I heard a pastor say in jest, “I can resist anything but temptation.” “Not good,” I thought. Why? Because temptation comes to every life. How should we deal with temptation?
Joseph handled it differently than his brother Judah. Remember that Judah succumbed to sin with Tamar when she disguised herself and tempted him one time (Genesis 38:15). Joseph, on the other hand, was tempted every day at Potiphar’s house. His master’s wife set out to seduce him. But unlike Judah, Joseph stood strongly against her advances. Joseph knew his position in Potiphar’s house. He had landed on his feet. Listen to Joseph’s ultimate rationale: “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” This did not stop her from pursuing him.
Every sin we commit affects us and others. In Joshua we see when Achan sinned, it cost many lives in Israel (Joshua 7:16-27). Samson’s sin cost him his eyesight (Judges 16:21). Still Joseph highlighted the main problem with sin. It is against God. Joseph would have wronged Potiphar and his wife had he given in to her advances. He would have harmed himself greatly, even if his master never found out. But there was no hiding from God. All things are done in his sight.
When Potiphar’s wife cornered Joseph, he left his cloak in her hand and ran like his life depended on it. Years later, in the New Testament, we read Paul’s words, “Flee from immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Someone said, “Move away from sin and leave no forwarding address.” Joseph’s refusal to sin cost him his freedom for a season of his life, but it would have been far worse if he had given in. Have you heard, “Sin takes us farther than we wanted to go, keeps us longer than we wanted to stay, and costs us more than we can ever pay”?
The Apostle Paul promised the New Testament believers that God will provide a way out of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Locate the exit from temptation and use it. We will never regret resisting temptation to sin, but we will always regret giving in. We have more to lose than we may think. Run from sin like your spiritual life depended upon it because it does.
