Category: Kim’s Blog

“When Potiphar’s wife saw that Joseph had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, she called out to the members of her household and said to them, ‘See, my husband has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice, and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.’” Genesis 39:13-18 NRSV

Framed. Falsely accused. The scapegoat. The innocent victim. Joseph has been falsely accused of attempted rape by the wife of his master. Cleary, he has no power. His word is worthless. The deck is completely stacked against him. The other servants cannot risk standing up for him. He has no hope of his truth being believed. Or justice being done. And, yes, he ends up in jail as a result of his master’s rage.

Not only is this story reminiscent of stories we hear from the days of slavery in the United States, but it still echoes truth today. Many women today still don’t bother to report sexual assault or rape because they know there will be a difficult investigation and very likely no conviction. So, why bother?

But victimhood doesn’t end there. I remember our older son being punished in third grade for something that he did not do. He accepted the punishment. I asked him why he had not explained to the teacher what had actually happened. He told me, “At school, they start with the assumption that the students are lying.” So, why bother defending yourself with the truth? He simply took the punishment.

So many people today are in the position of Joseph. Framed. Taken advantage of. Victimized. Here’s a ready, willing, impoverished labor pool. We’ll get them to work in the mines. Or the factories. Or the fields. With no rights. No protections. No unions. And minimal pay. That sure sounds like a set up, doesn’t it? Inner cities wracked with despair, we’ll give them crack and other drugs, and then arrest them and keep the privately run prisons filled so the prison/industrial complex gets rich and lines the pockets of the politicians. Another set up. A problem at work? Your superior lies about what happened. You know they won’t believe you, at the bottom. There’s nothing you can do. People are being lied to, lied about, taken advantage of, used, and abused each and every day. Some of it is in the domestic sphere. Some in the corporate sphere. Also even in the political/governmental sphere in some places. Innocent victims. With no where to turn. Powerless. Given no fair chance and with no opportunity for the truth to be heard.

And there are those who get away with it. And know that they will get away with it. They can count on it. Because they are rich and money talks.

In the story of Joseph, he eventually does get out of jail. And his position and reputation are restored. But that is rare today, isn’t it?

Prayer
It’s easy to ignore innocent victims with no voice and no power. May we look for those who are suffering injustice and lend our voices. May we speak out for those who cannot speak or who will not be heard. May we voice God’s cry for justice in this precious world. Amen.

And although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her. One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house, she caught hold of his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me!’ But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. Genesis 39: 10-12

Well, this story definitely reminds us that inappropriate sexual behavior is nothing new. Infidelity is nothing new. Power expressed through sexual advances is nothing new. Rape, of men and women, is nothing new. Being a victim of sexual assault is nothing new. How sad that we have not overcome these harmful behaviors.

Sexual messages assault us daily. Be sexy. Expect sexy. Clothes. Make up. Muscles. Surgical nips and tucks and more are all about our being more attractive to a potential sexual partner. Evolutionarily, it’s as if we were dying out and seeking ways to increase our procreation to save the species. This, when the very opposite is true.

In one way, it seems like we put too much emphasis on sex because we are apathetic about it and trying to make it a bigger deal because we think it should be a bigger deal. People are apathetic. About social issues. About personal relationships. Easier to live through the screen and not invest yourself in your “real” life. People are distracted. Too much going on. Too tired. Too busy working. No energy for sex. People are afraid of intimacy – emotional and physical. So they ignore sex. But then they realize, I should be paying attention to this, and express that interest inappropriately.

On the other hand, sexual attraction is very powerful. We should expect it to be powerful. And we should moderate our behavior accordingly. We need to learn to recognize our feelings and our desires and deal with them in ways that have integrity and are honest and not harmful to ourselves or others.

It is also worth noting that sex is a mystery. Why we are attracted to certain people? Why is there is that depth of feeling that craves physical expression? Why is there the bodily desire of such magnitude? The way sex works on us and what it does to us can be baffling. Though anthropologists and evolutionary scientists have explanations for our drives, there is still a dimension of inexplicable mystery.

And, as we have known for years, rape and sexual assault, are not about sex but about power. Conquering armies raping women is not about sex but power. The recent revelations about football players and domestic violence is certainly about power. Rape of men by men in prison is about power. Sex can be a tool for subjugation.

What was Potiphar’s wife’s agenda? Was she so attracted to Joseph? Was she bored with her husband? Were his long hours on security detail leaving her lonely? Was she jealous of Joseph’s rise to power in her household and wanting to put him in his place, this upstart foreigner? Whatever her motives, her behavior was unethical, immoral, and harmful.

What can we learn here? We need to pay attention to our sexuality: to what we are thinking and feeling. And then make decisions about our behavior that are consistent with our values, our beliefs, and our respect for ourselves and others.

Prayer
We have so many choices in this life. We want to make decisions about our sexual behavior that honor the sacredness of every human person. May we treat ourselves and others with respect. May we be true to our commitments and take delight in our loving relationships. Amen.

“Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said ‘Lie with me.’” Genesis 39:6b-7

Advertisements beckon to us all the time about how to be more beautiful, more attractive, more appealing in a romantic way. But that kind of allure can also cause problems. Apparently, Joseph is good looking. That’s on top of being competent and trustworthy and hard working. So, he has a lot going for him. But unfortunately, Joseph’s appeal is not lost on his owner’s wife.

Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph. Talk about a compromising situation. Potiphar is so pleased with Joseph and has given him much authority and responsibility in the household. Now Potiphar’s wife wants “work” from Joseph. This is a tough situation for Joseph. If he refuses the come-ons from Potiphar’s wife, she may become angry. She may influence her husband against Joseph. She could get him in trouble (which she later does). You don’t want to be on the wrong side of the boss’ spouse in any situation.

But Joseph does not want to betray his owner, his master, the one who has entrusted so much to him, namely, Potiphar. How could Joseph possibly do this? He sees it as a sin not only against Potiphar but also against God. What is he to do?

We, too, can find ourselves in these kinds of dilemmas. We are asked to do something dishonest at work. We know it is wrong, but if we don’t cooperate, we may be fired. If we are fired, where will the money come from for the mortgage, food, and healthcare? So what is worse – to do something dishonest at work or drag the family into poverty?

Maybe we are accused of doing something that we did not do. But to get out of it, we would have to divulge who did do it. This person may be a friend of ours. Then we are getting our friend in trouble. We don’t want to do that, either. What is the best option?

Jesus faced a similar dilemma in the story of his temptation in the wilderness. The devil offers him complete power over the realm. Think of the good Jesus could do with that power. All the people that could be helped. That kind of power would enable Jesus to do a lot of good and for many people. But to gain that power, Jesus must bow down and worship the Devil. Jesus will not do this. So he gives up the power that the devil is offering, that he could use for good.

If we have money, then we have to think about making it and spending it ethically. If we don’t have money, we have to think about how to provide for ourselves in ways that are legitimate and honest. Each situation presents its problems.

It is not always easy to sort out the best way to approach such dilemmas. Lent is a time for us to think about what kinds of compromises we are making. It is a time to reflect on our choices. It is a time to examine the consequences of our options. It is a time to sort out what is truly right even if it is not easy and leads to further complications.

Prayer

We want to do what it good and right and true. But is is not always easy. Doing the right thing can often cause problems just like doing the wrong thing. May we have the courage to face our choices with honesty and clarity. May we not just take the easy way out. Amen.

“His master saw that the Lord was the him. . .” Genesis 39:3 NRSV

In the story of Joseph, we are told that Joseph is sold into slavery and is bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Joseph is serving in Potiphar’s household. He must do whatever he is instructed to do. He has gone from being a favored son in a prosperous family to being a slave for someone of authority and means. And this all happens in a context that is foreign to Joseph.

The cosmology and religious practices of the Egyptians were far different from the Hebrews. Joseph was part of the first expression of monotheism. The Hebrews were to be committed to justice and mercy for those in need. So Potiphar and his household did not worship the God of the Hebrews. They did not practice the religion that Joseph did. They worshipped many gods. And there were rites and sacrifices that went with their religious practice.

Here comes Joseph who knows none of this. And yet Potiphar and his household see that God is with Joseph. Joseph is of a completely different religion, and yet the Egyptians see God in him. Without knowing about Joseph’s god, without knowing of Joseph’s religion, they see God in him.

This cross cultural communication is very interesting. This translation of what is of God from culture to culture is remarkable. How can you see something you don’t know about? But the Egyptian family of Potiphar sees something in Joseph, something they name as God.

Maybe they see that Joseph’s hard work. Maybe they see his cooperative attitude. Maybe they see that he is honest. Maybe they see that he is trustworthy. Somehow, the Egyptians see God’s presence in Joseph.

This aspect of the story has a word for us about showing and sharing our faith. Maybe we can do this without even mentioning God or church or Jesus or the Bible. Maybe by treating others as Jesus did, acting with concern and compassion, being honest and diligent, people will see God in us. Really, like Joseph, we shouldn’t have to tell people that we are Christians, they should just see it in our behavior. And we can demonstrate our faith, as Joseph did, without berating or questioning the faith of others. Joseph is a foreigner in a strange land, and yet the people see God in him. And he is respected for it. There’s a lesson for us here. May everyone see God in us, regardless of who they are or their religious background or lack thereof.

The other side of this is what we see. This story encourages us to see God in others. And maybe those others are of a different religion or culture. Maybe they are foreigners. Maybe they are immigrants. Can we see God in them as Potiphar and his household saw God in Joseph?

Prayer
Our tradition affirms that God is in each and every person; that being human means being created with divinity within. May we look for God in ourselves and in others. May we live so that others, whoever they may be, see God in us. Amen.

“Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.” Genesis 39:1, NRSV

In the story of Joesph, we are told that Joseph began as part of a large, prosperous family. And we are told that “Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children. . .” Joseph was his father’s favorite. He was clearly spoiled and doted upon. He had a charmed life.

From this cozy, familial life, Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and ended up as a servant in the household of an Egyptian security guard. Basically, he wakes up in a new land, with unfamiliar food, clothing, culture, religion, customs, and language. And he is no longer spoiled and catered to. Instead of being served, he must serve.

Joseph’s life was turned upside down. He woke up a stranger in a strange land. He experienced complete dislocation. It’s hard to imagine the magnitude of Joseph’s disorientation.

While we might not be dropped into an unfamiliar culture and feel lost, there are times when our lives are rocked. Think about being told that your son has just been killed in a car accident. What about finding out that your wife has had an affair. Can you imagine coming home from a concert or a play only to find that your house has burned to the ground? Or going to the doctor and finding out that there is an aggressive cancer, it cannot be treated, you may have a couple of months to live.

Disorientation and dislocation are not only geographical and cultural. It can happen right in the midst of our very every day lives. Have you had an experience that threw you for a loop? Knocked you flat? Think about how you were able to find your balance again. Restore your center. Regain your ability to function.

We may not like change even when it is positive. We surely don’t like change when it is forced on us and it involves loss and suffering. But humans are amazingly adaptive. We have an incredible capacity to reorient and to heal.

In this season of Lent as we seek to become re-centered and grounded in our spiritual lives, we may consider ways that we need to adjust and adapt to new circumstances and situations. We may not like it but reorientation may be necessary. Sometimes we simply must learn to accept new conditions. Thankfully, we have been created with a huge capacity for adjusting, coming to a new normal, healing and becoming whole again after drastic disruption.

Prayer
Whatever life may bring, we can trust our sacred center to hold us true. We are endowed with an immense capacity for growth, healing, and transformation. While we may not like change, while tragedy may rock our world, Love will see us through. The story of Joseph and the story of Jesus inspire our trust. Amen.