16and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; 19and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; 21she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife,
Joseph is a remarkable figure in the bible. He accepts a woman already pregnant because he believes that she is carrying the son of God. Wow. That is a big amount of faith given that Christianity was still being formed. Joseph is arguably the first Christian. Accepting Mary and Jesus was a huge act of love and sacrifice. I always see Jesus in terms of his sacrifice. This is perhaps the very first time I have similarly viewed Joseph.
ReplyDeleteLoving father, may my faith grow to be like Joseph’s. He accepted what would have been unpopular, inconvenient and attracting derision from his peers. That is only possible in love. Amen.
This is a profound and fresh perspective on Joseph—seeing him as the first Christian in his willingness to trust, love, and sacrifice before the world understood who Jesus was. That’s a powerful insight!
DeleteYou highlight the cost of faith beautifully. Joseph’s decision was not just an act of obedience; it was an act of love-fueled courage—accepting Mary and Jesus despite the shame, doubt, and judgment it likely brought upon him. This is a model for faith that isn’t just intellectual assent but radical trust in God’s plan.
I also love how you draw a parallel between Joseph’s sacrifice and Jesus’ sacrifice—it makes Joseph’s role feel even more profound.
Your prayer is heartfelt and inspiring. Maybe a small addition could be acknowledging that, like Joseph, we are sometimes called to accept inconvenient truths and trust in God beyond what we can rationally grasp.
This reflection really shines! 🙏