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. 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?” (Genesis 39:8-9)
Joseph Was Trusted
The story of Joseph’s life early in Egypt centers upon the conflict with the wife of his master, Potiphar, who was an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard. Potiphar was a man of distinction. He held a high position in the Egyptian army and answered to Pharaoh as one of his trusted officers. Potiphar was the arm of the king to carry out executions of any who opposed the rule of Pharaoh. As captain of the bodyguard, he exercised close ties with the Egyptian ruler to protect him from assassins. Potiphar was a native Egyptian.
After the brothers of Joseph sold him to the Midian traders, he was taken to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar as a slave. Joseph was seventeen years of age. Potiphar had no concern for Joseph’s pedigree, who his father was, or who his great-grandfather was. To Potiphar, Joseph was just another young man among the many slaves in his stable. Joseph did not receive special treatment. No one gave him a coat of many colors. The son of Jacob was treated with the contempt of a slave. He performed menial, undesirable, and difficult chores. For Joseph, his life was a hard reality of slavery.
For a young man in his teens who lived a life of privilege with a doting father, being thrown into a world of slavery would be a severe shock. In the early days in the house of Potiphar, Joseph was a common slave of little value, little more than an animal. He was forced to do whatever he was told to do. His days were long and hard. He had no privileges. Joseph had to learn the Egyptian language and customs and live in a land fully given over to idolatry. Joseph’s life did not turn out the way he thought it would.
If there was one thing that lived in the heart of Joseph, it was his love for the one true God. As a slave torn from his family, Joseph could blame God and even hate God for what had happened to him. Instead, Joseph excelled in everything he did so those around him could see God’s glory. Joseph’s incredible story shows how he went from a slave of Potiphar to the chief steward of his household. Joseph tells Potiphar’s wife something she already knew. As a young man, Joseph was put in charge of Potiphar’s house; nothing was lacking but his wife. The Lord was with Joseph because Joseph was with the Lord. He became successful in the house of Potiphar and rose to overseer. The ‘rags to riches’ story is how a lowly slave attains the status of being the second most powerful man in the house of an officer of Pharaoh.
Joseph did not allow his position to ignore the sin of colluding with Potiphar’s wife. He served the Lord God and refused to compromise God’s blessings for wickedness. It was heartbreaking that he would lose his position because of another’s evil heart, but Joseph did not give up his faith to keep his position. The life of Joseph as a young man was to work for the glory of God so that others could see God living in him. Potiphar took notice. Joseph knew God saw his life and lived accordingly. Joseph was trusted because he trusted in God. The Christian must be the most trusted person in the community by their word, work, and will. Let the world see God. Be a Joseph.
