How to be a ‘Joseph’?

Some weeks ago, I attended our Youth Convention in church and as the relationship session ended, a very elderly man in church signaled to the moderator wanting to make a contribution. As he rounded up the contribution, he made a statement I’d never forget. He said “If Jesus were to come today (sent into the world as a baby), are there ‘Marys’ here (pointing to the crowd) to bear him?”
In that moment something clicked in my heart…
If my understanding is accurate, I guess what he referred to as ‘Marys’ meant virgins. But on a second thought, my mind seemed to rephrase the question by asking, “if Jesus was to come today, would there be ‘Josephs’ to help the ‘Mary’?”
Good Question right?
You know, over time the world has celebrated the Virgin Mary, but we fail to celebrate the Responsible Joseph. If there’s really one man I want to be like in Scripture, as a Husband, it is Joseph.
Here are reasons why I think Joseph was such a man rare to find today.
He accepted…
In a world where men are absconding from fatherhood and choosing to be a sex freelancers, a man like Joseph not only accepted a pregnant woman, but assumed the responsibility and care for the baby that wasn’t his. The hallmark of manhood is responsibility. Now that means not only for things that you initiated, but that which others close to you may have initiated.
Can we find such men today?
He was considerate
Can you imagine what could have happened to Mary had she been exposed? She was a Virgin, perhaps living with her father. When he realized she was pregnant, and not for him, he decided to think deeply about his course of action, trying to find the best way to resolve the issue at hand without creating a ‘Linda Ikeji’ kind of news. She could have been stoned due to the prevailing laws at the time. In the middle of his deep thoughts, a divine direction was given?
How different will the world be if men could just take a pause to think about their cause of action?
Can we find such men today?
He had Self Control…
With the level of sexual awakening in our world today, many young men and women are fast loosing their virginity and leading sexually active lives. Some of us living for God are actively burning with desires too, but we are kept in check by the Holy Spirit within us. Here was Joseph, legally married to a woman, paid the bride price, living in the same house, yet he didn’t relate with his wife sexually till the child was born. With my little knowledge, I’m aware that pregnant women still have sex. But, Joseph, a young man restrained himself till the time of her delivery.
Men today rape, even minors, procure services of prostitutes, feed on pornography. But we have an example in Joseph — a man who had his sexual urges under control.
That’s the kind of man I want to be.
A responsible man, a man that reasons and a man that exercises a great deal of self control.
So, back to my rephrased thought on the comment of the elder, “Can we find men like Joseph today if Jesus were to come through a Mary today?”
Or better still are you a Joseph?
I hope this inspires men out there and the women too.
PS: Perhaps I could also write with the focus on Marys, what do you think? Or perhaps share your own thoughts.

