This week as we near Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we’re going to look at some of the characters of the Christmas story.

First up, might be a bit of a surprise. There is one figure that tends to be undervalued and overlooked in the Nativity scenes and the church Christmas pageants. Even the villain of the story, Herod, seems to get more attention. Yet, this guy is crucial. Jesus had an earthly father—Joseph.

Imagine for a moment being chosen to raise God’s only Son. ... Let that sink in a bit. The story begins when Joseph’s fiancée comes to him to say an angel has appeared to her and that God has spiritually impregnated her with His Son, Who, by the way, is going to be the Savior of the world. … Now, think how believable that one might feel to you. Is that not one of the craziest excuses for an affair pregnancy you’ve ever heard? In Matthew 1:19, Scripture states that Joseph decides he should just quietly divorce her, which was legally required of a betrothal or engagement in that day. The reason for this was he didn’t want to expose her to any public disgrace or judgment. Even amidst such great heartbreak, doubt, and question, Joseph put Mary first and protected her at all costs. He loved her, even in what he thought was his darkest moment.

But God had taken great care to choose a man of strong character for His Son. He had been watching and testing Joseph all his life—readying him for this moment. We must consider that God’s choice of parents for His Son had just as much to do with Joseph as Mary. … But wait. The story just gets better. Joseph has a dream where an angel confirms Mary’s story and tells him to name the boy “Jesus.” So, Joseph immediately marries Mary. … But wait, there's more. Joseph does not have sex with his wife prior to her giving birth. Now, there is nothing in this passage where the angel tells Joseph to abstain; in fact, the angel says to "take her home," meaning he has all the legal rights of a husband. But Joseph made a choice out of respect to God’s plan. Joseph decided to stay out of God’s way, to stay in His will.

So, God gives Joseph the responsibility of raising His Son. Kids have always been expensive in any culture, so how does God help Joseph provide for his new family? Well, you know that gold, frankincense, and myrrh we talk about that the Magi brought when Christ was a toddler? … Always remember, God is just as practical as He is mystical. … What we focus on as elaborate gifts that some wealthy astronomers brought as worship offerings, God provided as the resources to finance the raising of His son. Those items would have been a nice income for many years back in that day. A trust fund in our terms. God provided and honored Joseph’s amazing faith by taking care of his family.

So, let’s review a few challenges and inspirations from a look at Joseph’s life—this over-looked man at the manger. 1—A life of integrity takes years to build, but God always honors and rewards the person who commits to the long haul with Him. 2—Sacrificial love means dying to self. Joseph clearly loved Mary that way. 3—A person after God’s heart works to stay out of His way, to stay in His will. 4—Obedience to God is invisible faith put in visible action. Joseph heard and took action every time God spoke to him. 5—God will provide for what He promises.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let’s honor Joseph as one of the greatest, yet most overlooked dads in Scripture. And we also need to add something very important—by definition, Jesus was Joseph’s step-son because while he was not his blood, he raised him as his own.

Let’s pray: “Immanuel, Lord Jesus, thank You for this look into Joseph’s life, a step-dad that gets overlooked and ignored every year, but had a profound impact on all our lives by raising Jesus. Help me to hear and obey You the way Joseph did. As above, so below.”