By Staff
Long after the rush, the anticipation and the excitement of Christmas is over, we should internalize the attributes of some of the participants in the first Christmas.
God the Father giving and God the Son humbling Himself and coming to earth as a child are central to the theme, but others were involved whose actions can challenge us.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young woman going about her life. She was engaged to marry Joseph, an established artisan in Nazareth. Then, as now, the period of engagement was a statement of exclusiveness and loyalty. God sent His angel, Gabriel, to Mary with a message. Mary was the only one who was told what God was going to do with her. She would become pregnant with the Christ child, conceived by the Spirit of God. Even though Mary was loyal to Joseph in every sense, the outward appearances of being pregnant spoke volumes first to Joseph and then to every person who knew her.
Mary listened to the angel and pondered first the apparent impossibility of what he said, and then she considered the impact such a pregnancy would have on her life. Her response is recorded in the gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verse 38: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." The price required of Mary in committing herself to the will of God for the glory of God was threatening and inconvenient. All her plans and possibly her future had to be surrendered. Mary's faith that God would sustain and protect her as she carried out this mission caused her to step up.
Joseph was an independent artisan established in his trade. He desired a wife and had completed the requirements to deal with Mary's family, to supply the necessary dowry, and was now awaiting the wedding which was the culmination of the process. In the midst of the betrothal period when he would be making all the preparations for their new home, Mary's pregnancy became apparent. We are told in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 1, verse 19, that Joseph was "a just man," meaning that he was determined to do the right thing and not be hasty in judging others. He had great regard for Mary, and even though she had apparently dishonored him, he was determined to deal gently with her and not bring on the harsh penalties for her condition.
While pondering his situation and the interruption of his life and plans, an angel came to Joseph and informed him of God's plan and Mary's part in it. Joseph was encouraged by the angel to go ahead and take Mary as wife (Matthew 1:20).
Joseph's world was turned upside down. He had to decide whether to take the safe route and abandon Mary, or to involve himself in the plans and purposes of God and submit himself to the thoughts and prejudices of his family and friends. Joseph chose in faith and justice to step up and go with God.
God's will for Joseph was as threatening and inconvenient as it was for Mary, but he plunged in, trusting God for the outcome.
Joseph would be forced to relocate from his home and business in Nazareth to Bethlehem, and then to live in exile in Egypt to protect the Christ child.
The other participants were the shepherds and the wise men from the East. The shepherds were excited at the word of God, and were seemingly irresponsible about their duties to the sheep in order to be in the presence of God. The wise men were seekers and uprooted their lives to seek out King Jesus.
As this next year unfolds, let us remember the faith of Mary, the courage of Joseph, the excitement of the shepherds over the things of God and the seeking heart of the wise men.
God intervened in the lives of all these people with minimal explanation. They all responded in faith and action. God has not changed. He is still seeking to change the world through His Son, Jesus Christ, and people like us who will step up and respond to Him.