Pearls of Great Value

Do you ever stop to think about the faces of Christmas? About the people that God chose in that time in history? There’s a lesson, a gift in each one if we take the time to let the Holy Spirit minister to us.

Let’s take Joseph and ponder his story. He was engaged to a young woman named Mary. One day he hears that she is pregnant and he knows for a fact that it wasn’t by him. Now Joseph being a righteous man doesn’t want to cause a scandal and disgrace Mary, but he also doesn’t want to marry this girl and so decides that he’ll quietly and secretly break off the engagement. While he’s considering these things, an angel of the Lord comes to him in a dream and tells him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. When Joseph got up from sleeping he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He married Mary but did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

Joseph is for me a beautiful picture of sacrifice and love at work. Of faithfulness. Only a humble heart is able to take its own needs and put them second place in order to meet the needs of another. Joseph displays a selflessness which is often missing in our world today. We live in a chaotic me, me, me centered world that doesn’t understand sacrificial love. It’s a foreign concept for those outside the kingdom of God. Oh, but not for us! Because of Jesus, we have the capacity and ability to love even when we are hurting, to love even when we don’t understand the situation we are in, to love when it’s hard, to love when our circumstances are crashing waves all around and love is the last thing we want or feel to do. Sacrificial love.

Is there anyone you are called to love today who isn’t easy to love? Love never stops loving, it endures. Is there a situation you want to give up on, but God is calling you to see it through? Love is patient and kind. Is there anyone in your circle who is an outcast, anyone who needs to see the love of Christ through you? Love always looks for the best, never looks back and keeps on going to the end. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Is there anyone hurting and who is lashing out because of that hurt? Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Is there anyone lonely, anyone lost? Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Is there anyone in your life who needs sacrificial love? Love might call you to give more than you receive for a season. Love calls you to sacrifice and give up on what you perceive as your right in order to love another to Christ. Sometimes loving isn’t easy. Yet it’s this love which magnifies the Lord and results in great reward.

The Bible calls Joseph a righteous man. A righteous person is one whose thinking, action and emotions are conformed to the will of God. Joseph did not question the angels explanation for Mary’s pregnancy. He obeyed without question what the angel told him to do, going ahead with his plans to take Mary as his wife. Righteousness. When we are in right standing with God, we understand that obedience to Him leads to blessing. We don’t have to understand or have knowledge of all the details, we trust that He does know and therefore will guide us perfectly. Joseph is such a good example for us on trusting God and being obedient to do His will regardless of what anyone else might say or do.

I ask you Lord, to help me show sacrificial love this season, not only in my home but also in the world around me. Help me to have a hospitable heart,and to make room in my busy schedule for others. Help me to receive unexpected pressures as opportunities to host You, to go the extra mile, to be kind. Lord, please make all things work together for Your good this season, in me and if necessary, in spite of me. I invite you to interrupt my schedule and give me opportunities to speak good news of great joy! Yes, help me to be more open to the unexpected and to not put You in a box. I choose to trust You and to obey you as Joseph did. In Jesus name, amen.