Slow Down, Seek God, Learn the Facts...

Genesis 39:2-6, 16-20
2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. 20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.

This passage stuck out to me the other day as I was reading the Bible. The story takes place in the house of Potiphar. Potiphar was enjoying the blessing of the Lord on everything he had, and he knew it was because of Joseph. So he did not concern himself with anything that Joseph was over. Now here comes Potiphar's wife. She tries to seduce Joseph but he resists. While running out of the house, she grabs ahold of his cloak and he leaves it behind so that he can get away. Angry at what just happened, she devises a story that she tells the other servants and ultimately to her husband that accuses Joseph of trying to seduce her.

Now if you were Potiphar what would your response be? Keep in mind, you are experiencing unbelievable blessings because of Joseph.

Somewhere in there Potiphar forgets all of that, believes his wife, and has Joseph jailed. Now I am not saying that we shouldn't believe our wives, but don't you think finding out the whole story would be better. It seems that our whole lives are based around snap decisions that can hurt those around us. One person tells us there side, we believe them, and begin to hate the other person. What if the other person didn't really do what they were accused of? It can lead to many people being hurt for no reason at all, if we would have taken our time, prayed about it, and tried to learn all of the facts. There are a lot of hurt people out there that don't need to feel the hurt and pain that they feel, if people like us would watch what we believe and not form opinions so quickly.

How do you think Potiphar felt in a few years when he hears that Joseph is in charge of Egypt behind Pharaoh?

So let's cut down the gossip. Quit making snap decisions. And learn to let God lead us. It is the difference between healthy and hurting Christians.