Are there Any Josephs Out There?
- Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
- Dec 19, 2019
- 4 min read
“Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.” -Mathew 1:18
There’s something about Joseph that has always intrigued me. It was his genuine love for Mary. It’s real love. You know how to really know if a man really loves you? Betray him. Now, Ladies, DO NOT go out and try this experiment, please. I’m just pointing it out.
I mean can you imagine this? Mary is engaged to be married. Back then, it wasn’t like today. When the contract was issued and signed even though the couple wasn’t married by the church, they were married by the law. Similar traditions still exists in some cultures today. Therefore, this was a signed and sealed relationship.
Mary gets a visit from the Angel who tells her she will supernaturally conceive, and she takes off to see her aunt Elizabeth. She stays there three months. When she returns home, she was pregnant. Imagine what Joseph must of have thought. “You go away and come back pregnant? How dare you?”
I can almost see it and hear that conversation.
Mary, who looks pregnant, tells her future husband. “Joseph, please understand. I was visited by an Angel. He told me I was highly favored and blessed amongst all women. He said God’s Spirit would overshadow me, and I would get pregnant without being with a man. The baby I am carrying wasn’t conceived by any man. I have been faithful to you.”
Can you see the face of Joseph? I can! Angry, hurt, confused, betrayed, and devastated. This was the woman he had chosen to be his wife, his partner, his confidant, and his best friend -the woman he could entrust his life too, the future mother of his children, the woman who would bring him honor and respect. Now, she returns pregnant and tells him this ridiculous story adding insult to the injury. A broken and disenchanted heart is hard to heal. What was he to do?
Joseph’s character is revealed in what he didn’t say and didn’t do. One word, just one, and Mary would have been stoned to death. It was the law and the custom of that day. However, there’s nowhere in scripture of Joseph yelling, threatening, accusing, and belittling Mary. If that’s not a sign of a man deeply in love, and devoted to protect, honor, and cherish a woman I don’t know what is. Mary was truly a blessed woman. Joseph was the dream man.
I can’t imagine how difficult it had to have been for both of them, but especially, Joseph, he was the injured party. That night had to have been a devastating night. What will he tell his parents, her family, and friends? What would they do to Mary? How would he take it seeing her dragged into the middle of the street, while the crowd gathered, stone in hand, and stoning her and her unborn child to death? How could he bare that?
There’s a key word in this scripture above. That word is righteous. Joseph was a righteous man. That meant everything he did was seen as godly, honorable, and right before God. This is why he didn’t act immediately, upon hearing the news. You know a good man by his temper. A great man is able to control his temper. Did you catch that, Ladies? Foolish guys are quick to anger, and make hasty decisions, ruining and destroying everything they come in contact with because of their hot temper, not Joseph. He said not one word nor did he cause a scene. What integrity and self respect for himself and all the parties involved. I like this type of a man.
God, however, was with Joseph. An Angel appeared to him in a dream. The Angel told him to go ahead and take Mary as his wife because the child she was carrying was the Messiah. In his address, the Angel said, “Joseph son of David.” The Angel reminded him who he was. He was in the prestigious family line of David. He didn’t have to feel bad about anything. Sometimes, God has to remind us who we are, too. This how God showed Joseph he understood how he felt, but he didn’t have to put her away because Mary had done nothing wrong. She didn’t betray him. She was telling the truth. God’s way of protection for him, Mary, and the baby she carried, the Lord Jesus.
Sometimes I feel we forget Joseph was also called. He became Jesus’ earthly father, even picking up his profession. Talk about honoring the man God picked to raise Jesus. Joseph was a good and humble man and God picked him out of all other man to the highest call, and entrusted His only begotten Son into his hands to parent him.
We can learn from Joseph. During the holiday season people know how to push those buttons. We don’t have to react. Staying calm, cool, collected, and quiet is the greatest of strength. It is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength and power. Joseph showed real love. Love isn’t irritable and rude. Real love hides a multitude of sins. Love honors, protects, and forgives.
Let’s ponder on the life of Joseph this Christmas and let’s ask God for wisdom on how to treat those who hurt us. Let’s turn the table per say and show honor, respect, and love to the very one(s) who have hurt us. Let it be said of you (insert your name) is a righteous man/woman. God always protects, leads, speaks, and honors those who live upright.
Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro Founder and President of Thread of Hope, inc.
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