Genesis 39 — Thoughts

Are Your Running Shoes Ready?

We've had a lot of bad examples in Genesis — but Joseph isn't one of them. Actually, he's sort of my hero.

Paul warned Timothy to "flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace..." (2 Timothy 2:22). And that's exactly what we see Joseph do in this story.

Joseph was a young man, and a woman was throwing herself at him sexually. That's a tough spot to be in. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the most tempting situation Joseph would ever face. A lot of guys would have given in to that temptation — but Joseph resisted. And we get to see how he did it.

Joseph ran. He didn't try to reason with temptation. He didn't try to bargain with it. He didn't try to hear it out and consider its perspective. He just ran.

There is always a way out of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Sometimes it's inconvenient. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Sometimes it's undignified. But it's always there.

In my own walk with Jesus, I've had to learn how to run from temptation. A big part of it is recognizing when I am being tempted. Another part of it is looking for the way out that God is providing. But the most important part is running full stride away from it.

I had to learn to give myself permission to do that. I had to learn to let myself do ANYTHING other than what I was tempted to do, no matter how silly or how much a waste of time — or even how costly. If it's NOT giving in to temptation, then it's what I need to do.

Running was costly for Joseph. It landed him in jail. But I don't think he regretted it. He stayed true to God, and — as we'll see in the coming chapters — God stayed true to him.

Do you flee when you're tempted like Joseph did? Let's keep our running shoes ready.⁠

(Originally drawn August 19, 2010)