Today I’d like to write a little about Joseph, the husband of Mary. He is often envisioned as a somewhat mild and retiring man. But I think  that is a wrong impression.

I think he was more like the man in this picture.

To begin with, he was a blue collar worker, a construction man in a physically demanding profession. Cutting everything by hand required a lot of effort, muscle and sweat.

And, he was not only manly from a physical stance; he was a spiritually mature man who was willing to put his life on the line to obey God. Think of what he faced.

His fiancee turned up pregnant by someone else. In his graciousness he chose not to expose her to public shame and punishment (being stoned to death).

Then when God told him “Believe Mary, she is faithful to you”, and to keep and protect Mary, he did so without hesitation, but knew that he would suffer ridicule and social pressure.

And when God told him to get up and flee to Egypt, he immediately got up in the  middle of the night, got out the donkey and left with his wife and child.

Then when God told him to return to the dangerous land, he courageously and obediently went.

He was quite a man. What happened to him we don’t know, except that he fathered a number of sons and daughters, took care of his wife and died early.

Joseph is an example to us all: spiritual, obedient, brave, godly, wise and strong. No wonder God chose him to be Mary's husband.

May we, too, like Joseph be willing to obey God no matter what society, people or tradition says.