When Integrity is No Snow Job

So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 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?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. (Genesis 39:6-10)

Integrity is like fresh snow. Picturesque. Pretty. Pure. A little integrity can also drift deep and pile high fairly fast. But also like snow, it doesn’t take much for a person’s integrity to stain or turn to slush. In fact, all it takes is some heat. Misguided passion. Mistaken power. Misaligned pride. In a moment, a lifetime of impact and influence can melt away, leaving only ugly reminders of what used to be.

We know little about Joseph the man save this episode that reveals he was an influential individual of deep integrity. His power as a servant was unparalleled. He controlled Potiphar's purse strings. He picked out the china. He ordered the evening entertainment. He managed the guest list. In return, he lived the good life. Joseph dined upon fine Egyptian food. He lived in luxurious lodging. And he enjoyed particular perks like taking the chariot for a spin and meeting high-ranking local celebrities. Joseph was back in the high life.

He had everything a slave needed or desired. The "pits" were so yesterday. And then the flames of passion started to lick at his principles. His master’s wife was hot on his trail for a love connection. No shame. No consequences. No regrets. Just pure pleasure, she said. Fortunately Joseph sees the hook buried in the bait. Notice his response: “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Joseph's integrity was rock solid. Even if Potiphar didn’t care, God would. Even if she said a tempting tryst wouldn’t hurt anyone, Joseph knew otherwise. Here's a gal that had a hard time hearing "no." She probably wasn't used to refusal, let alone rejection and so she daily tempted Joseph, working her wiles, trying to break his will.

But like pure, fresh snow, his integrity only grows. Eventually Joseph wouldn’t go near her. Maybe he knew his own weaknesses. Maybe he tired of her advances. Or maybe he was resolved in his principles. Regardless of the reason, Joseph doesn’t put out or give in. He cools her jets with an icy integrity that reveals the heart of a man after God’s Greater Purpose.

Some may call that a snow job, but I think we all know better. Integrity is who you really are in the dark regardless of who you claim to be in the spotlight. And like snow it can come and go in a day, leaving only the grit and grime of a life lived recklessly. Deep down we all long to be principled people. It's our I.D. or Individual Design. Like a snowflake we are uniquely created to build, bless and beautify our world.

And look what happens when principles stick together:


Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!


NOTABLE QUOTABLES ON INTEGRITY:
“I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside me.” (Abraham Lincoln)

“Good values are easier caught than taught.” (Zig Ziglar)

"Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no persuasion move thee, to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so shalt thou always live jollity; for a good conscience is a continual Christmas." (Benjamin Franklin)

"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." (Mark Twain)

"In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you." (Warren Buffet)

"If everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly, the other virtues would be well-nigh useless." (Moliere)

"It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong." (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

"A person who is fundamentally honest doesn't need a code of ethics. The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are all the ethical code anybody needs." (Harry S. Truman)

"Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right, decide on what you think is right and stick to it." (George Eliot)


Father, in the end all we truly have is our integrity. Help me this day to serve humbly, work diligently, speak truthfully, love unconditionally, and walk intentionally. May this day be one of pure principled practices that reflect honesty, patience, sacrifice, humility and grace. May I lay my head on the pillow tonight to sleep with myself in a Peace of mind that only a deep integrity can purchase. May I take glory only in refusing to break, bend or barter away what I can so easily lose and never reclaim. Amen.