Understanding Joseph

Matthew 1:18-24 tells us a little bit about Joseph's thought process in respect to Mary being the mother of Jesus. We are told that Mary tells Joseph she is with child and he is taken back a bit because they aren't even married yet. They have just committed to one another, and he is already planning to divorce her quietly. He cares about Mary, but knows that he is a man of the law. After Joseph thinks these thoughts of divorce, an angel appears and pretty much says "Joseph, don't be afraid to marry Mary. She's become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and she will birth this child who will save the world from their sins, and you need to name him Jesus." (Matthew 1:20-21)

He wakes up and decides to make Mary his wife, and take her home with him... smart guy. This all bears witness to one of the many promises God had made earlier on. In Isaiah 7:14, it is written that “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Now, being Joseph and knowing that your wife is caring the savior of the world and God himself put him in there would be a major bragging right, but Mary and Joseph are humble people. On the other hand, you have just married this woman and she is already having a child, and it isn't yours, either way I could see how it would hard for Joseph.

Joseph takes all this in stride. He supports Mary where he can, and travels with a very pregnant woman to Bethlehem for Jesus to be born so that in itself is a major task. Joseph took God at His word and trusted and obeyed. Just as we should. He didn't know what all that would entail, he wasn't ready to be a dad and Mary wasn't ready to be a mother but they made it work. They raised the Son of God. They didn't do it on their own, but they trusted the process. We should all try to be as understanding as Joseph.