Potiphar’s Wife
Open Your Bible
Genesis 39:1-23, Proverbs 24:15-16, Ephesians 5:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
BY Sharon Hodde Miller
One of the hardest and most helpless feelings in the world is when another person deals carelessly with our reputations. Maybe it is an anonymous person online who publicly questions our motives. Maybe it is a commenter who glimpses one photo of our lives and makes assumptions about our parenting. Maybe it is a friend who is angry with us and then vents to our mutual friends. Maybe it is an ex-boyfriend, or an ex-husband, who is sharing a very different version of the break-up than the one we know to be true.
Whenever we experience slander, unfair criticism, or unfounded accusations, it can feel as though our hard-earned reputations are being dismantled brick by brick. Everything we worked for, the integrity we established over the course of years, suddenly seems fragile and vulnerable, all because of the untested words of a gossiper.
Joseph knew this helplessness well. He was a humble man of exceptional character, who spent his life climbing out of a pit, working his way up, making connections, and earning a good name, only to have it all undone by the wicked whim of a powerful woman. At least, that is how it must have seemed at the time. But that is not how Joseph’s story ended. In actuality, what determined the outcome of Joseph’s story was not power, but character.
As we now know, Joseph’s life did not end with this accusation. It seems that almost immediately, Potiphar distrusts his wife’s account. We know this because the punishment for Joseph’s supposed crime should be death, but instead, Potiphar only imprisons him. He is, in essence, not giving Joseph what he deserves. What this tells us is that Joseph’s character is influencing the outcome, and it would continue to do so for years.
In the chapters that follow, Joseph’s character opens doors for him. He gains favor with those in authority over him, until he eventually receives authority himself. Joseph is forever remembered as a noble man and a great leader; Potiphar’s wife, on the other hand, is only remembered for one of the worst decisions of her life. We don’t even know her name.
It is difficult to be on the receiving end of slander or a false accusation, but this story comforts us with this truth: your character is louder than you think. Character always reveals who you really are, and no amount of power, lies, or manipulation can hide it. This is a comfort for those of us who choose the way of holiness, but it is also a warning for when we don’t.
The sin of Potiphar’s wife was not simply lust, but the abuse of power, and none of us is immune to it. Our need for control—even when it is directed toward good and noble purposes—can lead us to compromise our integrity. “The ends justify the means,” we reason. But this is not the logic of godly character. Instead, we follow a Savior who chose to be falsely accused rather than exert His will by force.
40 thoughts on "Potiphar’s Wife"
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This is great, but I couldn’t help but wanting to understand Potiphar’s wife a little more.
I connected with Potiphar in a bizarre way this morning, and it brought me back to Christ. I understand that she made a huge mistake, but there is something in her brokenness that spoke to me.
1. She Looked Longingly At Joseph
– She was surrounded by everything a girl could want, but she wanted what she couldn’t have. Like Eve with the apple.
– God was with Joseph, and that was attractive to her. I get it, men that are following God is the most attractive thing in the world. So I get her attraction. But it seems like she has this desire to satisfy and she thought that this would.
2. She Waited for and Opportune Time
– She knew it was wrong. She waited for a time when no one was looking. She was broken and couldn’t expose that brokenness to everyone. I think about where her girlfriends are at? I think about how lonely she is and that her brokeness morphed into this state. Not justifying her at all, she is in the wrong. I am just asking the question.
– Joseph’s response is correct. There are times that we want holiness to bend to our will. We see what is right, and we want it to come to our side. We want holiness to participate with our intention because we still want to be in the right. We want wholeness. But Joseph responds with wholeness and exposes her brokenness instead of complying. He had already told her no and why. His next response was to flee.
– I think about how she felt at that moment. She knows she is in the wrong. There she is abandoned and exposed in her sin. Holiness would not participate with her. She was wrong.
3. She Covered
– Her reaction says it all to me. She exposed holiness through her brokenness because holiness wouldn’t comply with her will. Broken, hurt, and angry that holiness wouldn’t comply with her standard she would step over holiness and define it for herself.
-Instead of coming under holiness, she positioned herself over. How many times do we do this? I am not talking about adultery, but I am talking about sin. How many times do we want to control the situation? How many times do we want holiness to be defined by our will and get hurt when holiness exposes how broken we are.
I write all this not as a critique against the devotion, because I needed to her the perspective of Joseph…but I wanted to share this as a perspective from Potiphar’s wife. Because I see myself in her. I see how I can be manipulative and can sometimes position myself over what is holy.
The funny thing is that when holiness is over me, I see my shadows. I see my brokenness. I know each shade of gray bearing witness to all the sins inside of me. But when I position myself over brokenness thinking I will diminish the light and be able to define the shadows the light is there. I can’t diminish the light of holiness, instead when I cast myself over holiness my shadows reveal themselves even more. The room is darker, and the shades of gray become more visible.
I change of posture changes everything. I want God to shine his light of holiness over me. I want to be washed clean of my shadows. Its this position, I wish Potiphar’s wife took, and to be honest its the position I pray to take daily.
Potiphar’s wife is broken, and it pains me, because I am broken too. But thank God for Jesus who calls us to lay at his feet. Because the light of his holiness washes away the shadows so that we can reflect emanate his light.
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Daniella,
I actually felt like I related more to Potiphar’s wife in this reading than Joseph because I know the true brokenness of my soul. I have never committed adultery but I do know that I have tried to get my way in things and thought of certain sins as not that bad. I was particularly convicted by this passage and I know there are sins that I need to work on. Some that are habitual throughout my faith. I know Potiphar’s wife was wrong- but I wonder how many of us have been in that position holding the cloak and being rejected even if the rejection was justified. Being exposed in our sin is never a fun experience but the way we react to it says everything. We can try to shift the blame, or we can own up to our conviction- repent and continue on in the pursuit of righteousness.
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This quote is not original to my dad but he used to say to my siblings and me, “you take care of your character and God will take care of your reputation.” I’ve continued to share it with my three children, encouraging them to remember that God sees all, all the time.
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I love that quote Carrie. Thanks for sharing
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Thanks for sharing this Carrie! This is an awesome quote to share with generations. The world we live in has always been one filled with those who want to bring down the people of God and this is a great reminder that God is the one in control and will always be there for us as long as we follow Him!
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I love “character speaks louder than we think”. As a retired teacher in a very gossipy community, parents get on Facebook and write about teachers…who’s a good teacher, who to avoid…. social media has opened another avenue for gossip. I love the saying, “it’s not my news to share”. I pray my character is more noticeable than my talents.
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To Searching:
Very wise policies. Should be that way always. -
God is truly AWEsome! God was with Joseph and God is with us.
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I love Joseph’s story. It shows a man dedicated to the Lord, who stands strong in His character and faith, but more importantly it shows God’s faithfulness is so worthy of Joseph’s dedication. I fail so often in everyday circumstances, I cannot imagine I would have the character of Joseph in the path He has to walk through to get to God’s plan for him to be the King’s right hand man. What is clear to me is that Joseph knew and understood who God was in it all and he trusted that with all his heart. My prayer is that I would have that trust for God that even in the depths I can walk in the strength He gives in my weakness. Our God is mighty in love, compassion, mercy and grace. May we be His image in all these things.
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So blessed to be a part of a community comprised of such wise and insightful women! Thanks be to God!
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So good! “Your character is louder than you think.”
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