I was inspired today by something that was said on the radio.  I am not going to give the exact quote, because to be honest I don’t remember.  It was something about Joseph and the birth of our Lord Jesus.  I am paraphrasing, but it was said, Joseph had the tough task of being the “Father” to the Lord.  Just like Mary, he had the choice to leave, and in the book of Mathew, it is said that he even contemplated it. How crazy would that have sounded at the time.  Hey, Joseph, you have a woman you are with, but she is carrying a child that is not yours.  No worries now though, he is the chosen one, and will be the new and everlasting covenant.  Yeah, that moment would have blown my mind, too. There are men today that would have run for the hills even if it was known that they really were the father.  In that moment, when he decided to stay with Mary, what an awesome decision was that.  Such a leap of faith. It inspired me to write this because, in today’s world there are so little role models to look up to.  Joseph, often overlooked, can really be an inspiration to men everywhere, that you can commit to God’s plan, if you are only wiling to listen.  Everyone forgets the traveling to Bethlehem that the family had to go through before the time of Jesus’s birth.  That had to been rough, but I can see him taking care of his then 9 month pregnant wife as they were making their way through the rough terrain.  I can see him teaching his young son how to use tools, and being a guidance for Jesus.  We tend to forget that there was a Jesus before his ministry began, and he had to have learned some things from his father.  Joseph was a step-father of course, but he was there, and I am sure helped his young son through some tough times in the early years. As with everything, this is the time of the year to reflect on things that have happened, and the year as a whole.  It is a time to spend with your family and show them how much you care about them.  Who in your life can you say was like Joseph, and was there even though they had a choice not to be?  Who was helping you in your early years become the person that you are today?  Joseph took on the task, who took on the task for you, and who will you do the same for, even though you don’t have to?