See the Man

See the man lying there on the small pallet of straw?  He is tired.  Perhaps tired is not a good description.  He is worn out. 

Fatigued. 

Exhausted.

It has been a long week.  First the trip was exhausting, seeing as he walked most of the way.  And then he had no bed on which to rest except for this old and scratchy straw.

Before that, he proved skillful in helping deliver a baby – His baby, sort of. 

And now the good wife is asleep, for the child is asleep, and that means for a few minutes, perhaps a few hours, he too can sleep.

And so he sleeps, for he has been faithful to his calling this night.

His calling?

Yes, you might call it his “calling”.  You see, the baby really isn’t his.  He was pledged to marry the mother, but the baby was a surprise.  Boy what a surprise that one was.  Yet he was asked to keep his vow of marriage, and to accept this child as his earthly charge, raise Him up to become a man, teach him his craft, and school Him in the ways of growing up.

And so he will. 

And the baby sleeps on.  And the Father looks on and smiles and whispers …

“Joseph, you have done well.  You will raise our Son well, for I will be with you and Mary wherever you go.”

You will teach Him his first words.

You will bath Him, dress Him and feed Him.

You will teach Him your skill of carpentry.

You will teach Him the ways of the world and the ways of His God.

You will model for Him what a man is all about.

I watched you from the beginning, and you are as chosen of me as was Mary, and Bethlehem, and His name.

Sleep well Joseph. 

Sleep very well indeed.

God

P Michael Biggs

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