Joseph's Temptation

     One of the things that fascinates me most about Joseph is his emotional makeup, and discipline within that structure that he learned how to utilize and maximize without falling too deeply. He wasn't raised in a supportive family AT ALL and Jacob is probably the core reason for that. Not only do we get Joseph's acknowledgment that Jacob had been following the plans of the enemy for his life more thoroughly than The Lord's plans for his life, but we also find that none of Jacob's children were REALLY raised to follow the Lord, but just to have a sort of religious affair with Him. It is a miracle in and of itself that Joseph had an open enough heart for the Lord that he even received the dreams and images that he did. 

    Yet there is a pretty big catch, not only did Joseph suffer from having brothers that refused to accept him, but he also had only one true source from which to find comfort and healing. There were no ministers of the Lord waiting for him in prison, down in the pit, or in the office of Pharoah. There were no people that Joseph had to touch his skin and let him know he was seen, and that he had indeed heard from the Lord. There were NO signs that Joseph was even on the right track except by the faith that Joseph himself had carried, and the legitimacy and comfort he found from God. Joseph was the benefactor of a jealous love from his father, which in turn caused a jealous hatred in his brothers toward Joseph. So though Joseph knew he was favorited, but it was a curse rather than a blessing. Moreover, he suffered rejection of the harshest degree at the hands of his own flesh and blood, being given over and sold into slavery. Joseph had every reason to want comfort and, having been someone who has been working through the emotional roots of rejection, and knowing how I comforted myself through immorality, I can only respect the integrity with which Joseph treated his interactions with Potiphar's wife. He had ample opportunity to accept the attention he was being given by Potiphar's wife and play along with her obvious desire for him, and yet he didn't. He knew that in God's eyes it would be evil. For that Joseph gets huge respect from me. 

    In the perspective of the chapter just before this scene with Jacob and his family, it's pretty remarkable to see how ridiculously contrasted the two situations and attitudes are. From the surface, Joseph's life seems like someone handed him a bag of dog crap and lit it on fire, where Judah's life would probably more closely resemble what we see in the average American's life, negligent parents, awful kids with no discipline, squandered birthrights, and no care really for God. To me, the life that was far more wasted was Judah's. He had TWO sons die to God's wrath because he didn't parent them, and teach them righteousness! Then he went into the wife of his dead son who he believed to be a prostitute! Judah! Come on bro, what are you even doing?!  Judah didn't even have the strength to keep on walking on the path when he saw who he believed to be a prostitute. Pitiful really, and it all goes back to Jacob.