What Would You Do?
by Jim Person
In this situation, it would be hard not to respond to what you saw in the natural. Joseph was a man who had been betrothed to his bride, more than likely for years, only to find her with child. Most of us would be very angry, with feelings of betrayal visiting our hearts. How difficult this must have been for Mary, her parents, and Joseph. They must have felt embarrassed and ashamed.
We see why Joseph was chosen by God to be Mary’s husband. His actions were extraordinary. The girl he was about to marry was pregnant. He would have been justified with the feelings I described above. Yet, he didn’t want to humiliate her, and he planned to ‘divorce her quietly’. Then we see how he acts after an angel appeared in a dream and told him to marry Mary (verse 24). It must have taken great faith to put aside what people thought and raise a child who was not his own.
In this time of celebrating the birth of Jesus, let’s remember Joseph, and his response to an incredibly challenging situation. As we remember, we need to ask ourselves, “What would I do?”
Joseph must have yielded his heart to God years before, and allowed God to mould it. It is evident that he allowed the sanctification process to take place in his life. His actions were not selfish, but he considered others before himself. This is a godly attitude that we all need in our lives. As it says in Philippians 2:3, ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves’.
In this kind of situation, what would you do? I make an appeal to you today. Allow God to mould you, as the potter moulds the clay on a potter's wheel. Be the person of faith whom God uses to do exceptional services for Him.
Jim Person Jim grew up in Alaska and from a small child commercial fished every summer with his family. God called him, his wife Tanya, and their four children to move to Hungary as missionaries in 2003. God then led him to join Ellel Ministries in 2005. After serving in various positions with Ellel in Central and Eastern Europe, God led them back to the United States, where he is now serving with the Ellel USA team. Jim and Tanya have a passion to see leaders restored, the church discipled and walking in God’s fullness of life and freedom. They also love mentoring the existing and developing Ellel teams wherever God leads them. Jim also has a real gift for working with the land to create a beautiful and welcoming environment.
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