‘Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife…began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household…How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house’ (vv. 6-12 NLT). Take a look at this bit: ‘She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day.’ Joseph’s temptation kept happening when he was around a certain person: Potiphar’s wife. And it kept happening when he was in a certain place: Potiphar’s house. So he ran. Not because he was weak – because he was wise. He understood that if you hang around temptation too long you’re playing with fire and prepping yourself to get burned up. So, what people and what places do you need to avoid? When you’re in the moment and you can feel them pressuring you – just run. It’s not cheating. It’s a totally legitimate route out. God isn’t dishonoured when you run – you’re dishonoured when you don’t.
What now?
Sometimes we stay in temptation because we think ‘I’d rather deal with the problem than run.’ Next time, don’t accept this – just run.
