A breath of fresh air

Blameshifting, Murder. Lying. Polygamy. Rape. Incest. Homosexuality. Genocide. Physical abuse. Prostitution. Jealousy. Hatred.

After reading accounts of all of these and more in the first thirty-some chapters of Genesis, Joseph is a breath of fresh air. Finally, someone who doesn't live according to his sex drive!

He's the favorite son of his aging father, placed above his older half-brothers. He's the favorite son of his father's favorite wife, but hated by the rest of the family.

His half-brothers wanted to kill him, but chose to make a profit by selling him to slave traders. They tried to cover up their actions by sending his goat-blood-soaked coat  back to their father. The father fell for it. But the brothers knew. And God knew.

In Egypt, Joseph served his master, Potiphar, faithfully. He was given control over everything in his master's house except for his wife. She tried to seduce him. Often. Repeatedly.

When she tricked him, Joseph's answer was, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Gen 39:9).

Joseph fled. The seductress accused him of being the attacker and he ended up in jail. Not the consequences that Joseph desired.

Joseph is a great example for us. He realized that giving in to the pleas of this woman would be a sin against God. He understood that his moments of pleasure would dishonor his God.

We need to think like that, too. Whether it's sexual temptations, or the temptation to gossip. Whether it's cheating the IRS, or laziness.

Sin is against God.