“But what about Joseph? Poor Joseph! I think most of us just assume that he was thrown in as part of the deal.”
"Mary, Mary, Mary, everything is always about Mary." "Mary, God always liked you best!" If Joseph were the jealous type, he may have uttered a phrase or two similar to these. Let's face it. Mary is the star of the show, at least until Jesus steals the scene. She's the one chosen by God. She's the one Scriptures foretold. She's the one on whom God's favour rested. She, above all the other women in Israel, was the winner of God's Heavenly Lottery.
But what about Joseph? Poor Joseph! I think most of us just assume that he was thrown in as part of the deal. Joseph isn't the father of Jesus, but he's engaged to the soon-to-be mother. So God just lets him tag along on Mary's shirttail (if she had one). Yep, Joseph is the overlooked character of Christmas. Actually, he's more than overlooked, he's akin to being part of the scenery. He is Joseph the mime; Joseph the mute. Did you notice that Joseph never speaks in the biblical account? Oh, he's talked to. He's talked about. But there's not so much as a cough, a gasp, an oooh, or an ahhh emanating from his lips.
If we were to base his importance to the Christmas story upon just the number of lines spoken, we'd have to say that Joseph is nothing more than an extra. His movie credits would be below that of the shepherds, the Magi, and Herod. He would even be below the temple pair of Anna and Simeon. Joseph is the forgotten man of Christmas. The only people who might be the least bit interested in him would be teenage boys because his part is the easiest in the Christmas Pageant-- there are no lines to memorize!
I bet Joseph must have felt like I did when David and Graham, our twins, were first born. Every week after church I would do the preacher-type thing and go to the door and greet people. Back then Sheila would stand beside me most weeks with the twins. Everyone immediately flocked around Sheila to look at the cute, itty-bitty babies. Sometimes people would look up and ask Sheila a question, or make a comment to her about their hair, or how much they looked alike, so Sheila had a purpose. I, on the other hand, served no purpose whatsoever and was therefore invisible. For the first few months of David and Graham's life, I could have stood at the door of the church sans pants; with a toilet plunger firmly attached to my forehead and no one would have noticed! Well, it seems that Joseph could have easily walked away from the manger scene and no one would have noticed, either. But we know that's just not true.
To me, Joseph is the unsung, unspoken hero of the Christmas account. While the Bible doesn't record any of Joseph's words, that really doesn't bother me. Joseph's actions speak loud and clear. Joseph was kind, and gentle, and considerate and obviously in love with Mary. Matthew calls him a "righteous man (Mat 1:19). Matthew was obviously right, because whenever Joseph is command by God, to do something, he does it. No questions, no dragging of the sandals, just immediate obedience - even when such obedience caused him to ruin his reputation, and rearrange his life. "Joseph, marry Mary, don't worry about what people will say and do and think!" "Joseph, flee to Egypt. Don't think about the fact that it's a foreign country filled with memories of slavery and suffering for you and your people." “Joseph, come back home, even if you are still afraid of Herod's bad boy. Just live beyond his reach. Go back to Nazareth and live among the snickers, the scoffers, and the scorners." Joseph listened and obeyed!
Joseph was a hard worker and a good teacher as he taught his son the tricks of the trade. Every indication in Scripture points to the conclusion that Joseph was a good husband, a good father, and a good family-man. The last time we hear anything from Joseph is when Jesus is twelve years old and his parents found him in the Temple. So somewhere between the age of twelve and the age of thirty, Jesus lost his father. Joseph died without ever seeing Jesus enter, or complete His ministry. But he was there long enough to protect him and provide for him and teach him and love him and help him to grow in truth and righteousness.
First, we might consider Joseph a silent part of the scenery of Christmas, but you can be sure that God didn't! Joseph was a simple man, true. He was just your average hard working Joe, from a despised backwoods town, true. BUT, that's who God used to keep, and protect His one and only Son through the years of his life that were the most vulnerable, the most impressionable. Amazing, but not surprising. After all, God has always been more interested in the average Jill and Joe than the great big shmoe up on the hill. The angels appeared to shepherds, not kings. Jesus was born in a stable, not a palace. His parents were a poor couple from a bad part of town, but through them, God's plan was revealed. So whenever you start to think that God can't use you because of your background, or your bank account, or your reputation, remember silent Joseph. God only requires one thing from us, and it's not talent, or good looks, or nice teeth, it's just faithful obedience. If you're willing, God will use you. It's as simple, as basic, as profound as that!
From Joseph, we learn that it doesn't matter that you're a person of few words, or no words at all! – As long as you have the life to back it up. From Joseph, we also learn that God uses anyone if they make themselves available to His call. Everyone has something to offer God. Everyone can make an eternal impact upon this world. In our eyes, Joseph may blend into the background of the Christmas Story, but in God's eyes Joseph was the lover, the protector, the keeper, the teacher, the father of His one and only Son. Now you tell me, does that sound like a job for an extra? I think not!