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Perfect Humility

Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 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.
21 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."
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.


In the traditional Christmas plays or programs, Joseph has no speaking parts.  One time, in a Sunday School play I remember the Joseph character speaking to the Inn-keeper - "Do you have any rooms?"  That's it.
Who is this man who God chooses to be the Father of his Son?

He is a righteous man.  We don't call people "righteous" without it being derogatory.  A person who is "righteous" today is considered to be someone who feels they are "above others".  Yet that is not righteous, that is "self-righteous".  Then what is it?  Righteous in biblical sense comes from the idea of  his desire to do things correctly - to be obedient to God.  He was a believer who honestly wanted to do what was right before God.
He didn't focus on the obvious "hurt" that came from learning his bride-to-be was pregnant...he could have.  He decided to divorce her "quietly" - without fanfare, not seeking a public affirmation of "you poor guy", he sought to obey God and be compassionate to Mary.
Then he "considers this".  Some have preferred to say God's angel visited and then he re-considered what to do; but that is not what the text says.  "After he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream..."
The word means to "reflect, meditate, ponder"...what is going on in Joseph?
He is caught up in the mystery of the events.  It doesn't make sense.  He knows Mary and she says God's angel visited her...that the Angel said the child inside is of God...that this child will be the Savior, the Messiah...it is all as we would say it - "crazy".  A friend of mine commented on my blog yesterday and quoted from Grant Mullen:  "When trust is lost, fear moves in." (Thanks Wayne)
I can imagine Joseph perplexed, unsure of what to do.  We've been there haven't we?  It's that place that causes us to stop and when we do it correctly, it leads us to a prayerful waiting.  We need a place for God to speak, to let his word "seep" into the cold, hard soul that closes up in difficult places.
It begs the question:  Do we have a place for mystery?  What Mary experiences is "impossible", isn't it?  An angel visiting her is "impossible", isn't it?  Hearing from God in a dream is "impossible" isn't it?

C.S. Lewis said it best:  "Perfect humility dispenses with modesty."

Joseph is the perfect model for Advent.  He is quiet, reflective, waiting, humble in his faith in trusting God.

Peace

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