Disclaimer: This is how I imagined part of the Christmas Story from Joseph’s perspective. I am in no way promoting it as what actually happened. This is meant to be just a meaningful scene told from the perspective of Joseph as I imagined it.
Read: Matthew 1: 19-25
As Joseph knelt beside his wife, and peered down into the reddish face of a newborn child, joy and fear overwhelmed him.
Who am I to raise the Son of God?
Mary squeezed his hand a little tighter than before, a tired smile on her lips. Had she known when the angel appeared to her that this was what awaited her? Awaited them?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. He’d had plans.
His parents had picked out Mary to become his wife, and planned out the wedding feast. A baby, especially Yahweh’s own son, was not a part of his young married life plans.
And yet…
My people have been waiting for You, Joseph thought as he caressed the soft, downy hair on the baby’s head. My father. My father’s father… all the way back to Adam, we have awaited Your coming. Though, I never thought it would happen like this. That it would be for me to know and raise You.
It was the culmination of hundreds, perhaps thousands of years of his people waiting on a promise that had been given when the world was cursed. Now that awaited Messiah was here, in the arms of his wife. Small, and unassuming. Looking every bit like every other baby Joseph had ever seen in his life.
Joseph glanced outside their small, hay smelling haven into the dark streets of Bethlehem. He noticed, without fail, the sentries as they passed on duty down the street, armor gleaming and red cloaks like blood in the moonlight.
All my life I have been told the Messiah would come to save us. If there were ever a time for the Jews, it would be now.
The stars twinkled gently, and suddenly there were men in dirty clothes rushing towards them. Joseph drew back a little, his grip on Mary’s shoulder tightening. Filthy shepherds that sat out among livestock were not meant to be around newborn babies.
But when their shining eyes fell upon baby Jesus, they slowly fell to their knees in the hay, soft words of praise upon their lips.
What child is this? Joseph shook his head in disbelief, eyes stinging a little.
“S-shalom. W-what are you doing here?” he stammered.
“Shalom, favored one.” beamed a wrinkled old shepherd. “The angel said we’d find Him here.”
~~~
The Bible doesn’t give us very much of a glimpse into who Joseph was, other than a carpenter and a caring father. As such, Joseph is one of my favorite people to imagine at this time of year.
What must have been going through his head?
As my Youth Leader recently pointed out, his entire life plans were thrown into turmoil when it was discovered that he and Mary were to raise the Messiah.
This Christmas Season, as we are met with the unexpected, let us be like Joseph while perhaps he was ruffled at first at the change of plans, he was still willing to accept God’s unconventional plan rather than saying no.
Such an interesting take! It reminds me of the song This is All I Have to Give by Vince Lychlighter (prolly spelled wrong, lol). I loved reading this!
I love this! What a beautiful perspective.