These days we keep hearing about leaders and celebrities that have fallen into sexual transgression such as a well know sports figure whose indiscretions made headlines last week. It seems that there is strong tendency for who have obtained power or wealth to let down their guard and go after relationships outside of marriage; relationship that are destructive to their family, their position and their livelihoods. Such is the seduction that comes through pride when one was experienced great success in their lives. They feel that can have what ever they want. They say to themselves, “I deserve this.” But this is just the true nature of man’s heart which lies hidden within us. Jeremiah tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?”
The problems is that our hearts will consider the things we do not have as more value than the things we have already possess. It is the misguided idea that the pleasure that could be realized through a new relationship will provide greater enjoyment and lasting satisfaction than staying loyal and faithful to our spouse and family. But we live in a world full of temptations. Yes, some people are in the business of tempting others into sin, addictions and even self-destruction. But God is our source for overcoming temptations. He is not vulnerable to temptation as the Apostle James explains: “Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one”, James 1:13. It is not in God’s nature to sin, so the desire to do wrong can not move him. It is when we unite ourselves to him and stay submitted to his will that we come under his protection from temptation as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has taken you but such as man can bear. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Thus, there are no uncommon, unique or extraordinary temptations. But for us who yield ourselves to God, who is our source to overcome temptation, there is always a way of escape, a way out of temptation. We can look at the example of Joseph:
It happened after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”
But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand. He isn’t greater in this house than I, neither 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?
It happened that as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her. It happened about this time, that he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside. She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!”
He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside. It happened, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside, Genesis 39:7-13
Joseph found himself in a difficult position. As a slave he could just not quit working for his master. And to some extent he would have to obey the master’s wife. There would be consequences no matter how he responded. Yet, Joseph valued the relationships in his life more than the illicit pleasure that he could partake in. But most of all he recognize the absolute wrongness in giving in to request of his master’s wife and how it would harm his relationship with God and the destiny that God had for him. Thus, he made the right choice, the choice not to sin and to take the retribution of his master’s wife. He suffered imprisonment for that choice. Yet the choice to resist temptation did not keep him from his destiny which was to become the prime minister of Egypt and save his family from famine. Joseph did not let his guard down. He did not let pride control his decisions. He remained faithful to what he knew was right.
God has a destiny in mind for each of us also. So let so not give into the moment and violate our standards, but continue to do what is right. And if we do not know what is right we can find out but studying the word. By doing what is right we, like Joseph, can reach the heights that God has for us.