AN INCREDIBLE REPORT
- DAY 357
- FEAR FILE: JOSEPH
- SCRIPTURES: Matthew 1:19-20, 24
“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.”
Matthew 1:19 NKJV
Imagine that your wedding is on the way. You have planned everything and done your engagement in the true Nigerian fashion. Then all of a sudden, you find out that the woman you are betrothed to, who claimed to be a virgin is pregnant. Would you be as calm as Joseph and hand handle privately or will the blogs hear your story? As a cherry on top, she cannot explain how she happened to be pregnant. She’s giving him some cock and bull story of being impregnated by the Holy Spirit. Who would believe that?
But Joseph is a man of faith, he is called a just man and although he does not believe her explanation, he couldn’t embarrass her. He probably thought “Mary, you have made a mess of my plans and hurt and embarrassed me. Even though you hurt me, I won’t hurt you. I will protect your life and preserve your reputation by not making this public.” It takes courage for someone to be facing embarrassment and still think of protecting the offender’s reputation.
Some of us are so quick to come out and tell “our truth.” Your truth, whatever that is, can be told without destroying the life of another. You’re forgetting that you have somebody with you in that truth. How many people can stand keeping shut and looking bad, to protect the other person? Divorced people fill the heads of innocent kids with the faults of the other party because they don’t want to be the bad parent. Years after, these children have to deal with the trauma. If Joseph had gone public he would be right, but Mary would be dead.
Beloved, people fail and they need room to recover. If it is not life-saving or threatening, share the gory details with a therapist or close circle and heal. No need to destroy someone’s second chance. My pastor would say, “They made a mistake, but you can end their life by the way you handle it.”
Pray that the Lord will give you courage and self-control, that He will fill your heart with love so that you will be able to protect your brother even when they have wronged you.
Shalom.
