One Act of Faith That Changed Everything

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.                                               Matthew1:18

 

Several years ago, I struggled to understand the concept of “divine conception,” or the “virgin birth.” Yet today, the entire world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, often without pausing to consider the extraordinary circumstances under which such a miracle occurred. I was present at the birth of our three children—each one complicated and difficult—and through those experiences, I came to see the miracle of childbirth and recognize that our great God can do anything. What challenges me even more now is understanding how Joseph, the soon-to-be husband of Mary, became part of this remarkable story.

 

Think of how the Gospel of Matthew shares the birth of Christ from Joseph’s perspective, beginning in verse 18. First, he is engaged and now betrothed to Mary, and she is pregnant—yet he is not the father. Someone else, something else, or somehow, she is with child. Second, he knows the Jewish laws of marriage, and the only proper response available to him is divorce. But he loves Mary and does not want her to suffer cultural disgrace or accusations of adultery. Finally, Joseph is a loyal and obedient follower of Judaism and does not want to face personal embarrassment. What a dilemma in the birth story of Jesus—quite different from the beautiful Christmas narrative we read in Luke’s Gospel.

 

If we think back on our own faith journeys, there came a point when we had to decide to believe—the birth story, the resurrection story, and the truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from our sins. My friends, Joseph was the first to believe in Jesus. Yes, Mary believed, but Joseph had only a dream for guidance. When the angel appeared to him and addressed him as “Joseph, son of David,” the words must have been profoundly persuasive. That phrase, in my view, signaled to Joseph that this was truly a divine moment, confirming what he knew from Scripture—that the Messiah would come through the lineage of David. Joseph believed, and after Jesus was born, Scripture tells us that Mary and Joseph went on to have at least six other children.

 

This divine Christmas story, in many ways, was shaped by the faith of one man—Joseph—who chose to believe. His quiet obedience, his willingness to trust God in the most bewildering circumstances, became part of the foundation upon which the story of our Savior’s birth rests.

 

And that is the same message we share at year-end at HIM.

 

The Power of One is told through the stories of people around the world who have been transformed by one act of kindness, one gift of impact, and one person who believes in the mission God has given us. Because one man—Joseph—believed, the story of Christ’s birth unfolds. And because one person today chooses to believe in the work of HIM, lives are changed through education, livelihood projects, and humanitarian relief that rescue vulnerable women and children from exploitation rooted in poverty.

 

This Christmas, we invite you to be the ONE who helps us continue sharing the message first entrusted to Joseph: “to us is born a Savior, Jesus…” Your partnership allows us to proclaim that hope in places where darkness and desperation still try to prevail.

 

TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Byron