“So she grabbed him by his garment, saying, ‘Sleep with me!’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.”
—Genesis 39:12 NASB

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Like father, like son.” The truth is that, like it or not, our family of origin has a profound impact on us.

The Bible shows how certain patterns are passed down from one generation to the next. The lives of Abraham and his descendants, for example, are filled with repetitive stories of sexual brokenness, deceit and favoritism of certain children over others.

The Bible is also clear that it is possible to break those patterns.

The account of Joseph fleeing from sexual temptation in Genesis 39 is just one example of how he departed from the patterns that his family left him. If we study his life we will see how he truly broke the mold and left a better inheritance for future generations.

The purpose of this reflection is not to try to solve all of your problems, but simply to help you ponder this truth: regardless of the patterns you inherited from your family of origin, there is hope.

Here is a short prayer to carry with you today:

Breathe in: Father,
Breathe out: Rewrite my story.