Day 14: The Story of Joseph

The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.

While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus – ‘God saves’ – because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this – a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son.

They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for ‘God is with us’).

Isaiah 7

Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25, The Message

What did it take for Joseph to do EXACTLY what God’s angel commanded? It’s a fantastic story, so long as it keeps its distance from us! But God refuses to keep his distance. He moves in on us - gently, lovingly, graciously and mercifully. But he moves in nonetheless.

He gives and he asks. His giving is not dependent upon us answering all his questions, “YES!” because he gives out of a wellspring of lovingkindness. I find this incentivizing in a world that often feels like love is conditional.

Joseph was an ordinary guy asked to do an extraordinary thing. Most of us will never be asked to do something so extraordinary. So with the pressure off - what would you be willing to do as an expression of loving (attitude) kindness (action)?