“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.'”

—Matthew 1:18-21 (ESV)

Joseph doesn’t have a huge role in many retellings of the Christmas story. He’s represented by a figurine in our little plastic manger scenes. However, like that little plastic guy, he doesn’t say much, do much, or factor into the story to a strong degree.

But there’s a lot we can learn from Joseph. At first, he didn’t know that the baby in Mary’s womb was from the Holy Spirit. He assumed, understandably, that Mary’s pregnancy meant she loved another man, not him. Yet Joseph didn’t lash out against Mary, and he didn’t “put her to shame” by talking to other people about her. Choosing not to embarrass Mary, Joseph decided that he would “quietly” end their relationship.

The text of Scripture makes clear that Joseph did not have the full picture. Thankfully, God sent an angel who revealed the truth to him. The baby had been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and He was the Savior of God’s people.

Mary was chosen by God for that incredible purpose—truly the greatest mission the world has ever known. Joseph received this remarkable truth and chose to walk in faith before God. He is a wonderful example for us. By God’s power, Joseph became the earthly father of Jesus. He protected Jesus and Mary from great danger. Overall, he honored God in the important role he played in the Christmas story. Like Joseph in the biblical account, the plastic figurine may not say much in our small manger displays, but the example of Joseph speaks volumes.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the godly example of Joseph. We pray to be kind like he was kind. We pray to walk in faith like he walked in faith. We want to have strong character like he had, and we ask You to work in us by your grace to form that character. Help us to be slow to anger like he was, and quick to show mercy like he did. In Jesus’ name, amen.