Just One Time

“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?’” - Genesis 39:8-9


Have you ever found yourself in a place where it seems like you can’t catch a break? Nothing in life seems like it can go right, and no matter how hard you try, it just seems like things keep getting worse. “When it rains it pours,” they say. Joseph can relate to this. We talked yesterday about the story of Joseph and all the adversity he faced.

As he found himself a slave in Potiphar’s house, Joseph would have no doubt told you that he didn’t ask for this. He was there, but it wasn’t what he had chosen for himself. Finally, something appealing shows up in front of him: Potiphar’s wife.

She noticed Joseph and began her attempt to seduce him. Now, in this time Joseph could have thought back to all the trouble he had been through. He also could have thought of a way to do this without Potiphar knowing.

He could have told himself “it’s just one time.” What does it matter? “I’m going to enjoy myself just this one time, and then I will return to my job, loyal as ever…no one has to know.” But that’s not what Joseph did, he chose to obey God, despite the circumstances.

What about you, would you have chosen to be obedient? Many people use their situations and circumstances as an excuse to do something they know they shouldn’t. They get drunk or do drugs to take the pain away. They sleep with someone meaninglessly to heal their broken heart. Whatever it is, they say “it’s just one time.”

But Joseph knows the damage “just one time” would have caused. And despite every reason to go for it, he turns her down. He runs in the other direction because just one time is all it takes. Don’t choose the easy way out, not even for just one time.