Attempts at Honesty

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Joseph the Grinder

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RumorIn sports, a player who is not spectacular but always gets his job done is sometimes called a “grinder.” The grinder can be counted on to do the right thing.

In reading about Joseph in Matthew 1 this morning, the term “grinder” is what came to mind. Joseph could be counted on to do the right thing.

First, when he found out that Mary was pregnant, rather than make a spectacle of her to clear his name, he looked to get the matter resolved privately. (Matthew 1:19)

Second, when the angel explained what really happened, Joseph did what the angel told him to do. He followed through and took Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:24)

One aspect of small town living is that people know what is happening in their neighbors’ lives. It would have been no different for Joseph and Mary.

If Joseph knew that Mary was pregnant, it would not have been long before the rest of the town would have figured it out. Mary was pregnant before their marriage had been finalized. This was a scandal that would have tongues working overtime sharing the sordid details of what must have happened. Rumors of what had happened would have worked their way through the entire community.

When Joseph decided to do the right thing and marry Mary, he was taking on a lifetime of people whispering behind his back about the timing of Jesus’ birth. Therefore, Joseph became Mary’s husband and Jesus’ father at some personal cost. He willingly bore the stigma of the timing of events surrounding his marriage and Jesus’ birth. The birth would continually have had the stigma of illegitimacy attached to it.

To readers in 2015, this may seem like less of a big deal than it really was. Our culture has a flexible view of marriage and what is permissible before marriage. So we need to work a little to understand how scandalous this really was.

My big takeaway this morning is that Joseph did the right thing in the right way even when no-one else knew or acknowledged that it was the right thing. Joseph was a grinder, getting the job done even when it is not glamorous.

Paul tells us that we are all called to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). This means that we are called to do the right thing even when it may cost us something or if it goes against the grain of our culture.

As I consider Joseph this morning, I am encouraged by his example. Are you? Please take a moment and share your thoughts below.

 

After two whole years . . .

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Two YearsPerhaps I am alone in this, but I do a lot of whining to God when things don’t go the way I think they should. In a fallen world, disappointment is inevitable and my response is not always appropriate or helpful. Not only do I whine to God, I can get rather petulant when things don’t improve quickly. In reality, I am very blessed and many would laugh at my response to the trivial difficulties I face.

One of the best things about Scripture is that it challenges me to face my issues and seek God for change.

This morning, I was reading the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph found himself in prison for a crime that he did not commit. A couple of his bunk mates had dreams that Joseph correctly interpreted for them. One of the dreamers was the king’s cup bearer who was restored to his office as the dream foretold. Joseph had asked the cup bearer to speak to the king about his situation but like many of us would do, the cup bearer got caught up in his own good fortune and forgot about Joseph.

The cup bearer forgot about him for two years as we are told in Genesis 41:1. “Two whole years” is how the ESV puts it.

Do you think that Joseph struggled with self pity during that time? Do you think that he questioned himself and his God while lingering in prison? Do you think that Joseph whined to God occasionally? Joseph had gone from favorite son to prisoner through no fault of his own.

It is easy for us to forget that Joseph did not know how long he would remain in prison. We know how the story ends, but Joseph did not. It takes us a few seconds to read about those two whole years, while Joseph had to live them out one second at a time, all 32 million of them.

Like Joseph, I don’t know how my story will play out moving forward. Do I trust that the same God who was faithful to Joseph is still in control?

I do and I don’t. My head tells me that God remains in control while my heart too often falters in that belief. But even when I falter God gently reminds me of how blessed I really am. I am encouraged by David when he writes:

“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” (Psalm 37:25, ESV)
Or as Jesus promises:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV)

If Jesus is who he said he is, then I have nothing to worry about. Now, if I could only convince my heart . . .

An ordinary guy involved in extraordinary things

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Joseph's Dream
Dream of Joseph (Wikipedia)

He is described as a just man but we know little else about him. He loved his fiancée and was dismayed when he found out that she was pregnant, knowing that the baby was not his. Because of his love for the young woman, he decided to quietly walk away rather than make a big scene. It was a difficult decision, but to divorce Mary was Joseph’s only right choice. She had betrayed him, so he thought.

How many times do we think that we understand a situation in which we find ourselves only to find out that we don’t have all the facts? Fortunately, an angel came to Joseph to give him the missing details so that he could make a better decision.

The angel told Joseph “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife” (Matthew 1:20). It is normal for an angel to begin his message with “do not be afraid” which carries the sense of stop being afraid. The normal usage is a present tense command. Here, the angel doesn’t use an imperative (command) nor does he use the present tense. When the angel tells Joseph to avoid fear, his words convey the sense of “never be afraid to take Mary as your wife.”

Most of the time when the angel says “do not fear,” the angel is the source of fear and it is of short duration once the person receiving the message comes to grips with the fact that a supernatural being is speaking with him.

In the case of Joseph, the source of fear is the pregnancy of Mary. Until the end of his life, Joseph would have to deal with the wagging tongues of the gossips in the area. The normal length of time from conception to birth was just as well known then as it is now. When Jesus would be born, the gossips would figure out that from the time of the wedding celebration to the time of birth was a month or two short. People would naturally assume that Mary was not pure prior to her wedding.

We know how cruel people can be in what they say. We know how gossip spreads and makes life difficult for the subject of the gossip. Joseph would have to deal with this for the rest of his life. He would have to draw strength from the encouragement of the angel. He would have to push through the fear and not second guess his decision.

Joseph followed the angel’s instruction and went through with the wedding and became the adopted father of Jesus. We know little else about him except that he put down his fear and did the right thing and continued doing the right thing even when it was difficult.

By definition most of us, like Joseph, are ordinary. We are not the smartest, best looking or most talented people around. But the example of Joseph tells us that by being obedient and doing the right thing, even when it is difficult, we can be used by God to accomplish extraordinary things.

So get out there and be ordinary.

What Joseph teaches me about Thanksgiving

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prayer.jpgGenesis 41 records the story of how how Joseph responded when he was presented to Pharaoh. Even though Joseph was sold out by his brothers and falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, even though he spent years in slavery and prison, even though he had good reason to think that God had abandoned him, Joseph wastes no breath in self pity or bitterness.

In Genesis 37 we read that Joseph was 17 when he had his first dream. We are not told how much time goes by before he was sold into slavery, but it seems to be a fairly short time. In Genesis 41, we read that Joseph was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh. From this we can conclude that Joseph spent at least 10 years in slavery and prison. Ten years is a long time to suffer for no good reason.

Joseph emerges from prison confident in his God and in position to be God’s man in that situation. I wonder how Joseph could have endured the hardship of slavery and prison with such a good attitude.

As a slave, he was given responsibility for Potiphar’s household. As a prisoner, Joseph was given responsibility for the the other prisoners. Responsibility is not given to people who have a negative outlook on life. Responsibility is not given to people who are bitter and revengeful. Responsibility is given to those whose attitude is such that it lifts up the attitudes of the people around them.

Joseph was the kind that lifted up those around him. This is evidence that something was going on in Joseph’s thinking that allowed him to avoid self-pity and bitterness.

While the text does not specifically say so, I think that the answer has something to do with gratitude. It is hard to be thankful and whiny at the same time. It is hard to display gratitude and bitterness at the same time. Gratitude displaces bitterness and whining.

At the end of Genesis, following the death of Israel, Joseph sums up his experience at the hand of his brothers by saying, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20) I get the sense that this is not something that Joseph learned in the palace. This is a lesson that Joseph had to have learned in the prison in order to maintain such a positive outlook on life.

The knowledge that God was in control and that God meant it for good could be the only explanation as to why Joseph was not bitter when he became elevated. While in prison, he did not have a full understanding of what God was doing, but he must have had some sense of God’s presence and love.

My take-away is that while I have nothing in my life which compares to the hardship that Joseph endured, the petty trials that I endure often reveal me as a little bit whiny and prone to frustration and bitterness.

Since today is the day of Thanksgiving, what better time is there to start practicing thankfulness? I have much for which I should be thankful. If Joseph could go through his trials without bitterness or complaint, surely my petty issues are not insurmountable. I choose to be thankful.

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