” When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,”
Believe it or not, your reputation does precede you. Good or bad, before you enter, your reputation has already been mingling with the crowd. It may be your past sins or how you conducted yourself. It may be your past relationships or the crowd of people you called your close friends, but make no mistake, others already have you pegged before you enter the room.
Good or bad, dealing with this can be overwhelming. In the case of Joseph in chapter 39, he is a slave in Potiphar’s house. Potiphar notices that the Lord has given Joseph success in whatever he touches and makes him second in command over all his house. What Potiphar noticed about Joseph was that the Lord was with him, and that He blessed Joseph. No matter what he touched, it was better after he touched it. Not only was Joseph a slave, but he was entitled to nothing. In spite of that, he was given a position of power over Potiphar’s house because he was faithful in all he did, and, not to forget, his commitment to the Lord.
Potiphar’s wife double-crosses Joseph and gets him thrown in jail. (That is another story on what to do when sin confronts you, but we won’t go into it right now.) Being thrown in jail was bad, and I am sure Joseph was not all smiles and grins while in jail, but that did not stop Joseph from staying committed to the Lord in all he did. While in prison, the warden put Joseph in charge of the entire prison and all that went on there (vs. 21, 23).
I can’t say this enough, your choices every day make a difference, from the littlest to the largest ones. The Bible does not go into detail about what Joseph did all day long that Potiphar and the warden noticed, but we can tell that Joseph was committed to serving the Lord in everything he did, and it was noticed by the ones around him.
Today, realize your actions are defining you, from your temper to how you handle every little situation. They all make a difference. Before you get up in the morning, decide to put the Lord first in all you do. What does that look like, you might ask? Well, it means that no matter what the world or Satan throws at you, it should not get you all wrapped up in an anger-filled emotional rage. It looks like helping others out and treating them like Christ would treat them.
Is your outlook on life and your day filtered through the lens of Christ? It may take some reading and studying to know how to handle situations the right way, but remember that you can always tell if your presence was Christ-like or not by whether you left things better than when you found them. Joseph did that, and the Lord was with him, even in prison. Make today the day you put the Lord first in all you do, and watch how His favor will cover you like a shield (Psalm 5:12).
Prayer: Father, help us to recognize You in every situation. Help us to choose to put You first above all that the world says is more important. I pray that my commitment to You is paramount in my life. I pray that I keep my mind on the things above, and that I walk by faith in You and not by my own sight. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let It Go 
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