Christ in Joseph
“Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit,”
Today’s Text: Matthew 1:18-25 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
I think that Joseph is one of the most under-appreciated people in the Bible. He served his part in God’s great plan of salvation for the world in Christ Jesus, and then we never hear of him again. Given his relative obscurity here on earth, there is no doubt that Joseph is well-received in heaven.
It’s interesting that the angel did not appear to Joseph until after he had decided on his course of action regarding the dilemma of Mary and her pregnancy. Being someone who was “faithful to the law,” he took the course of action that was most in line with the law and most pleasing to God.
He could have exposed her and divorced her loudly. That was well within his right, and that still would not have stopped God’s plan of salvation for the world in Christ Jesus from being accomplished.
But by taking the course of action that he did, Joseph demonstrated that he understood the true intent of the law—to love God and to love others as himself. And so, we see why God had decided to use him to be the step-father of His Son Jesus Christ.
Undoubtedly, Joseph and Mary (and Jesus) had to suffer the shame of Mary’s premature pregnancy throughout their lives. Of course, no one really took notice of Jesus until He started building up a following and gaining some notoriety.
As He started to become famous, people were like, “Hey, who is this guy, and where does he come from?” Then … chatter, chatter, chatter and then more chatter, chatter, chatter.
And Jesus was so unlike the Jewish rabbis and spiritual leaders of His day, that it wasn’t long before they had the ammunition to justify their fear, jealousy, and hatred.
Fear, jealousy, and hatred will always seek and find the ammunition to justify themselves.
But Jesus changed nothing about His teaching and His ways, even knowing that fear, jealousy, and hatred would send Him to the cross. And yet, by surrendering to the Father and dying on the cross, Jesus dismantled the sin of fear, jealousy, and hatred.
And so we find that Spirit of Christ in Joseph too. He was not motivated by the fear, jealousy, and hatred of this world or any other sin heaped upon him and his family by the world. He did what God wanted.
The example of Joseph is inspiring and challenging. We would all do better to be more like Joseph. Let it start with me.
Father, Thank You for the example of Joseph. We know that Your desire for us is to become like Christ, but that goal can often seem so daunting. But Joseph reveals a model that closer to home for us. May my life demonstrate His humility and faith. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
