Let’s continue with the story of Mary’s husband Joseph and the attitude. We can see how his faith in God helped him trust the angel’s message when he was told that the baby Mary was expecting came from the Holy Spirit’s work. The attitude Joseph took when facing this news determined his role in raising Jesus Christ.
Lesson 1 of Joseph’s attitude
If we analyze Joseph’s attitude before such a divine proposition, we can learn three lessons for ourselves. First, Joseph was willing to accept God’s will regardless of the consequences. He could have said, what are my family members, neighbors, church brothers and sisters, and friends going to say when they see that Mary is pregnant? Are there no other couples in Nazareth? Why did you choose us?
What would have happened if Joseph had said, “I do not want to be part of that plan”? I do not know, but what I do know is that Joseph was a man of God, and he accepted God’s will in his life. Are you willing to accept God’s will in your life? What is it that God is asking you to do that you think makes no sense? What attitude do you have towards what God’s will is? I hope that you can say, like Joseph, “Lord, whatever You ask of me, that I will do.”
Lesson 2 of Joseph’s attitude
The second lesson we need to learn is to take care of other people. Joseph is mentioned only a few times in the Bible. He is not the center of the story. He has one mission, to take care of Mary and baby Jesus. Likewise, he could have said, “Mary and I are not engaged yet, why do I have to marry her?”, “I am not the father of that child, why do I have to take care of a child who is not my own son?” Joseph had a positive attitude and decided to fulfill his mission of taking care of Mary and baby Jesus.
When God calls on us to care for those in need who are around us, how do we react? Maybe we say, “I do not have time.” When was the last time you called a loved one because you were worried about him or her? Maybe you called your parents who are in a nursing home because you do not have time to take care of them. Joseph put all his plans aside and fulfilled the mission that Heaven had entrusted to him. Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40).
Lesson 3 of Joseph’s attitude
The third lesson is that we have to learn to give up everything for Jesus. Joseph gave everything to Jesus. He did not know that he would have to move to another country in order to save him. He did not know that he would have to be away from his family and the town where he was born in to help the child and Mary.
Furthermore, he never imagined the time it would take to care for the baby Jesus and Mary. But he gave up everything because he loved God and believed in the mission that Heaven had entrusted to him.
What about us and our attitude?
Are we willing to give everything up for Jesus? What is it that God is asking you to give him, and you do not want to do because you fear losing control? Maybe God is asking you to give Him your finances, your heart, your talents, or a cherished sin?
Whatever God is asking of you, give it to Him because the reward God will give you will be greater than what He is asking of you. If you give Him your life, He will give you Eternal Life. Think, if you give Him your finances, He will give you streets of gold. If you give Him your heart, He will give you a new one. It is worth giving everything to Jesus.
Wasn’t that what God did for us? He gave it all for love. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Nowadays, we have Christmas because God gave EVERYTHING for us.
Joseph learned about giving everything to Jesus very early in his life. Have we learned to give everything to Jesus? God allow that while you search for gifts and buy them, you think about Joseph’s attitude toward Jesus and decide to give Jesus the gift of gifts, your heart.
