"This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly."
There is something that has always amazed me about Christmas. The first one that is. Why when the only one in all the universe who could plan His birth and His parents, and all the circumstances around His birth, why Jesus would chose Mary and Joseph and chose to be born in a stable? If you could pick your own parents what type would you pick?
While the boys were young, we watched a video, “Trading Mom”. Three kids were upset with their mother because they felt she was putting too much responsibility on them, making them clean, doing chores and so forth. After being grounded for problems at school they were convinced they needed a different Mom, and through the power of magic were able to go to a Mom Market and pick out the mother they thought was best. They wanted one who didn’t get on their case all the time, making them do chores, and handling home responsibilities. After picking three different mothers and being disappointed in all them, they came to realize, of course, at the end there is no mom who could love them like their own mom.
But God could pick the mom and dad for Jesus from the billions of people on the planet. Professionally, Joseph was clearly from the working class. Economically he was poor, we understand that by the fact they only gave two turtle doves at the time of sacrifice. Socially, he was really a nobody-except with God. There were lots of prophets and priests around. God could have seen that His son was born into the home of a governor, wealthy person, priest, or king. He chose instead to place Jesus Christ under the protection and within the love of Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. In doing so, God has taken the common and shown us that which is very uncommon.
Let’s set the scene. It’s after angel Gabriel’s meeting with Mary. Now imagine being Joseph when Mary broke the news? Imagine seeing the woman you loved and trusted more than anyone else has somehow got herself pregnant and you knew full well you weren’t the dad! Joseph is a very special example of being a father after God’s heart.
I would like to reflect on the adoptive father of Jesus as one whom God choses to use, as important characteristics of a father. Since that was Joseph main calling in his life on earth.
