Joseph was successful in resisting BIG temptation because he was serious about integrity in LITTLE things.  Though he could have chosen bitterness because God put him in a role and location he did not choose, Joseph's integrity and worship of God motivated him to make his boss successful and resist the lustful advances of his boss' wife (see Genesis 39:10--"How could I do such a wicked thing?  It would be a great sin against God", NLT). 

Adrian Rogers said, "What you are in the small things is what you are.  What you are in the secret things is what you are."

Even a believer's smallest compromises in telling the truth, withholding maximum effort, or failing to honor those in authority, create an opening for more extreme temptation in the future.  For example, if you think you can shape the truth to make yourself look better, withhold your best effort or disrespect authority because of the way you feel God or your boss, mate, coach, co-worker, a business or friend has treated you, an attitude of self-promotion develops.  You will begin to believe that you deserve special treatment or indulgence--that it’s okay to cut yourself some slack, remove the pressue, or give yourself a break when it comes to complete obedience to God.  That attitude sets you up.  It makes you vulnerable to bigger mistakes and more powerful temptations. 

So, be careful not to slide toward either of two traps--dangerous extremes in your attitude.

1.    PERFECTION:  Thinking that because you have performed well in the past for God, you can handle anything, and you deserve anything you want, or you can simultaneously manage both a godly lifestyle and sinful stuff.

2.    FAILURE:  Listening to Satan or critics who say that because you have sinned, messed up, or made mistakes in following Jesus, it means you are a failure, you are not worthy, you will never achieve anything, or you will never change.  Those false thoughts make you think that obeying God is not worth it.  Satan's argument at this point is deceptively simple toward you, "If you have already failed, then who cares?  Why try to change?  Why not just give up trying to please God and just do whatever you want?"

Consistency in the little details.  Obedience in the small things.  It makes sense.  It will save you.  But do it out of love for an amazing God or else the motivation to win over temptation will fade when your undetected weakness intersects with the unexpected opportunity!