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| What did Joseph stand to lose by adopting Jesus? |
The birth of Jesus ben Joseph haunted those who knew his true
identity. The third in a series of six meditations.
Have you ever been
credited—or blamed—for something you didn’t do? Have you ever wished you could
change your reputation?
Only
after Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection did people come to think of Jesus
Christ as “the son of the virgin Mary.” For more than thirty years Jesus was
commonly referred to as “Jesus, the son of Joseph” (Luke 3:23, John 1:45). The
assumption was obvious and the social stigma great.
In
all probability, for many years only Mary’s elderly relatives Elizabeth and
Zechariah, and Mary and Joseph themselves, knew (beyond question) that Joseph
wasn’t Jesus’ real father. After all, no one else had received a divine
revelation announcing this spectacular miracle. Not surprisingly, many chose to
believe the rumors whispered about Joseph, Mary, and Jesus (John 8:41).
To
his credit, Joseph believed what the Lord revealed to him in a series of dreams
—no matter how incredible those revelations were. Each time, Joseph quickly
translated his belief into action—at great personal cost.
Consider
what Joseph lost:
*
his reputation as a godly individual
*
his extended family relationships
*
his home and country
*
his security
Not
once, however, does Scripture record that Joseph hesitated to instantly follow
God’s leading. He took to heart the reality that “just as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so my [the Lord’s] ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).
Like
Joseph, you and I have a choice to make. Each day, will we choose God’s will
and ways no matter what the cost? Or today will we decide to go our own way?
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