More Than Survivors
“Just Say No”
Genesis 39:1-23
First Ladies of the United States have for the past 30 years or more adopted some cause for which they worked diligently. Barbara Bush, the wife of George HW Bush, pressed literacy not only for our children, bur for the thousands, perhaps millions of adults who are not able to read. Rosalyn Carter was passionate about the care of mental health patients. Hillary Clinton worked for the cause of health care for all. Laura Bush, as a former school librarian, has become a voice for reading and education.
Back in the 1980’s First Lady Nancy Reagan threw herself into the war against drugs. She was the one who coined the phrase, “Just say No!” I can remember Nicole coming home from Kindergarten with “Just say No!” materials. Supporters of the program pointed out that it focused on just the right spot, the drug user, and more importantly the potential drug user, and sought to educate them to simply never start using drugs in the first place. Take away the market, and the problem will fade away. It focused on the responsibility of each individual to do the right thing. The media, and critics charged that the program was “too simplistic,” that it didn’t deal with the source of the drugs or the treatment of the user.
But you know what, sometimes the simple answer is the best answer. “Just say ‘No!’” was a very successful program. Teaching our children to simply refuse to give in is the best treatment for drugs in the long term. It is far more effective to prevent the problem than to clean up the mess after the problem.
That principle is the foundation for our study to day of people from the Bible who were more than survivors. We will see today that people who are more than survivors flee all-to-convenient evil. Just like last week, when we saw that Moses had to make wise choices in order to be the person that God desired him to be, today we will look at the life of one of my favorite characters in the Bible, Joseph, and see that he had to make a choice, and followed that choice with action.
Turn with me if you will to Genesis chapter 39. The very first book of the Bible, the 39th chapter – in the Bibles on the chairs around you it is found on page 28.
While you’re finding it, let me just give you a very brief setting for today’s story. Joseph was the favorite son of his father Jacob, and his brothers were none to happy about it. In fact their rage grew until they actually decided to kill him, but at the last moment, they decided to sell him into slavery and stage his death to their father. So Joseph was sold to some slave traders. Now let’s pick up the story at verse 1 of chapter 39.
Now Joseph had been
taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard,
an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
Talk about bad breaks. It’s one thing to be sold into slavery, but to wind up as the property of the toughest guy in all of Egypt - that’s pretty rough.
But look what happened ... Genesis 39:2-6
The
LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of
his master the Egyptian. [3] And his
master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to
prosper in his hand. [4] So Joseph
found favor in his sight, and served him. Now Joseph was handsome in form and
appearance.
In spite of the situation, God was honoring his promise to Joseph.
As a result ...
Then he made him
overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. [5] So it was, from the time that he had
made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the
Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all
that he had in the house and in the field.
[6] Thus he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know
what he had except for the bread which he ate.
The Living Bible puts that last verse this way:
Potiphar
gave Joseph the complete administrative responsibility over everything he
owned. He hadn’t a worry in the world with Joseph there, except to decide what
he wanted to eat! Genesis 39:6aTLB
Now, get the picture here. Joseph, a slave, a foreigner has total control over the estate and affairs of the highest ranking official in Egypt other than the Pharoah himself. That’s pretty incredible, don’t you think? That kind of thing doesn’t happen unless people trust you. And obviously, Potiphar trusted Joseph. Things are going better than Joseph could have ever dreamed. But Joseph was about to face that test.
Challenges to Integrity
The Bible says in verses 6-7,
Now Joseph was handsome
in form and appearance. [7] And it came
to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph,
and she said, "Lie with me."
Subtle, isn’t she? “Sleep with me, Joseph!” she whispers in his ear. Joseph was a handsome young man, probably in his twenties, the testosterone that pumps through the veins of 20-year olds today is the same as it was then. Joseph was not some statue in a museum, or painting in your Bible, he was a human male, with needs and desires like any of us, and he was given an opportunity to compromise not all that unlike the temptations we face in our society today.
I don’t know what went through Joseph’s mind at that point. I know what would have gone through mine - thoughts that challenge integrity. If you happened to listen to Chuck Swindoll this week, you heard him speak about Joseph. He said, these words,
There is not a person who
has cast a shadow across this earth, including Jesus Christ who has not faced
temptation, and there is not a person who has ever lived, except Christ, who
has not yielded to it at least one time or another and suffered the
consequences. Temptation is an
inevitable part of our fallen world. We
cannot escape it.
I think there are at least four thoughts that come to us in situations where compromise is an option.
1. Here’s the first one: “No one will know.”
“I can cheat on the test and not get caught. I can pocket the money and no one will miss it. I can search the ‘net and no one will be the wiser.”
For Joseph, as manager of the estate, it would have been easy to take advantage of the situation. He could arrange the work schedules of the other slaves and servants. He could produce an environment where no one knew that he was hitting on the boss’s wife. He could maintain that outward image of “honorable, hard-working, trustworthy Joseph” while living a secret life of adultery.
“No one will know.” That’s the first challenge to integrity.
2. The second is the thought “Just this once.”
“I’m not going to make a lifestyle of this. I’m just going to try it once out of curiosity. I’m not going to become a pornography addict. I’m just going to watch one movie that my wife doesn’t know about. I’m not going to have an affair with the boss’s wife. It’s one roll in the hay while he’s away on business.”
It would have been easy for Joseph to rationalize - “just this once.”
3. Here’s another thought that challenges integrity: “People who play by the rules finish last.”
“The deck is stacked against you. Sometimes you have to take shortcuts. Sometimes you have to spread a little dirt about another person’s deep dark secrets to slow them down. Integrity is counter-productive. It’s like taking the long winding road, when there’s a more direct route.”
Nice guys and gals finish last.
4. Finally, and this is perhaps the most tempting challenge to integrity: “I’m only taking what I deserve.”
“Sure, it’s wrong to steal from my employer. But isn’t it just as wrong for them to pay me less than I’m worth? In a way, they’re stealing from me. I’m just taking what they owe me.”
Who could blame Joseph for thinking “You know, I deserve this. I used to be part of a family, but my brothers betrayed me. God told me I’d be a success, but look at me - I’m a slave. Sleeping with my master’s wife - boy, wouldn’t that be rich? No one will know. Just this once. Nice guys finish last. I deserve it.”
But the Bible says that, in spite of these challenges to his integrity ...
But he refused and said
to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not know what is with me in
the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. [9] There is no one greater in this house
than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his
wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
And with those words, Joseph was well on the way to passing the test of integrity, partly because he understood some things that are crystal clear to people of integrity.
What People of Integrity Know (that others don’t)
1. First of all, Joseph knew that God sees, even if no one else does.
A burglar broke into a house late one night and, as he began to look around, he heard a strange voice say, “Jesus is watching you.” He froze in his tracks and said, “Who said that?”
No reply. “Must be my conscience” he thought to himself sarcastically. He took a step and he heard it again, “Jesus is watching you.”
“Who said that?” he asked again.
“Joshua,” came the reply. The burglar turned his flashlight toward the voice and saw ... a parrot sitting in its cage!
Greatly relieved, he laughed and said, “Who would name a parrot Joshua?”
The parrot said, “Same person who named our pit bull Jesus.”
It’s tempting to tell yourself that no one will know. But Someone always does.
People of integrity know that God always sees, even if no one else does.
2. The second thing they know is that integrity is destroyed one decision at a time.
“Just this once” almost always leads to “just this once more.” Falsifying a tax return just once makes it harder to say “no” the next time. Cheating on a test just once makes it that much easier to cheat again. Little by little, integrity is destroyed.
That’s why the Bible says to ...
Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly
before you ... Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from
evil. Proverbs 4:25,27NIV
In other words, don’t tolerate any deviation where your integrity is concerned. One small step off of the path can lead to another and another and eventually to destruction.
3. People of integrity know that, sometimes, integrity demands a high price.
You may not be aware of it. But there is a huge price to pay.
The story is told of a man who called his veterinarian. “I think my dog is dead,” he said, “can you come over and verify it for me?”
“That’s really not necessary,” said the vet, “just nudge him with your foot, and if he doesn’t move, chances are, he’s dead.”
“I could never kick my dog,” said the man, “he’s been my trusted companion for 15 years. Can’t you please come over?”
“A house call will cost you $50.”
“I don’t care, please come.”
So the vet came over, nudged the dog with his foot, looked for the rise and fall of the dogs chest, and said, “Sir, I’m sorry, but your dog is dead.”
“Is that all you can do? Isn’t there some other test you can do to be really sure?”
The vet thought for a moment then asked, “Do you have a cat?” “no, but my neighbor has a kitten.” “Go get it.”
The vet took the kitten, held it above the dogs tail, and slowly moved the kitten, hissing and clawing the dogs fur up the length of the dog, then starting at the nose, moved the kitten, still scratching and clawing all the way to the tail. The dog did not respond in any way.
“Your dog is clinicly dead,” he said, “that will be $500.”
“But you said a house call was $50!” said the man.
“Yes, but that was before you ordered a Cat Scan!”
There is always a hidden cost to temptation.
I remember the time when Andrew called us from a friends house rather early on a Friday or Saturday night, and asked us to come and get him. We did, and he later said, “I just didn’t want to be there. They were doing things that I didn’t want to do.” Good man. Telling your friends “sorry, I’m not going to be involved in that kind of activity behind my parents back” might cost you an invitation to the next party. It might even cost you their friendship. That’s the price of integrity.
Admitting the truth about an error you made at work instead of covering it up or blaming it on someone else might tarnish your reputation. It could even cost you dollars at the next performance review. That’s the price of integrity.
Integrity is not cheap. We will soon see what it cost Joseph.
4. Finally, people of integrity know that once is not enough.
You might think, “Way to go Andrew! Way to go Joseph! What are you gonna do next?” “I’m going to Disney World!!” No – actually, you’re going to be tempted again, and again, and again.
According to the Bible, even though Joseph refused her initial invitation, Potiphar’s wife kept tempting him day after day. And day after day he kept saying “no.”
Follow along on the screen as we pick up the story ...
Genesis 39:10-12
So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. [11] But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, [12] that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
And then, apparently, a thought came to her. “If he won’t play my game, he won’t play any game. Looks to me like I hold in my hands evidence of an attempted rape.”
And the Bible says ...
Genesis 39:13-18
And so it was, when she
saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, [14] that she called to the men of her house
and spoke to them, saying, "See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock
us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. [15] And it happened, when he heard that I
lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and
went outside." [16] So she kept
his garment with her until his master came home. [17] Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying,
"The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; [18] so it happened, as I lifted my voice
and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside."
Sometimes, integrity demands a high price. For Joseph, the cost was his privilege and position as chief steward in the house of the number two man in Egypt, not to mention a permanent vacation in the slammer.
The Payoff of Integrity
It’s enough to make you wonder if it’s really worth it! I’m sure that thought crossed Joseph’s mind as he sat in prison. “Maybe I should have just gone along with her.”
And that gets to the heart of the matter. What is the payoff of integrity? And, given the potential price, it had better be good.
I’m convinced that there are three outstanding benefits that far outweigh any cost associated with integrity. See what you think.
1. The first benefit is the peace and joy that comes from a clear conscience.
People who have a clear conscience sleep well at night. They’re not worried about skeletons in the closet that might be discovered. They don’t have to constantly wonder, “have I covered my tracks well enough?” They don’t stress over trying to remember, “which lie did I tell this person?”
Sure, they may be lower on the popularity scale, they may be a few dollars poorer, they may even be taken advantage of, but they can look themselves in the mirror and say, “I can be trusted when no one is looking.” And that brings them great joy.
2. The second benefit is an increase in spiritual vitality - a closeness to God and an increasing awareness of His presence.
Listen to this incredible passage of scripture:
LORD, who may dwell in your
sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? [who can be close to you? Who has
vitality in their spiritual life?] He whose walk is blameless and who does what
is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his
tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who
despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even
when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe
against the innocent. Psalm 15:15NIV
In other words, a person who can be trusted when no one is looking - a person of integrity!
3. Finally, integrity opens the door to God’s blessing. It leads to the path of success.
Now, I know that some of you are thinking “it doesn’t appear to have worked that way for Joseph!”
But it did. Even in prison, he experienced upward mobility much as he had in Potiphar’s household. So much so, that eventually, the Bible says, ...
But the LORD was with
Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper
of the prison. [22] And the keeper of
the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison;
whatever they did there, it was his doing.
[23] The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under
Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the
LORD made it prosper.
God says again and again throughout the Bible that He will bless men and women of integrity. That doesn’t mean that your life becomes a cakewalk. In fact, you might still be in the jailhouse, figuratively speaking, but God “gives you success” in spite of the situation, as he did Joseph.
“Just Say No” – “Agree to Flee”
It is not difficult to make this passage of Scripture practical. In fact, it couldn’t be more practical. There is not a person in the hearing of my voice who does not face tough choices and temptations like Joseph did. It may not be necessarily sexual, but the temptation to sin is very real for each and every one of us.
I believe that there are people sitting here who are thinking, “I’d give anything to have a clear conscience. I’d give anything to have no secrets from my husband or wife, to end the lies to my parents, for no more coverups at work. I’d give anything to have a relationship with God that’s vibrant and alive; to sense His presence and closeness. I’d give anything to be the kind of person that God blesses. I’d give anything to be a person of integrity.”
If that’s you, let me give you a simplistic, yet difficult solution: AGREE TO FLEE. The Bible tells us that 1 Cor. 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such
as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way
of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The way of escape. It is always there, we simply need to use it – to AGREE TO FLEE.
Perhaps this will help:
Feel the Danger. Recognize the temptation for what it is.
Leave the area. Turn off the TV or computer, leave the area, avoid the situation.
Experience God’s pleasure. Celebrate the victory and the fellowship with God that comes from remaining faithful to Him.
Establish Protections. What can be done to prevent a repeat of the situation?
Agree to flee. Flee that all-to-convenient evil, and experience the favor of God, and the respect of your family, your friends, and your co-workers.
Too simplistic? Just try it!