"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. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.’" Matthew 1:20
Joseph does not get much attention in the Christmas story. The spotlight points to Mary and the birth of Jesus. And rightfully so.
But we can learn a lot about this good man. Joseph first appears in the Bible in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. He was a carpenter whose lineage went way back to King David.
Joseph was a man of strong conviction who put his faith into actions. The Bible described him as a righteous man chosen by God to be the human father of Jesus Christ.
What kind of man God has chosen to raise His own Son? God knew who that man was. Joseph obeyed God. We can imagine how shocked he was when the angel informed him that Mary was pregnant.
Joseph never questioned God's plan in choosing him to take care of Mary and her son. In doing this, he gave up his own dreams. He dedicated his own life to them and remain faithful to God.
- He was courageous in believing the angel
- He was faithful in believing God's plan over his own
- He honored God by obeying His word
"Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus, the man entrusted to raise the Son of God. Joseph was also a carpenter or skilled craftsman. He obeyed God in the face of severe humiliation. He did the right thing before God, in the right manner." - Mary Fairchild
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