In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy,
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
The virgin’s name was Mary.
Luke 1:26-27
In chapters 1 and 2 of Luke’s gospel, Joseph is mentioned by name five times compared to Mary, who is mentioned 15. That probably says more about her significance than his insignificance, but I’ve always felt Joseph was more of an add-in to the Christmas story … a supporting actor rather than leading man.
But for today—before we look at Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, or even Jesus—I’d like to pull Joseph into the spotlight.
Please flip back to Matthew’s gospel and read verses 18-25 of chapter 1.
Here we learn that Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph and was found pregnant. Being “pledged” was serious business to the Jewish people. It was legally binding, requiring a divorce to be nullified.
A first century Jewish man (or a man of any century or nationality) would be angry, humiliated, disappointed, and/or grieved to be planning a wedding only to learn his betrothed was pregnant by another man. Keeping the law would perhaps bring bitter satisfaction, as well as an outlet for the anger. Not to mention that keeping the law was, for Jewish men, not only encouraged, but expected.
But instead of rule-keeping, we get a picture of grace-giving. Joseph unfolds as a man of real character. It has been said that character is defined by what we do when no one is looking. Joseph proves himself a giant among men where character is concerned. Perhaps this is why God chose him to be the earthly father for Jesus. Let’s consider (and be spurred on by) Joseph’s actions and decisions.
In verse 19 he is described as a “righteous man,” which suggests he kept Jewish law. But that same verse also reveals he “did not want to expose [Mary] to public disgrace.” In this situation, the choice to be both righteous and compassionate brings a dilemma. Should he keep the letter of the law, or extend grace to a woman who appears to have betrayed him?
Joseph was big enough to set aside his own hurt and wounded pride and find compassion for Mary. He could have had her publicly exposed, humiliated, and even stoned. Instead, he planned to “divorce her quietly.”
Sometimes, when we do the right thing, we want others to know about it. Pride tempts us with the promise of praise for our virtuous action, but real character sets aside the need for personal affirmation. Real character chooses to walk in love and compassion whether anyone else knows or not.
It’s only after Joseph’s selfless decision that the angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream and reveals the child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit (see verse 20).
Joseph’s example challenges me to be selfless, to set aside my right to be right—that tendency to desire commendation when I act honorably, or retribution when I’m wronged—and to make good choices even without getting the credit. I hope his life inspires you to do the same. Perhaps the Christmas season more than any other provides opportunities to live like Joseph.
How might the Holy Spirit be prodding you and me to let go of our right to be right, and instead release love and grace to those in our world?
In this week’s teaching video, we’ve reached Chapter 8 in our I Corinthians study. This chapter covers the issue of meat that was previously sacrificed to idols, as Paul continues answering questions sent to him from the church at Corinth.
Before answering the question, he lays out some basic (and timeless) Christian principles. By the time we complete Chapter 8, we realize it’s not really a food issue at all — it’s a love issue! As you listen to Laura tie together the lessons in Chapter 8, pay special attention to the nugget of truth found in verse 4, reminding us that we are both KNOWN and LOVED by God!
As this year draws to a close and we look forward to 2023, we’re excited about the opportunities God will provide for Laura to minister to women and encourage them to love God and love His Word.
For the rest of December, we’re offering a FREE set of next year’s Write the WORD bookmarks, printed in full color and mailed to you, for readers who make a tax-deductible donation to support the ongoing ministry of Cross My Heart. (Given the cost to print and mail the bookmarks, we kindly request,
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