An Unheralded Hero

Has anyone ever been asked to exercise more faith than Joseph? In many ways, Joseph is an unheralded hero in the Christmas story. This simple carpenter was not the father of Jesus, but the intended husband of Mary. When Mary told Joseph that she was pregnant, he must have been filled with disbelief and shock – and perhaps even anger. He had a right to have Mary put to death, or at the least to break off their betrothal. But he had a dream in which an angel spoke to him and said that the child Mary carried was conceived by the Holy Spirit. When Joseph believed and took Mary as his wife, he became part of the beautiful story of the Nativity.

I like the story of Joseph. It reminds me that Christmas is not just for the mystical and spiritual Mary's, but for the realistic and practical Joseph's as well. The miracle of Christmas – that God gave His very best, His only Son – is for everyone – and that includes you and me!