Running Lessons from Joseph!

There are times in the Christian teen's life when the best thing you can and should do is RUN! That's right! Assume Sprint position and get out of that situation as fast as you can. That's exactly what Joseph did in Genesis 39:7-12.
 

Before we read the passage, let's understand the context of the story. Joseph's brothers were getting tired of Joseph always being Mr. goody do right, so they decided to throw him in a pit and leave him to die. Then shortly after they actually threw him down into the whole in the ground they saw some slave traders coming their way and decided to make a little pocket change for themselves by selling their despised brother. The slave traders did buy Joseph and took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar who was a man of great wealth. Joseph was a brilliant hard worker, so Potiphar elevated Joseph to oversee his entire household.

It is while he is working in Potiphar's house that Potiphar's wife tried to tempt Joseph in a physical way, day after day. Now we must remember Joseph was a slave. He couldn't just walk off the job. Yet, he faithfully served God even in these difficult situations. Let's read God's word and see just what happened and how Joseph as a teenager handled this moment.

Genesis 39:7, And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." , 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?" So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.  But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.


How old was Joseph when this happened. If we look back to Gen. 37:2 we find out that he was 17 years old when he was sold into slavery. So, at most, Joseph is some where between 17 and 18 when Potiphar's wife tries to tempt him.

Think of this situation! They were alone. Remember, he couldn't help that, but you can. As a Christian teen, don't put yourself in a vulnerable environment. Be spiritually wise when it comes to spending time with someone of the opposite gender. The BEST PLAN is - Don't be alone - Period! Be with your parents or the person's parents or have a parent approved chaperone.

After repeated advances by Photiphar's wife Joseph told her "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" It was Joseph’s keen understanding of God's moral laws that provoked him to do the right thing. It was also Joseph’s heart for God that gave him the desire to obey NO MATTER what. Teens need to have this understanding and heart for God. If you don't, you'll just allow the temptation to reel you in, like a fish on a line, and then you'll be offending God and not caring about Him.

Joseph was in a very awkward situation. As a slave, his word would have no merit against an Egyptian citizen's. However, he knew he had to do the right thing before God when Potiphar's wife crossed the line. In order to keep himself from sin he "fled and ran outside."

God's word is quite clear on this matter: 1Corinthians 6:18 "Flee sexual immorality" ; 2Timothy 2:22 "Flee also youthful lusts." What's so hard to understand about "FLEE", "RUN", "GET OUT OF THE PLACE!"

Perhaps you've crossed the line already! Determine in your heart not to do it again. Cry out to God for forgiveness and for strength to remain pure from this point on. Have a clear PLAN to AVOID tempting situations. BE SPIRITUALLY SMART!

Young Christian men, Listen up here! God's word says in 1Corinthians 7:1 "it is good for a man not to touch a woman." This is not talking about shaking hands! It's not talking about a little tap on the shoulder. No, this passage is talking about the unmarried man touching someone in a way that only a married man should touch his wife. The original Greek word for "touch" has the sense of "to light or to kindle". In other words to start a fire. In plain English, young Christian men SHOULD NOT be touching any woman in such a way as to get a fire going (I'll leave it at that!). If you do, you're sinning against God, the young lady and your own body! If this activity describes you, you need to repent, confess it to God and ask forgiveness of the lady. Finally - Keep your hands off!

Young Christian ladies, it's your turn to Listen up! You certainly should have no part in tempting any young man. The book of proverbs warns men about the flirtatious women that tempt men to sin. Don't be the kind of young lady Proverbs speaks against. It could be that you've fallen into the trap and sin of lust. You need to repent and ask God for forgiveness. If the "SO CALLED" person who "SUPPOSEDLY" cares about you persists in trying to drag you back into sin - RUN! FLEE! GET AWAY FROM HIM!

Does the person you care about really care about you?

If you really cared about someone as a Christian, would you cause them to sin?

If you had the other's spiritual interest in mind would you interfere with their close fellowship with God?

A true friend, someone who really cared about you as a Christian would NOT tempt you to sin. A true friend WOULD encourage you to do what is RIGHT before our Lord.

Let me give you a long term perspective.
# 1, You should save yourself for the Christian person that you will eventually marry.

# 2, If the person you spend time with now does not care about your godliness and your relationship with God, what makes you think they will in the future?

# 3, In God's eyes, the only thing that young women and young men should develop, before marriage, is a godly friendship based on biblical principles.
 

Finally, learn a lesson from Joseph! There is a time to Run! There is a time to tell the other person "this would be SIN before and against my God!"

Be spiritually wise - Don't be alone!

Be spiritually ready - Be prepared to Run!

Be spiritually responsible - DON'T put yourself in compromising situations.