RISKY BUSINESS
On some of the Christmas cards you will receive this year, no doubt
there will be a man standing in the background looking over the shoulder of
Mary, who is prominently displayed caring for the baby Jesus. His name is
Joseph. And after the nativity narratives, he isn’t heard from much again. If
we didn’t know better, we would think Joseph was an insignificant bystander or,
at best, a mere necessity to undergird Jesus’ claim to the throne of David.
But, in fact, the role that Joseph played was strategically important.
If he had disobeyed the angel’s command to take Mary as his wife (Matt. 1:20), he would have, from a human perspective, put the entire mission of
Jesus at risk. Taking Mary as his wife was a risky assignment. Public
perception that he was the baby’s father put him in serious violation of Jewish
law and made him a public disgrace. Yet today all of us are thankful that he
was willing to risk his reputation to participate in and facilitate God’s
unfolding drama.
Most of us are insignificant compared to the major players in this
world. But all of us are called to obey. Who knows what God has in store when
we are willing to surrender to God’s will—even when it puts us at risk!
It’s no small
thing to trust and obey. (RBC)
It’s no small thing to trust and obey. (RBC)
