Know It and Live It

This Christmas season something new has struck me.  Something different, perhaps not the most important, or most celebrated part of the Christmas story but still, definitely an integral part in the awesome account of Christ`s birth.  I was impressed by Mary.  Not a worshipful sort of impression, (no, I`m not Catholic) more a deep respect or admiration. 

The angel called Mary “highly favoured” and that she was – called to be the mother of perfection, to teach and train, to protect and provide for.  What other being of our human race has been called to do such? Teach and train the omniscient?  Provide and protect the omnipotent and omnipresent? 

Ridiculous!

Mother the Son of God!

After the angel left, reality set in.  Doubt arose.  Fear.  Insecurity.  The angel’s appearance felt dream-like and distant.  Mother the Son of God?  She must tell someone.  Someone she could trust – confide in.  But who, who would believe her?

Joseph.

She must tell him. 

Joseph?  Tell him she was pregnant?  Of course he trusted her, but to tell him she was pregnant was to sign her own death sentence, quite literal.  In Jewish practice of this time a woman caught in adultery could be publically stoned. 

But who else could she tell? Who else would believe?  Of course there was cousin Elisabeth.  But really, Joseph was going to have to know eventually, it was only fair that he be told. 

Imagine, friend, to be Joseph.  To have your sweetheart, your wife-to-be, your soul mate, tell you that she was pregnant, and on top of that, to claim innocence.  The mixture of pain, anger, hurt, rejection and oh so many other emotions tumbled through his head.  Yet he loved her.  No matter how hard Mary must have pleaded her innocence with him, he could find no rational answer except, Guilty. 

Guilty! 

He hated to believe it, no, he feared to believe it.

Yet he loved her.  He didn’t seek revenge, if he had, he would have had her stoned.  Disappointed? Yes.  Revengeful? No.  So Joseph decided he must break their marriage plans.  He must break his heart.

An Angel.  The melodious message of God’s servant, “She is innocent!”

But like Mary, reality must set in.  For Joseph to defend Mary`s innocence, to the public eye, was to plead guilty with her.  He was signing their fate to public scorn and ridicule.

But somehow, these two young souls knew the truth, and then lived the truth.  Reckless and careless to what others thought.  That's my challenge, KNOW TRUTH AND LIVE TRUTH.