Who You Are When No One's Watching

Genesis 39:9: "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" 

Integrity is an inside job. It’s not about what people see on the surface; it’s about who we are when no one's watching. We see this so clearly in the story of Joseph in Genesis 39.

Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in the home of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Potiphar trusted Joseph so much that he put him in charge of everything he owned. But then came the real test. Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and tried to seduce him.
Day after day, she pressured Joseph, but he refused. He said in Genesis 39:9:
"How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Joseph could have rationalized the situation. No one else was around. He was a slave, far from his family. He had every excuse to compromise. But Joseph was a man of integrity. He understood that sin wasn’t just against Potiphar—it was against God.

Even when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him, and Joseph ended up in prison, he remained faithful. God was with him in the prison, just as He had been in Potiphar’s house. Over time, Joseph’s integrity and faithfulness led to his rise as second-in-command over all of Egypt. His life of integrity didn’t just save him—it saved his family and an entire nation.

"If It Fails, It Will Not Be Because of Me"
This reminds me of a story Adrian Rogers shared about a pilot and a mechanic. Before a critical flight, the pilot noticed a mechanic working on the plane. Trying to make small talk, the pilot said, “You’re being careful, right? I’m going up in that thing!”

The mechanic stopped what he was doing, looked the pilot in the eye, and said, “Sir, if this machine fails, it will not be because of me.”

What a statement! That’s integrity. It’s the determination to do what’s right, even when no one is watching. It’s saying, “If something fails, it will not be because I cut corners. It will not be because I wasn’t faithful.”

Success in God’s Sight
The world has its own definition of success. It tells us that wealth, power, and recognition are what matter. But Jesus reminds us in Mark 8:36: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

This truth was illustrated in the life—and death—of Charlemagne, the great emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. When Charlemagne died, he requested to be buried seated on his throne, dressed in royal robes, with a crown on his head and a scepter in his hand. But he also asked for an open Bible to be placed in his lap, with his finger pointing to one verse:
"What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

Charlemagne’s wealth and power meant nothing in eternity. What matters most is faithfulness to God and living a life of integrity before Him.

Reflection Question: If this "machine"—your work, your family, your testimony—fails, will it be because of you? Or are you living with the kind of integrity that honors God and inspires others?

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the example of Joseph, who stayed faithful even when no one was watching. Help me to live with integrity in my work, relationships, and decisions. May I always honor You with my life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

From "Integrity: an Inside Job": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/cd43xf5/6-integrity-is-an-inside-job