作者  John316.bbs@cef1.cef.org.tw (=只盼望與你同在=),      看板  CYCU
 標題  The Supporting Actor of Christmas
 時間  校園福音團契電子布告欄 (Tue Dec  7 14:14:48 1999)
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English Corner

The Supporting Actor of Christmas

        In the pageant of Christmas, you see a bearded man standing behind
Mary and Holy Baby. He has no line to say like the angel does, no song to
sing like the three wise man do and he doesn't dress well like the Holy Mother.
Even the shepherds have some actions but he just stand there like a part of
stage setting.

        However, this man, Joseph played an important part of Jesus' childhood.
In those days, a single parent as Mary couldn't bring up a son. She needed
Joseph to legal father to protect them.

        Joseph was a righteous man. When he heard about his fiancee's pregnancy
, he didn't want to expose her to publes disgrace. He just thought to divorce
her quietly. At that time, marriage was arranged by the family, so we can't
say that Joseph had loved Mary deeply, yet he already had a big heart to
forgive her and to protect her reputation. He was really an unique person.

        Joesph was a man of faith too. He must be one of those who had studied
their prophesy well and was looking forward for Messiah's coming, so when the
angel told him that Mary had been conceived by the Holy Spirit, he understand
it all.

        A man of faith must be a man of submission. Joseph obeyed God's command
right away after he woke-up from the dream. When God wanted him to take his
family to Egypt, he knew it was an urgent and dangerous thing, he even took
action during the night. He never asked God 'why' or 'when' he just followed
God's words immediately and faithfully.

        As a matter of fact, we don't find Joesph speaking at all in Bible.
Joseph was contented to be a supporting actor and a silent one. But God
recognized his 'head' position in the family. The angel of the Lord always
conveyed the message to him and let him be the initiator and leader.

        When you watch a Christmas pagent next time, will you please appreciate
Joseph's position and try to learn from him his noble charecter?