Joseph’s Reaction to Mary’s News
Don’t you wonder what Joseph thought when Mary told him she was going to have a baby? I can just imagine his shock at the news. I’ve always thought he must have been hurt and disappointed at first, maybe even angry. Matthew tells us that Joseph’s first reaction was to divorce Mary quietly. If Joseph had divorced Mary, how drastically different the story of Jesus would be! Once he accepted the news as God’s plan for a Savior, don’t you think he must have thought it was a strange way to save the world?
Fortunately for us and for the rest of the world, the Bible tells us that “while Joseph considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream” and gave him the rest of the story, so to speak. Aren’t you glad Joseph followed the angel’s instructions and married Mary despite his first doubts?
Have you ever considered that Mary might have had doubts about what the angel told her as well? Luke 1 says that Mary was greatly troubled at the angel’s greeting. And although she had questions for the messenger, she seemed to quickly accept what he told her.
Knowing our human penchant for questioning and doubting is one of the reasons I like this song so well. If I were Mary, I don’t know that I could have accepted the angel’s message as easily as she seemed to. But it seems to be part of her personality to reflect and carefully consider everything she observed concerning her son who would be the Messiah. (Luke 2:19; Luke 2:51).
May we all have a simple faith and an obedient trust like Mary did!
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
- Strange Way to Save the World – Michael Crawford - December 12, 2017
- A Psalm of Comfort in the Midst of the Storm - August 27, 2017
- What’s On Your Spiritual Bucket List? - July 13, 2017
I do wonder what Joseph felt. I too imagine it was hurt, and through the hurt, even still he was willing to be kind to her. In those says it was acceptable to tell everyone what she did and let the crowd deal with her. That’s why he was quiet about his plans. That’s an amazing love. I’ve heard this song, it’s a good one.