Life without compromise

Joseph did not compromise himself, not even once in his life, although he went through many difficult moments. His brothers hated him (Gen.37:4,8), then he had been cast into a pit (Gen.37:24) and was then sold to the Ishmaelites (Gen.37:28) who took him to Egypt where they sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh (Gen.37:36).

The Lord was with Joseph (Gen.39:2) and he found favor in his master’s sight (Gen.39:4) who made him overseer of his house and all that he had (Gen.39:5-6a).

But his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph and said to him: “Lie with me.” (Gen.39:7) but he refused (Gen.39:8,10), although she spoke to Joseph day by day! Joseph did not compromise himself! Even though he was young and handsome in form and appearance (Gen.39:6b), he was far away from home (Gen.37:28b,36; 39:1), and he could have said to himself that no one is seeing him and no one would know what he is doing there. But Joseph said to his master’s wife: „How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen.39:9b)

Even if he did not compromise himself, Joseph was put into prison (Gen.39:20) where he stayed more than ten years, but even there he found favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Gen.39:21,22) because the Lord was with Joseph (Gen.39:23b).

Joseph had the Spirit of God in him (Gen.41:38) and thus the Pharaoh put him over his house and all his people were ruled according to his word (Gen.41:40).
That way God raised Joseph and he reigned over his father and over his brothers (Gen.43:26,28; 44:14) as he had dreamt when he was living in the land of Canaan (Gen.37:5-11).

God blessed Joseph and brought his father Jacob and his brothers to live with him in the land of Egypt (Gen.47:11-12) and Joseph forgave his brothers for the evil they had done to him in the past (Gen.50:15-21).