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Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. --Galatians 6:7 One of temptation’s great allures is the question, “Who’s going to know?” It’s true, isn’t it? Satan is good about coming in secret to tempt us with a sinful thought. He comes when no one else is around and no one is watching. This was certainly how he tempted Joseph. There he was, a slave in Potiphar’s house, with Potiphar’s wife doing all she could to seduce him. Who would know? The Scripture says they were alone in the house. Potiphar’s wife certainly wasn’t going to tell her husband what she did. Joseph didn’t have to tell anyone. But in spite of the secretive nature of the temptation, Joseph resisted and literally fled from the woman’s presence. Now, you need to see this. The truest test in a person’s life is what a person does when no one is looking. Satan’s suggestion that “no one will know” is a lie. There is no such thing as a truly secret sin. Jesus himself said those things that are done in secret will be brought to light and shouted from the housetops (Luke 12:3). But Joseph’s life is testimony that there is power over temptation through God. When faced with temptation, watch for a way of escape and take it, just as Joseph did. You can have power over temptation in Jesus. THE TRUEST TEST IN A PERSON’S LIFE IS WHAT A PERSON DOES WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING. Blending In by Dr. Paul Chappell “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:10–12 Though not all of the more than two hundred different kinds of chameleons can change colors, that is the trait we most associate with these small lizards. Through complex layers of skin and chemicals, they are able to regulate the way different wavelengths of light are reflected. Among the colors they can produce are basically all the colors of the rainbow, including combinations of pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown, yellow, turquoise, and purple. This is done for many reasons, including communication with other chameleons, as well as regulation of body temperature. But the main reason we think of when it comes to their ability to change colors is for camouflage. By blending in with their surroundings, chameleons are hard for predators to see, and it keeps them safe. This is an astonishing miracle of God’s creation work, but it is not a good model for His children. We are not called to fit in or blend into the background. We are called to stand out—to be worthy of the example of the Lord who saved us. The temptation to lower our standards and deny our association in an effort to stay out of trouble has been around for a long time. Peter fell victim to it when Jesus was arrested. “And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew” (Matthew 26:73–74). Even if it is costly, our colors must remain clear.   Today’s Growth Principle:  Our lives should not blend in to the world around us, but should reveal that we walk with and serve Christ.