know His presence in EVERY circumstance...to see the beauty He brings WITHIN the storm. I WANT to love my enemies....Mmmm.
And what about his response to temptation....do I choose to confront it with the truth first? Do I then "flee from even the appearance of evil" and make sure I do not set myself up in a place where I can be tempted? Finally, when temptation is at its strongest, do I run full force into the waiting and safe arms of God? And even when I react in a righteous manner towards temptation and receive suffering for it, do I still choose to do the right thing before God? Mmmm. I have some repenting to do. Stay tuned for more lessons from Joseph...the guy who suffers a lot. Thanks for reading and the comments are great!
(Tim took this picture...I think it fits this area in Joseph's life. ;)