Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Mary, Christmas and Joe

"Yes, I'm pregnant," she said between sobs, "I'll say it again, I'm pregnant, I'm with child, I"m whatever you want to call it but it's true, I'm going to have a baby."

He stood there stunned, the girl is was about to marry drops this bomb on him. He hadn't even touched her, the baby couldn't be his. The first thought he had was to beat her and her baby to death, but reality was sinking in and he walked away without a word, the worst he'd do to her was to shun her. Let her live with the stigma of being an unwed mother, it's of no matter to him now.

Later that night while sitting around the fire, all his brothers and friends said the same thing, "We need to kill her, she can't do this disgrace to your good name. First we find who the father is and we'll kill him too. We'll send them to hell together." But once again he was the voice of reason, and refused to be swallowed up in their hate.

"I'm going to bed," he said, "and deal with it tomorrow. Go now to your own house and forget my problem."

Sleep finally came three hours later. He drifted off thinking that he still loved her, even if he wasn't the father of her child. Then came the dream.

"Joseph." the voice said, "Joseph, take Mary as your wife as planned. She will have a son and you will name him Jesus. This is all part of God's plan that He gave through his prophets, "The virgin shall conceive a child".

The next day Joseph what he was told and brought Mary home to be his wife. He didn't touch her until after the baby was born. The baby grew up and to this day people talk of Him. A holiday has been named for His birth and His death. Some say His name with honor and love. Others yell it at football officials and bad driver's. Some love to hear His name, others sue to have it deleted from all society. Some know that He is the only way to salvation, while others choose to make it to heaven on their own. Two Thousand plus years have passed since this baby was born, and still today He is as important to this world as He was to Mary and Joe.

Truly celebrate Jesus this Christmas, after all, that's what Christmas is all about.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Some say His name with honor and love. Others yell it at football officials and bad driver's."

Have you ever noticed no other deity's name is used like our Lord's? No one spits out "Oh, Buddha!" when they stump their toe, or "Allah, that hurt!"

Christ told us not to be surprised when the world hates us, because they hated Him first. And they did--and they do. Such a sad and sorry way to respond to His love, don't you think?

Good post, Walk.

Anonymous said...

By the way, you'd like the post "InHisGrip" made in her blog. It's a poem in Joe's POV. Check it out:

http://chandrasplace.blogspot.com/