Just Say "NO!"

Numerous times throughout our days, temptation comes knocking. We must learn to "just say 'NO!'" I am encouraged along this line by the story of Joseph. Here was a young man who was being seduced by a woman ... who was offering herself to him. He was a single young man - so I am sure the temptation was indeed a powerful one! Here is how Joseph handled the temptation:

"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house." (Genesis 39:7-12)

Notice how Joseph was able to "just say 'NO!'" For starters, he realized this woman was not his - but the wife of his master. So there was just no way that he was going to hurt his master, Potiphar who had been so good to him. Secondly, Joseph knew the difference between right and wrong. He knew that to give in this temptress and go to bed with her was a "wicked" thing and therefore an offense to God. There was no way he was going to offend his God. Finally, when the temptation was at the height of its power - Joseph fled. He ran. He knew that he had to get out of there! The Apostle Paul understood that often the best resort for fighting temptation is to do just this, for he urged his readers in several letters to flee sin in its various forms (see 1 Corinthians 6:18, 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22).

So ... the next time (and I am sure it will be soon!) temptation comes knocking - remember that to sin is to offend God (and do you really want to hurt the God who has done so much for you?). And do not dilly dally -- but GET OUT OF THERE!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj