"And now, dear friends, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8 NLT
It has taken me a few days, but my jaw is off the floor and the blush has faded from my cheeks! It's not that I'm innocent or naive, I'm a child of the '80's for goodness sakes! The '60's may have had "free love" but the '80's was all about "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll" and I didn't miss a beat!
It's just that Potiphar's wife is so bold and brazen, it took me a little bit to process the fact that this is a "Bible story". Such a popular one, too! Several years ago, my oldest daughter was in the musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", so I'm very familiar with Joseph's story. But it was a children's version, so the seduction was toned down (and a little awkward). And when I think about all the times I've read the story, it's always in the context or point of view of Joseph. It's his story and his faithfulness to God that is usually the focus. I've never given too much thought to Potiphar's Wife. Focusing on her character, her choices, her situation and her downfall puts a whole different spin on the story.
There are so many lessons to learn from this woman! The Study Guide touches on a few of them in the three questions on pages 247-248. Be sure to read and answer them, as we'll start with them in our live discussion on Friday morning. For those who can't be there, will you share, in the Comment section, something that really jumped out at you. It would be great to have you in on this conversation!
One point of the story that is not included in the Study Guide, but is discussed in the workbook is the fact that this woman is nameless. That really struck a chord with me. Have you ever felt 'nameless', just a face in the crowd, or forgotten. Have you lost your own identity in the context of your family, job, or situation? There are times that we are proud to be associated with the ones we love or something we have accomplished. But it can be deeply painful too, to only be known as the wife of..., the mother of..., the sister of..., the employee of..., or the victim of... If you can identify with this namelessness, recall how if made you feel. What emotions are associated with this feeling and did it impact how you lived and interacted with people?
Now let's flip that around and ask ourselves: why is she nameless? There are other bad girls of the Bible who are named, so why isn't she? I can think of a few reasons. There are no right or wrong answers here, but it may shed some light on our learning.
We know from the story that Potiphar enjoys a certain lifestyle: one of the rich & powerful. So, if Mrs. P lives a life of luxury, with servants to do all the daily chores and a smart, good looking young man to deal with the running of the household and business, what did she do all day? I dont' think she was a member of the historical society, out feeding the poor, or blogging about life in ancient Egypt! Perhaps she was like Mitzi (of the fictional story), a bored, neglected housewife wondering if she still "had it". What's that saying about idle hands? One of the reasons I keep my kids busy with activities is to 'keep them out of trouble'. Sounds like Mrs. P should have joined a bowling league or had the girls over for a game of Bunco. If she wouldn't have been so unoccupied, would she have been so preoccupied with Joseph? In the workbook, Ms. Higgs gives us a few verses that tell us what we should do instead of going down that lonely path: Matthew 5:27-28 (yikes, maybe not do this), 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 and Colossians 3:5.
Finally, who is to blame for Mrs. Potiphar's and Mitzi's escapade? Anyone? Everyone? Being married is a unique relationship. It requires sacrifice, compromise, vulnerability, strength, and forgiveness. Quite honestly, it's hard work sometimes. The Bible has a few thoughts on how husbands and wives should treat each other and Ms. Higgs was kind enough to list them in the workbook. Here's some of what God's Word says on husbands & wives: Proverbs 5:18; Malachi 2:15; Ephesians 5:25-28.
Thank you for braving this subject with me! It can be a tricky one to navigate, for sure. When we take the story literally, we may not feel we have anything in common with a rich, bored, neglected housewife of ancient Egypt. But, looking a little deeper and drawing on God's word for lessons on love, relationships, and marriage we can all discover something about ourselves. More importantly, we can see more clearly what God wants for us and draw closer to Him.
I look forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter. Click here to share your views on this chapter. What's the most important lesson you learned from Potiphar's Wife?
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
warrior
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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