Genesis 39:6c-10......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 although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go bed with her or even be with her.
 
This story is a classic example of the character of integrity consistently demonstrated by Joseph. This man had the chance to have an affair with his master’s wife but he chose to take the path of integrity instead.
 
What exactly is integrity?
Dictionary explains integrity as honesty, soundness in moral character, adherence to moral and ethical principles. To me, your integrity is what defines you as a being. Your word, your actions and your lifestyle is based on your integrity.
I once heard someone say that the favor of God will get you to the top, but your integrity will keep you at the top. You cannot get to your God-given destiny and stay there without the character of integrity
 
Did Joseph start to demonstrate integrity at Potipha’s house? No. He began to develop this character way back when he was a young man. An example is him reporting his brother’s bad behavior to their father. He could not accommodate their lack of integrity. A lot of people today will call him a tattle-tale; however he had been developing this character that would take him to the palace from his youth.
Another thing i noticed here is that Mrs. Potiphar tried “day after day” to seduce this young man but he would not agree. The devil will relentlessly tempt us to forsake the way of integrity and cut corners. Joseph could have slept with this woman and no one would probably ever know, but he knew and feared God enough to know that He sees all things.
 
Your integrity is demonstrated in as simple as a matter of keeping the time. When you say you will be somewhere at 11:00am and you are not there, and even if you are unavoidably delayed, you do not call to say you are delayed, you are demonstrating a lack of integrity. The term “African Time” is used to describe people who have no respect for other people’s time.  It also signifies lack of goal and achievement in life. No wise one wants to invest their time and resources on someone who lacks integrity.
 
Integrity also means that you are truthful at all times. Someone said that the best thing about telling the truth always is that you do not have to remember what you said, because if it is the truth, you will repeat it without trying. Integrity will also motivate you to delay some gratifications until the appropriate time. Joseph could have gratified is sexual needs immediately and he would have lost the throne.
 
Your integrity is your life; it is what dictates how long you will stay at the top, it is a destiny driver. Even though it may take longer than others to get to the top, others may call you names and say that you are not smart, hang in there, the Lord rewards integrity and those ones who mock you will look up to you in the near future.
 
See you at the top.
Blessings
 
Pastor D