Unjustly Accused
She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. (Genesis 39:16-20a NIV)
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And Potiphar's wife had been scorned. She had done everything she could think of to get Joseph into her bed, but he had turned and run away from her. She was furious! So she decided to punish Joseph for spurning her advances. When Potiphar came home, she told the biggest whopper she could come up with, saying that Joseph had tried to rape her!
In those days, you were guilty until proven innocent. When a person was accused of a crime, he was thrown into prison. The prisons of that day were vile, filthy, horrible places where people were sent both after sentencing and just to await trial. And the trial was held at the whim of the ruler. Poor Joseph was thrown into prison and stayed there for two years waiting for Pharoah to decide to give him a trial. When he got out, it wasn't to stand trial, but because of a dream. So Joseph went to prison, unjustly accused, and stayed there month after month, for having done the honorable, righteous, right thing.
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You and I can find ourselves in situations very similar to Joseph's. We try to live our lives according to God's law. We try to be a reflection of Jesus in the eyes of other people. We try to be that light on a hill that He wants us all to be. And then, one day, the whole world blows up in our faces. Because we were honorable. Because we were righteous. Because we did the right thing, and we made someone angry.
If this happens to you, don't despair. Don't retaliate. Don't worry or fret about what evil people are doing against you. Don't do anything but keep on being the committed, born again believer that you are. Remember, God honors what is in our hearts. He may be the only One Who knows that you are innocent. But that's okay. Because He is the only One to Whom you have to answer. And His rewards are so much greater than any minor feelings of victory you might gain from retaliation against those who have despitefully used you.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10
From Newsong Ministries
Newsong6@bellsouth.net
Used with permission.
