When I read the Bible, I am looking for either people who I can relate to or people who I can hold up as role models–someone who really gives me an example I can try to emulate. Well, it didn’t take long to find one in the Gospel of Matthew. In the first chapter we read about a man named Joseph that has just found out that the woman he was engaged to is now pregnant–and he knows that he isn’t the father. His reaction to this would not have got him on the modern television shows “Cops” or “Cheaters”. Instead of what we would expect his reaction to be, verse 19 tells us that, “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” This reaction saved Mary’s life because in that day and culture she very well could have been executed.

Keep in mind this reaction by Joseph was before the angel appeared to him in a dream and explained that Mary is telling the truth and that she had, in fact, conceived by the Holy Spirit. This tells me that Joseph was the real deal! He was a man of character!

After the dream, Joseph didn’t attest it to drinking some sour wine and he didn’t try to explain the dream away. Verse 24 says, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” What great faith!! What a role model of living a selfless and obedient life!

I am so thankful that the Bible is made up of “ordinary” men and women that I can look up to. Do you know that there are people who look up to you in this world? It’s true! There are people in your life that are watching you to see how you react to situations that life deals you. What are you showing them? Are you showing them a lifestyle that you want to be passed down? Because they will emulate you.

Let’s live a life that is worthy of our calling. You may not have asked to be a role model–I can bet Joseph didn’t ask for it either. But what an opportunity we all have to impact others for Christ! I pray that we would seize that opportunity this week and always!

More to come…
Jeremy