Few of us will become famous. It’s the rare person whose name goes down in history. While I drive around Atlanta, where I make my home, I see monuments to many people. But those monuments represent just a few of the people who have been here. In the scheme of things, our lives go largely unnoticed.
Don’t get me wrong. Our lives have value. But that value is largely determined by how we view ourselves and the ways our loved ones value us. People may count on you as a family member, spouse, or co-worker. Perhaps neighbors appreciate who you are and that you’re a “good neighbor.” Perhaps you strive to live with integrity, show respect for others, being honest as well as compassionate. All of those things are important values and attributes. But, in a sense, they are the stuff that characterizes the lives of ordinary people. To lead a good life has nothing to do with becoming famous.
As I’ve considered the Christmas story, I’ve come to understand one character whose importance is rooted in being an ordinary person. He never strove to do great things. But, as best as we can tell, he wanted to do the right things, to be dependable and hard-working, and a person who provided safety and stability for his family. That person is Joseph, the husband of Mary and father of Jesus.
We know very little about Joseph. But we know what he did. His actions convey volumes about the kind of man he was. Even though Mary had become pregnant out of wedlock, he nonetheless agreed to marry her. By marrying this young, pregnant girl, not only did he save her from scandal, but he literally saved her life. By marrying this young, pregnant girl who carried some else’s baby, not only did he save her from scandal but he literally saved her life. After all, the punishment for an unwed pregnant woman was death.
When they found no vacancies in the places where travelers could lodge in Bethlehem, he found shelter and safety in what was likely a cave where animals were kept. It wasn’t the best option, but it was protection.
He continued to provide safety for his family when he came to understand they were in danger. Joseph took them as political refugees to Egypt to escape the tyranny of Herod. Later, he was a dutiful provider. As a carpenter, he labored to assure his family a home that kept them out of poverty.
Then, at some point, he died. There are no miraculous stories of his death or details of any kind. But it seems that before Jesus reached the age of 30, Joseph had passed. Given that life expectancy was around 35 years, perhaps Joseph died when Jesus was a teenager. He didn’t live to see his son become the itinerant preacher who gathered crowds of people and made a name for himself.
Joseph’s life was ordinary. Yet, it was an important life, a good life. He loved his wife, provided for his family, raised at least two sons who impacted the world in incredible ways (Jesus and James) and was a part of a network of men who studied and prayed together in his hometown.
Perhaps Joseph was a mystic. The sacred story conveys that God spoke to him in dreams, which is a form of mystical experience. But I think that Joseph’s true character was as a solid guy who did the best he could with the circumstances that came his way.
In these final days before Christmas, perhaps it’s helpful to remember Joseph: the family man who was a provider and stabilizing influence for his family. Yes, Joseph: the guy in the neighborhood who treats others well and shows up when he says he will. Yes, Joseph: the saint of leading an ordinary life and living it extraordinarily well.
Perhaps Joseph’s example can lead us on our way in the dark nights of life just as he led Mary to safety on the first Christmas Eve long ago.
Photo credit: Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay.com
