Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18–25
Reflection
I love the perspective of Joseph in the Christmas story, and even all the way up until the family moves to Nazareth. Whenever we see Joseph appear in Scripture, he shows consistent, quiet obedience. And along with that, the Bible takes a second to pause and give a word to describe Joseph: just. Amazing. If I had a brief appearance in the Bible and came out of it being described simply as “just,” I’d call that a win.
Joseph is put in a tricky spot from the very moment he shows up in the story. His future wife, Mary, is suddenly pregnant with another man’s baby—or so it would seem. And being the just man that he is, rather than embarrass her, he decides to quietly leave her and move on with life. There’s a lot to be learned even in this short moment, but that’s not what we’re here for today.
The theme of quiet obedience and courage emerges when Joseph is confronted with the truth of the situation: God has miraculously placed the Savior of the world in Mary’s womb. I’d like to think that if I were approached by a messenger of God, I would immediately be ready to take on whatever was next. If I’m honest, I can’t be certain—but thankfully, Joseph didn’t waver.
Obedience and courage go hand in hand. We see this in David facing Goliath, having total faith that the Lord would give him victory. We see this in Moses standing up to Pharaoh and leading his people out of Egypt. We see this in the Apostles facing their last moments yet still proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. And we see this in Joseph, awakening from his dream and immediately taking action. We see him leading his family, trusting the Lord to guide them and ensure the birth of our Savior would happen exactly as it was supposed to.
We can take Joseph’s example of obedience and courage and look to reflect it in our own lives. Leading our families is difficult work, and we often have visions of how it’s supposed to be—or maybe even how we would prefer things to go. But at the end of the day, as believers, we also submit to the guidance of our Father, knowing that He will ensure things unfold not as we would want, but as He would. Let’s take time this Christmas season to reflect on the Lord’s perfect implementation of His plans and how, like Joseph, we can trust that those plans are for our good.
Reflection Questions
- When have you experienced a moment where you didn’t understand how God was working?
- What might God be calling you to do right now that requires courage?
- How can you prepare your heart to respond to God with obedience and courage when He leads?
Application
- Ask a trusted friend, family member, or life group for accountability in following God’s direction boldly.
- Study other biblical examples of courage and obedience (Genesis 12; Joshua 1–6; Acts).
- Pray daily for the willingness to obey immediately when God speaks.
Additional Scripture for Deeper Study
- Genesis 12:1-9
- Joshua 6:1-22
- Acts 6-7
Family Activity
Build a “courage fort” with blankets and pillows. Climb inside and talk about times when your family needs to be brave and how God helps us be courageous like Joseph.