Not Mary. Not the Angels. Joseph.
Every Christmas, we tell the same familiar story.
We talk about Mary her obedience, her purity, her courage.
We talk about the angels their songs, their announcements, their glory.
We talk about the shepherds, the stars, the manger, and the wise men.
But there is one man standing quietly in the background of the miracle and we hardly talk about him.
His name is Joseph. The Christmas man we often forget. The silent strength of Christmas. When God chose Joseph, God must have worked on Joseph’s heart so he can be the backbone of nativity.
Joseph is like the frame of a painting rarely admired, yet absolutely necessary.
Remove the frame, and the masterpiece loses its structure.
Joseph was the frame that held the Christmas story steady.
Joseph’s Humanity
Joseph was humane.
Humanity means being sensitive to the needs of others.
Kindness is woven into the Christmas story, and Joseph carried it silently.
When Joseph discovered Mary was pregnant, the Bible says I Matthew 1v 19, he planned to leave her quietly. Not loudly. Not angrily. Not publicly.That alone tells us something about his heart.
In a season where many choose exposure over compassion, Joseph chose mercy. Men like that are rare.
Joseph’s Obedience
Joseph obeyed God even when obedience was inconvenient.
He slept with a problem and woke up with a solution.
God spoke to him in dreams, and Joseph listened.
He did not argue. He did not delay.He did not negotiate.
He obeyed.
Joseph teaches us this: learning to hear God requires stillness, humility, and trust.
And obedience often asks us to accept assignments we did not apply for. Are we willing to obey Christ the way Joseph did quietly, completely, and without applause?
Joseph’s Self-Control
Joseph became the foster father of Jesus.
He accepted a role that offered no recognition and no explanation. He married a woman expecting a child that was not his own. He raised a son whose paternity could not be explained without faith. What manner of man does that?
A man of self-control. A man of discipline.
A man secure enough to serve a purpose greater than his pride. Joseph did not question the role he had to play he stepped into it.
The Josephs Among Us
This Christmas, I want us to pause and ask:
• Who is the Joseph in your life?
• Who stood quietly, supported faithfully, and carried responsibility without credit?
• Who protected the promise while others celebrated the miracle?
Joseph represents the men who show up when it’s hard.
The men who stay when it’s uncomfortable.
The men who lead without needing the spotlight.
Men like Joseph who can find? If you identify one around you, a mother, an uncle, a friend, a sister appreciate them. Send a thank you note, text or a gift. We are who we are today because of these Joseph’s God placed in our lives.
More Than a Manger
There is more to Christmas than a manger, Mary, and shepherds. Christmas would not be complete without men like Joseph men of character, obedience, restraint, and compassion and yes, without the wise men too.
So this Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, let us also honor the quiet strength that helped carry Jesus into the world.
Because sometimes, the greatest miracles are supported by people who never ask to be seen but without whom the story would not stand.
"Christmas story is not complete or simply abridged if you are not living right.". Olusesan Adeniyi
Olukemi Adeniyi
Thursday December 25, 2014
This was written on Christmas day 2014, while my husband was preaching. I saved it in my drafts but didn't published it. I decided to complete and share today. Thank you for reflecting on the story of Christmas with me.
Merry Christmas!
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