What an incredible act of character—indeed, a demonstration of integrity that is badly needed in our day. Yet we see in the biblical example of Joseph what good character really means. Consider the fact, first of all, that Joseph did not make any of the many excuses which we hear today over and over again, ad nauseum—excuses which fairly stand up on their hind legs and leap up and down yelping to be used, such as: “When in Rome, do as the
Romans do,” or Egypt, as well—where the religion was pagan and the morals were worse. Why not? Everybody was doing it. I doubt there was hardly a young man to be found in all of Egypt who would not have jumped at the opportunity to do what Joseph refused to do with Potiphar’s wife (who tried to seduce him---instead he ran away) if placed in his hand. I further doubt that there was hardly a young man in all of Egypt who could possibly have understood why Joseph refused, and instead of respecting him, would have mocked him for his stupidity. Or how about this excuse: Who is going to know? I am far away from home. Nobody here knows who I am. Nobody here ever heard of Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. How many young men have lived lives of probity, integrity, and decency until they went off to the far country? off to the university? off to the navy? Good character is sorely needed in our day.