It is amazing to me how God will use certain events to either birth something into your stream of consciousness or to give confirmation to what he already has deposited. I was granted the privilege of being the speaker today for the Washington High School African-American Male Leadership Group. Their motto is: To Be so strong as to let nothing disturb my peace of mind, I am somebody, I will not fail.
It was a great time and I am indebted to Principal George McCullough, Jr. and my deacon Captain John Williams for allowing me to come; however, God used this to arrest my attention. I am disturbed by how society treats men in general, and African-American men in specific. We have women who think I don't need a man, a society that would seek to incarcerate before educate, and a church who seems to have turned a deaf ear to the development of men and their rightful place in the church and at home.
I know this is true and Joseph is my prime example of it. For some weeks now I have had a private irritation about the theological treatment of Joesph as it relates to the Christmas Story. Our Uniform Sunday School series of lessons has begun and will conclude the Christmas Story without a mention of Joseph, which is not an aberration but the norm.
Theologians concur that Joseph is the least significant of all the characters within the Christmas story. Mary is the prepared vessel and the obedient servant, the angels are an example of spontaneous praise as they witness Jesus doing something they have never seen before, the Wise Men teach us that some things are worth waiting, watching, walking, working and worshipping, the shepherds are our link that Jesus came to the least, lost, and left out but Joesph doesn't matter to us, after all he is just the baby's daddy and he isn't REALLY the father so why discuss him?
At the risk of peril from religious brothers and members who might think I am being more chauvinistic than spiritual, after Jesus, Joseph is the most important figure to this story. With all due respect to my Catholic brethren and the environment in which I Pastor, Mary was Chosen, The Wise Men where Commissioned, The Shepherds served as Confirmation and the Angels Celebrated but only one man had a Choice.
When God decided to entrust the care of his child to another, he needed to find a man. A man whose ego would not get in the way, a man who would listen to his words, a man who would think before he acts, a man that would be able to complete the genealogy of 42 generations, he needed a man.
God still needs men today. The world may have no use for you but God does. Not perfect men or unblemished men, or walking Biblical dictionary men but men who can choose him and do what he instructs them to do.
We measure men by what they say, what they have or who we perceive them to be. Therefore, Joseph means nothing to many because he has no recorded words, no books named after him and no seemingly notable events but Joseph is a great example to many of us that the real measure of a man is not based on what he says but how he lives. Even if my words are silenced my actions will still have an effect.
Maybe we should take another look at an overlooked man in Joseph.
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3 comments:
My wife and I were just discussing this God man earlier today. Here is what she said, "I believe Joseph had a serious responsibility. He was a man of integrity who would not have Mary stones, but was willing to put her away in honor."
I concur with you both. I must add this as well. If we as men of God really came to understand and accept the awesome role God has graced us with, it would make us tremble.
Not only did God entrust us with all of nature, but He has entrusted children in our hand. God bless you brother.
That's right! Joseph deserves a shout out. What a man! Great post.
Great post my friend. Joseph is a great character of faith!
Lance
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