Leaving a Legacy

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 1:18 – 2:15, 19-23 (day one) “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” (v. 19)
Today we begin our new study: The Gospel of Matthew, and we’ll do so looking at the man, Joseph.  Have you ever wondered about God’s choice for who would be the earthly parents of His only son? Imagine the responsibility!  Imagine how Jesus would be shaped and molded by His earthly parents during His formative years.  What kind of mother would Jesus need?  What did God look for in the man who would help parent the Savior of the world?
While we know very little about Joseph, we do know (from this passage) that, in the midst of difficult circumstances emotionally and socially (1) he acted justly and (2) he showed mercy.  The man who reared Jesus had the Micah 6:8 characteristics… traits that would become second nature to Jesus Himself.
Seeing how the Savior reflected traits from his parents’ character gives me pause…How will those whom God has entrusted to me be influenced by my character traits?  Will God be glorified by that influence?
Heavenly Father, make us a people who leave a legacy of strong character.  Build in us a sense of compassion and justice that makes a mark on the generations that follow.

Blake Coffee, FBC Lay Leader, guest blogger

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