October 12 2011

No Matter What

Reading: Genesis 39:6-7, 10-12, 16-20, 6 So [Potiphar] left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. 11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. 16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” 19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

Imagine, men, working so hard to get to the point that you, as a foreigner, have become the manager of all things for this leader in Egypt, one of the most progressive nations at that time. You have a gorgeous women who wants to be with you. Trust me, she was gorgeous. He chose to do the right thing, even though he’s in a foreign country (the world) and she kept pursuing him day after day. How did he get rewarded by God? He was thrown in prison. Can you imagine how we would feel? Many would probably respond, “Well, good grief, if this is how I’m going to get paid for doing what’s right… I might as well have just gone ahead and given in to her. If I’m going to be accused of that, I might as well just do it”. But, that was not his response, and God blessed him even more greatly than before. Often we seem to expect an immediate reward for doing what’s right. Joseph, at some point, just decided to do what’s right… no matter what! Rewarded for it… punished for it… doesn’t matter. I will chose to do what is right!

What is a temptation that you’re struggling with and how will you choose to do what’s right today… no matter what?



End of the Day Review

How did you choose to do what is right today, no matter what?


What were the struggles with accomplishing this and how did this alter your day?