"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him..." Matthew 1:24
There is a certain mystery to Joseph. Somehow, after the Advent story has been told and the Gospels go silent, we are left wanting to know more about him. But really, if there is anything worth knowing about a person, it is his character and regard for the Lord; and this is what God chose to tell us about the man who would help raise the Savior of the world. So while we aren't given many details, we are actually given so much more. Joseph is one who despite his obscurity, left a powerful legacy.
"....Joseph....was a righteous man..." This is the cornerstone of who Joseph was. This is what drove every decision and motivated every action. He was a man whose heart was devoted to the Lord and to His law. That he was devoted to the Lord is so important because this is what allowed him to be committed to the law without becoming self-righteous and full of pride. There is such humility demonstrated by Joseph when he decides to quietly divorce Mary. He did not desire to make an example out of her, he did not desire to shame her, or in any way bring attention to her situation. His first thought was not about himself in the midst of whatever disappointment or shock he felt, but rather how to protect his betrothed from public disgrace.
"...Joseph...did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him..." Joseph didn't question, he didn't argue, he didn't complain, he didn't seek clarification or verification. He obeyed. He heard the angel's incredible, almost unbelievable message - that Mary, through the Spirit, would give birth to the long-awaited Savior; and he received it as from the Lord with no hesitation. Joseph took the angel at his word. He set aside the plans he had made for divorce, along with whatever new direction he had charted for his life, and took Mary home as his wife. But even this was not the marriage he was originally planning. It would be months before they related fully as a married couple. Even in this Joseph had to set aside expectations and desires to preserve the sanctity of God's plan.
"So [Joseph] got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod." Once again the angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream, this time warning him of danger and instructing him to make their escape. Whatever Joseph had anticipated for his life with Mary and her baby, fleeing a tyrant in the dead of night was probably not a part of it. But again, the word of the Lord was supreme. Joseph uprooted his life and livelihood in obedience to God and moved to Egypt. After this, there followed two additional angelic visits, more moves, more upheaval and more adjustments. Joseph was steadfast in the midst of it all. He revered the Lord and his word more than his own plans, comfort, or preference. He lived his life faithfully for the Lord with no equivocation.
We do not hear anymore about Joseph, except peripherally, in the account of twelve year old Jesus staying at the temple in Jerusalem after the Passover, and his parents frantic search for him. From this point on the Bible and history are silent on Joseph. But the silence is profound. Why? Because it speaks to the faithful fulfillment and completion of the task God gave to him all those years ago. God the Father was Jesus' true Father, but it was Joseph who raised Jesus from infancy as his own. He taught him, loved him, protected him, and provided for him, until the time came when Jesus was old enough to fully engage in his divine relationship with his heavenly Father.
We would love to know more about Joseph, but we have been told enough to see that in the midst of his complete ordinariness, he was truly extraordinary. He was resolute in his faithfulness to the Lord, and he was committed to an obedience that never wavered. He made no demands, he did not question, he did not claim his life as his own. No matter what it cost him, whether he understood what he was asked to do or what it all meant, he was God's, period. The quiet power of Joseph's life still speaks to us today after two thousand years, if we are willing to listen. We who are prone to questioning, who want answers before we commit, who justify our hesitation and somehow think obedience is optional - or can at least be done on our terms; we who too often demand of God what is not ours to dictate - our lives, need to take to heart the challenge of Joseph's life. Humble regard for the Lord, total and complete surrender, obedience and trust - this is the legacy of Joseph. What will our legacy be?