To Stand or Run

Lessons in the life of Joseph and Samson

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. - 1 Corinthians 10:12

When we consider the lives of those who went before us we find that the Bible doesn't pull any punches.  Indeed their failures are often front and center alongside the triumphs, as well as the consequences of those failures.  Romans 15:4 tells us that the scriptures written beforehand (ie Old Testament) are written for our instruction, perserverance, and hope.  

Let's look at two such events and people who faced sexual temptation:  Sampson and Joseph  

Samson:  Judges 16 contains some interesting tidbits about the fall of Samson.  

1. Samson went to Gaza, where he saw and prostitute and slept with her.  We find Samson in the midst of the philistines, living according to their pagan lifestyle.  
2. Samson had given his heart to worldly women earlier, when he attempted to marry a philistine girl (Judges 14,15)
3. Samson played with sin and slowly allowed it to wear down his resistance until it ended in tragedy. (Pitfalls: Overconfidence)

Joseph however when faced with temptation his reaction was much different:

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 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. 9 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?”10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 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

Joseph, like Samson was in a pagan society (ie the world).   Again the details in the account are very telling about the heart of Joseph:

1. Joseph publicly stood for what was right.
2. Joseph saw the act in it's proper context - as an act against God
3. He separated himself from Potiphar's wife and didn't play with sin.
4. When opportunity presented itself he fled

I often find that Satan probes for weaknesses in our defenses.  A tv show scene, a person walking by, a temptation at the right time.  I have learned that even a moment of lingering can awaken sinful desires, and a constant trickle of compromise with eventually undermine every defense.  

How do we respond?  First, flee the temptation.  Pray for forgiveness and cleansing. Remove the source.  Repair the defenses (Romans 12:2)