Would We Admire Him Today?

[This post is part of a series called Rooted. Find the other posts here]

By Steve Stuckey

He Did Not Get on Beau’s Party Bus

You will not find his name on the APE mailing list. He would not have stormed out the door last week to be the first one on Beau’s party bus` to El Camino College. He founded no organizations or churches; never wrote a book or gave a speech (though those are excellent things). The mechanics of leadership, a topic that preoccupies many of us, did not exist as a subject in his mind. He was not good with words, a prerequisite for all of us who write and read this blog. In fact, no words are ever attributed to him in the Scriptures. He was probably a humble, quiet man who worked with his hands and lived much of his life in the shadows of his world. When his mission in life was complete, he silently faded into the mist of history without fanfare or applause. He must have been a fellow easy to overlook, even by God. When his young fiancée was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit, a highly unusual and suspicious story, he was left to find out her situation through second hand sources.

His name was Joseph, husband to Mary the mother of Jesus. At first glance, Joseph might seem to have very little to teach apostles, prophets, and evangelists. But on closer look…

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. Matthew 1:18-19

A Merciful Heart

Joseph rightly assumed that his bride to be had cheated on him, yet he was merciful to her by refusing to expose her to public humiliation. A merciful heart is a generous and thankful heart. It empathizes with another’s failure and feels compassion. Those same qualities often motivate apostles, prophets, and evangelists to action. It sends people to live in slums or reach out in love to a stranger. It enables one to work hard without much applause or recognition. It helps a person to be outwardly focused because inwardly they know they are loved, forgiven, and therefore free to extend mercy.

Open to Revelation

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” … 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 1:20-21, 23

People frequently tell me their dreams and in the age of skepticism the recommended approach to interpretation is to say to the dreamer, “The dream is symbolic, don’t take it literally.” Given the number of people that I have strangled, shot, or blown up in my own dreams, that seems like good advice! However, the lack of skepticism and almost naïve acceptance of divine revelation in this story is so refreshing. Openness to revelation and the holy hunch is an important attribute for APE people. Believe that God is with you and learn to trust your instincts like Joseph. (Also, do the work of discernment and involve your community)

Obey

“He did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” Joseph created a home for his family, protected them from danger, and made sure the messiah made it to adulthood. And his ordinary act of obedience changed the world. As we learn in the gospels, obedience is a form of love that begins with listening and responding. Obedience is a bedrock attribute for any self respecting apostle, prophet, or evangelist.

So maybe Joseph’s name should be on the APE mailing list or at least on the list of people we admire.

[This post is part of a series called Rooted. Find the other posts here]