everything required

I think I’ve written it before, but Joseph makes an incredible role model.

For starters, in earthly terms there’s not much for him at Christmas. He has a pregnant bride and a bunch of neighbors who can count to nine months. He ends up with a baby that isn’t his. In the middle of it all, he has to make a long trip to Bethlehem, one that would certainly have been a lot easier had his life gone according to plan – he’d have a healthy young traveling companion, for starters. And he doesn’t get to consummate his marriage until after there was a baby.

Mary gets to meet Gabriel, Mary is most-favored by God, Mary shares this wonderful pregnancy with her cousin Elizabeth. Joseph just seems to get the short end of the stick.

But Joseph is a trooper. Sure, his life took a hard right turn and went somewhere completely unexpected. But Joseph tries to do the honorable thing, and then follows the angel’s message and cares for Mary and Jesus.

Joseph’s theme verse could have been Luke 2:39-40 “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

Joseph did everything required of him by God’s law, and by God himself. He did what was needed. He did his duty. And he received in return the great blessing of living with and working with Jesus for the couple of decades or so that it took Jesus to grow up. Joseph got to see Jesus become strong and be filled with wisdom, and have the grace of God on him. What was that like? It must have been wonderful.

We talk about duty as if it’s the same thing as chores, but there can be a lot of satisfaction and even good feeling in doing your duty. Soldiers take a lot of pride in it, and so do diligent husbands. Joseph reminds me that my life is God’s to plan, and to use. Fulfilling all his requirements is a privilege, not a burden.