Today, the wider church celebrates Joseph, Guardian of Jesus. Of course, the title being intentional with God being the parent and all, but still…no pressure at all for Joseph. Just try to raise the Son of God with tenderness and care and assurance of safety. Granted, we can assume that God was going to make sure all the above was taken care of and then some, but I wonder how much of an impact was made on the earthly Jesus by his home-front father. Did he even further appreciate the people who spend all hours of the day painstakingly working with their hands learning from a carpenter? Did he even grow more in compassion and empathy with those who weren’t in the most well-off circumstances? Unfortunately, we don’t know much about Joseph, but maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
In recent years of being a father, I myself have grown in overwhelming appreciation of guardians and foster parents, even though I have no idea the fullest extent of paperwork and background checks and red-tape hoops they must go through, let alone all the complications that might ensue once new life arrives on their respective home front. Amidst all that, there’s no pressure at all: just try to raise someone you never met with tenderness and care and assurance of safety with the same love as any biological relationship. I like to think that in each instance, they bring the precious story of Joseph to life.
And yet, more often than not, their impact will not be known beyond the children who came into their lives without any previous connection besides names on a page. Except, more often than not, guardians and foster parents are not interested in personal glory, but only to ensure that these children are on the receiving end of emotional and tangible love. Perhaps Joseph was wired the same way: doing just enough to ensure the Son of God could take it and us the rest of the way to a glorious life-fulfilling love. So, for Joseph and all guardians and foster parents, thanks be to God, indeed!
In Christ,
Pastor Brad
Image: “St. Joseph and the Christ Child” (Guido Reni, 1575–1642)