Dear Family and Friends,

Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone. Soon they will be joined by Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday as the prelude to December comes to an end.

We all know what’s next, our annual frantic (or should I say panic) season – – the three weeks til Christmas.

Oh the things we must do: decorate the home, plan the family party, send Christmas cards, and shop shop shop… So much to do and very little time. It wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t take 30 minutes to find parking, and another half hour just to pay.

I’m not sure about you but for me, with all that’s going on, guess Who often becomes an afterthought. That’s right – Jesus.

Although it’s His birthday, we get so wrapped up in what we ‘must do’ that we forget why we’re doing it.

With that in mind, let’s spend these next few weeks focused on the birth story of Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”  ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭6-7 NIV

We’re all familiar with the Christmas story. And because of her presence throughout Jesus’ life, we are also familiar with His mother Mary.

But what do we know about Joseph, Jesus’ foster father?

We begin with this premise – God the Father doesn’t make mistakes. God had good reason for choosing Joseph to be the earthly father of His Son.

So, what was His reason? It was because Joseph was a Godly man. Consider these few details about Joseph.

When Joseph learned Mary was pregnant – and not by him – can you imagine the range of emotions he likely felt? Anger, perhaps even rage. Dejection. Sadness.

By law, Joseph could have punished her. But this man of faith did not want to expose her to public disgrace, and instead thought to divorce her quietly. (See Matthew 1:18-19)

Joseph did not succumb to the ways of the world. He chose to react in a Godly manner – with mercy and grace.

He chose to react in a way similar to how David treated King Saul. David could have easily killed his tormentor (twice actually) yet he chose not to. 

And this is what God said about David. “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”  Acts 13:22 NIV

David valued and defended God’s honor above his own.

David trusted in the Lord and did not lean on his own understanding.

Perhaps God felt the same way about Joseph, who by the way was a descendant of King David.

The story continues as an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to,“not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” 

“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”  Matthew 1:20,24 NIV

Can you see how long it took Joseph to obey the Lord? No questions. No considerations about how this would look to others.

As hard as it was, Joseph trusted and obeyed God. And did so right away!

Joseph obeyed God twice more when an angel told him to flee to Egypt from Herod and then return to Israel when it was safe. Both times, Joseph obeyed without hesitation and without self regard. (See Matthew 2:13-23)

The one thing we can learn from this quiet man of the Bible named Joseph is that we don’t have to be an anointed king of Israel to be a person after God’s own heart.

We don’t need a big role in the church, in ministry or in life. God could have us in a quiet supporting role and that will be okay.  

The role we’re asked to fill doesn’t matter because it’s not the role that’s important. It’s our heart’s willingness to trust and obey that God values most.

In love always,