Issue 214
This is the second in a series of four WORKTALKweeklys designed to help you think about the Christmas story.
It’s very hard to know whether you are making the right decision in certain circumstances. If you are wise you will try to take all the factors you can into account. If you are ethical you will want to be true to your beliefs. If you are considerate then you will want to maximise human dignity and minimise human pain, especially if your decision affects others. If the decision is very important to you personally then you will want to ensure you are being honourable in all aspects. Such was Joseph’s moment; faced with the dilemma of the young woman, whom he loved and was in covenant to marry, being pregnant and knowing the baby was not his, he did his very best to deal with it, with his shock and hurt and disappointment, in a thoroughly honourable way.
He tried to avoid scandal – which would have been ruinous for Mary – and decided to end their relationship discreetly leaving her as free from disgrace as possible. His motives were good, his intentions were caring. He attempted to be logical, rational and honourable – and he was wrong.
It is possible to make an honourable, ethical decision and still be wrong. This is particularly the case when thinking of giving up on someone or something. There is always a risk of incomplete knowledge and blurred vision. Perhaps you have to let someone go. It could be that you need to close something down. You may need to abandon a strategy and overhaul your approach.
At this moment Joseph did not realise he was part of something much bigger than he could see. It was greater than his concern about scandal (which would of course have been his scandal as well) and it was a completely different situation than that which he thought he was facing. What he had not got was a divine perspective. We must be careful here – we cannot see things as God sees them because we are not God. What we can do is see them as God wants us to see them.
To wrap the events around this moment two other dynamics need to be considered:. firstly, Joseph was considering what he had using his mind; mulling it over, reflecting on it, looking at it from other angles he tried to come to a decision; secondly, he slept on it. Again we must not miss the moment. Joseph didn’t just sleep on it to give himself more time. Joseph slept on it and God spoke to him in a dream. Once Joseph had received the message he completely reversed his decision.
When faced with a decision you will want to do the honourable thing but leave space for your own reflections and allow time for surprises from God. This is the season for surprises after all.
Matthew 1:18-21
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
In preparation for the next GEOFFSHATTOCKweekly, do feel free to email us your thoughts to wtw@worktalk.gs or leave a comment on our Facebook or Twitter profile. You can also visit our YouTube channel - get inspired and share Worktalk's vision with others.
Work well
Geoff Shattock
© Copyright 2024 Geoff Shattock
All GEOFFSHATTOCKweekly archives are for personal use only. For permission to use for any other purposes please email using the address below thank you.
WORKTALK LEARNING
1 Washington Villas, Hythe Road, Marchwood, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 4WT United Kingdom
T:+44 (0)23 8086 8543
http://www.geoffshattock.com
comms@worktalk.gs
