Sometimes small stories in the Bible have big meaning. Sometimes big stories have small beginnings. Two Bible stories will suffice to make my point.

The first is the story of Joseph. Joseph was number eleven of Jacob’s twelve sons. He was the favorite, presumably because was the first of Jacob’s children born to him by Rachel, the wife he wanted. We think of all the great things that Jacob did, and the great things that happened to him – his dreams of glory and dominance over his parents and brethren, his being sold into slavery, his elevation in Egypt, his interpretation of dreams – and sometimes lost in the telling is the little story of Joseph and temptation.

In Genesis 39 we find that Joseph was sold to a man named Potiphar in Egypt. Potiphar saw that all that Joseph did prospered and whoever was close to him was blessed. So Potiphar made Joseph the head of his house and left its running to him. Verse 6 says, "And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not aught that was with him, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was comely, and well-favored." Joseph was not only blessed of God, but he was trustworthy as well.

But that last part could have been his undoing. "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me" (vs. 7) The temptation must have been strong, but Joseph’s sense of right and his love for the Lord moved him to refuse her advances. Later we read, "And it came to pass about this time, that he went into the house to do his work; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (vs. 11-12).

As humans we all have passions. While we are on the earth we will find our passions being appealed to all the time, sometimes contrary to what we know to be right. That is what temptation is. James tells us, "But each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed" (Jas. 1:14). When our passions are appealed to or enticed, we are tempted. It is not wrong to be tempted. It is when we give in to the temptation that we sin. Paul tells us, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof" (Rom. 6:12). We don’t sin until we allow our lusts, or passions, to control our behavior or thinking. But when we do allow that, sin rules in our lives.

Sometimes the only way to keep temptation from overtaking us is to get away from the enticements to sin. That is what Joseph did and that is what we are told to do. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 we are told, "Flee fornication." Whether the sin resulting from giving in to our passions be fornication, lying, or a prideful attitude, we need to avoid situations where the call is strong to give in.

The other story helps to underline the lesson of Joseph, but from a different perspective. It is the oft told story of David and Bathsheba. We talk often of the great sin they committed, and the resultant tragic lives they lived. We speak of David’s repentance and service to God later in his life. But there story begins with Bathsheba not taking care to cover her body sufficiently, and David’s failure to avert his eyes and thoughts. If we are careful to consider, there is a lesson or two to learn from this little bit of David’s story.

David’s sin began in his heart. Jesus said, "But I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). Someone might suggest that David sinned because he was a "dirty old man," but I think David was a whole lot closer to the rest of us than that. The lust of the eye is strong, especially in men, and David allowed himself to be found in a place of temptation, and dwelt on the temptation. He obeyed the lusts of his mortal body, and sin reigned.

David did not have to sin. He could have said, "Oops, sorry!" and averted his eyes, but he didn’t. David knew his sin and he knew where his sin began.

But Bathsheba sinned, too. She gave in to David’s advances. We will not entertain the protestations, "But he was the king and could kill her!" That did not occur to this willing accomplice in fornication, murder, and deceit.

But before Bathsheba gave in, she was not careful how she presented herself. She was in a place where she could be seen in such a state of undress that David, a normal man, usually in control of his passions, saw her and lusted after her. Because of her carelessness, she was complicit in whatever went on.

Again, Jesus said, "But I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). But he also said, "But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!" (Matt. 18:6-7). Christian women and men, if we through our careless dress cause someone to lust after us and lose his or her soul, we will lose ours, also.

David should have behaved better, but so should Bathsheba. We must be more careful than we have, especially in this hot weather, not to place that sort of temptation before our brothers and sisters. There will be some who will not make it to heaven on account of this.

Girls, check the neckline, the hemline, the midriff and the cut of your clothes with a mind to pleasing God before you come out of your house. Guys, you do the same sort of examination of your clothes. Not everyone can run as fast a Joseph, and you don’t want to be a stumbling block.

Learn from David and Joseph.