18 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. 19 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.

Dear God, who knows why you have us each here? I am sure that Joseph grew up just being a nice guy and faithful to the people around him. I am sure that he never imagined you could have such a purpose for him like raising your son. He was just minding his own business, getting engaged when he found out something horrific. His fiancé was pregnant. He knew he wasn’t the father. His assumption was that he had been betrayed by her. He was “faithful to the law”, so he could have publicly divorced her and separated himself from this scandal in an effort to save his reputation and even his business. Yet he did not want to expose her to public disgrace so he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

I so admire this man. I absolutely admire this man. What humility! He was absolutely willing to take it on the chin for this woman (girl) in the midst of apparent betrayal. I can’t imagine the emotions raging inside of him, and yet he decided to not expose her to public disgrace. What a man.

Am I willing to take it on the chin for others? Am I willing to show mercy in the face of my own suffering? Am I willing to love someone beyond the pain that they cause me?

Father, thank you for Joseph. I am attending a Catholic church right now, and I know that Mary is revered there, but I think Joseph is right up there with her. He made some extraordinary decisions, and he made them BEFORE he got his angel visit. He was a special man, and I hope that I can look back on my life one day and feel like I lived my life in a way that was as faithful to you as his was.