Show Don't Tell: Genesis 39:1-23

In the opulent halls of Potiphar’s estate, the air was thick with the scent of spices and the sound of bustling servants. Joseph had risen from the depths of slavery to a position of remarkable favor. He was young, strikingly handsome, and blessed with an uncanny ability to bring prosperity to every task he undertook. Each day, the sun streamed through the tall windows, illuminating his diligent hands as he managed the estate, his heart filled with God-given purpose.

But that blessing drew the attention of Potiphar’s wife, whose restless spirit sought more than the comforts of her luxurious life. Her eyes, filled with a dangerous allure, caught Joseph’s gaze one fateful afternoon. “Come to bed with me,” she whispered, her voice low and insistent, a siren’s call that echoed in the stillness of the house.

Joseph’s heart raced—not with desire, but with resolve. “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” His voice trembled with conviction, the words hanging heavy in the air. Yet she was relentless, her advances unyielding, day after day pressing upon him like a storm cloud threatening to unleash its fury.

Then came that pivotal moment when the house was empty. The silence was deafening, a vacuum filled only by the pounding of his heart. Desperate to escape, he fled, leaving behind his cloak—a symbol of his innocence now caught in her grasp.

With a swift and cruel twist, she turned the truth into a weapon, fabricating the story: “He tried to assault me!” The lie spread like wildfire, and Joseph found himself shackled in prison, his righteousness rewarded with abandonment. Yet even in that dark cell, hope flickered as the scripture declares, “The LORD was with him.” The dreamer descended into despair yet remained steadfast, clinging to the promise that God had not forgotten him. In the face of betrayal and injustice, Joseph’s faith stood resolute, a beacon of light against the encroaching darkness.