her and took Jesus into his arms. “Come, Mary.” He slipped his arm around her.
“I’m sorry,” her sister whispered.
“Don’t you dare apologize to him,” Clopas said, glowering. “He’s the cause of this trouble, and the reason for the shame that has fallen upon our family.”
“You’re wrong.” Mary’s mouth trembled. “Joseph is above reproach, and Jesus is God’s Anointed One. Someday you’ll see the truth for yourself!” One day she would be vindicated. They would all see her son on the throne, ruling with righteousness!
“I’ll believe he’s the Messiah when I see him with an army behind him, driving the Romans out of Jerusalem!”
Mary felt Joseph’s arm tighten, pressing her through the doorway. She resisted, wanting to say more to her sister and brother-in-law. Anger coursed through her, but Joseph was firm. His arm encircled her protectively as they went out into the narrow street. “Oh, Joseph. I never expected it to be like this. Why do they prefer lies to the truth? Surely Jesus won’t grow up beneath such a . . . shadow.”
“God brought us here, Mary. What will happen now, I can’t say. We must live in God’s strength, my love.”
“Mama?” Jesus said, distressed by her tears of hurt and anger. Joseph ran his hand tenderly over Jesus’ hair, his eyes troubled. When Jesus looked up at him, Joseph smiled and brushed his knuckles against the smooth round cheek. Mary saw the love in her husband’s eyes and ached for him. His reputation had been ruined as much as hers. People believed he had seduced her.
Bless Joseph, Lord. Oh, please bless him for what he will suffer for the sake of your Son and me.
How many men would accept the loss of their reputation with grace, knowing their actions were by God’s direction? How many men would rise at the first whisper of God’s counsel and leave house and business and move to a foreign country? Or leave house and business and return to a town that thought they’d seduced a young virgin and filled her head with wild tales of angels and the coming Messiah?
Each day that passed increased Mary’s love for the man God had chosen for her. She had liked him when she first met him. She had respected him more with each trial they had faced, and she loved him now more than she’d thought possible. Oh, Lord, you have given me blessing upon blessing.
Joseph set Jesus on his feet and Mary took his hand. As the three of them walked down the street together, Jesus reached up and took Joseph’s hand. Mary smiled at her husband and felt the heaviness upon her heart lifting.
“Someday they will all see Jesus in power, Joseph. And they’ll know then how they wronged us.” Swallowing her tears, she lifted her head and walked on in silence.
Joseph’s small house was the same as when they’d left it. He set up his shop and made a meager living making yokes, plows, and ladders. When no work came to him, he would rise early and walk to nearby Sepphoris, hiring himself out to overseers who needed good carpenters to build lattices, doors, and furniture for the wealthy.
Life fell into a routine of struggle and hard work. Each morning, Mary and Joseph rose together, washed their hands and eyes. Mary pronounced the blessing over the house and went out to feed and water Joseph’s donkey before he went to work in his shop or started out for Sepphoris. Then she and Jesus went down to the common well to draw water for the day. She worked in the vegetable garden or small flower bed. She pressed oil for the lamps, pounded spices, gathered brushwood for the house fire, washed linen, worked spindle and loom, prepared meals, and laid out the pallets.
For Jesus’ sake, Mary made no mention of the visitation of the angel of the Lord, his miraculous conception, the visit of the magi, or the gifts still held by Joseph in trust for him. She said nothing of the four times that the Lord had spoken to Joseph. Someday, when Jesus revealed his
“I’m sorry,” her sister whispered.
“Don’t you dare apologize to him,” Clopas said, glowering. “He’s the cause of this trouble, and the reason for the shame that has fallen upon our family.”
“You’re wrong.” Mary’s mouth trembled. “Joseph is above reproach, and Jesus is God’s Anointed One. Someday you’ll see the truth for yourself!” One day she would be vindicated. They would all see her son on the throne, ruling with righteousness!
“I’ll believe he’s the Messiah when I see him with an army behind him, driving the Romans out of Jerusalem!”
Mary felt Joseph’s arm tighten, pressing her through the doorway. She resisted, wanting to say more to her sister and brother-in-law. Anger coursed through her, but Joseph was firm. His arm encircled her protectively as they went out into the narrow street. “Oh, Joseph. I never expected it to be like this. Why do they prefer lies to the truth? Surely Jesus won’t grow up beneath such a . . . shadow.”
“God brought us here, Mary. What will happen now, I can’t say. We must live in God’s strength, my love.”
“Mama?” Jesus said, distressed by her tears of hurt and anger. Joseph ran his hand tenderly over Jesus’ hair, his eyes troubled. When Jesus looked up at him, Joseph smiled and brushed his knuckles against the smooth round cheek. Mary saw the love in her husband’s eyes and ached for him. His reputation had been ruined as much as hers. People believed he had seduced her.
Bless Joseph, Lord. Oh, please bless him for what he will suffer for the sake of your Son and me.
How many men would accept the loss of their reputation with grace, knowing their actions were by God’s direction? How many men would rise at the first whisper of God’s counsel and leave house and business and move to a foreign country? Or leave house and business and return to a town that thought they’d seduced a young virgin and filled her head with wild tales of angels and the coming Messiah?
Each day that passed increased Mary’s love for the man God had chosen for her. She had liked him when she first met him. She had respected him more with each trial they had faced, and she loved him now more than she’d thought possible. Oh, Lord, you have given me blessing upon blessing.
Joseph set Jesus on his feet and Mary took his hand. As the three of them walked down the street together, Jesus reached up and took Joseph’s hand. Mary smiled at her husband and felt the heaviness upon her heart lifting.
“Someday they will all see Jesus in power, Joseph. And they’ll know then how they wronged us.” Swallowing her tears, she lifted her head and walked on in silence.
Joseph’s small house was the same as when they’d left it. He set up his shop and made a meager living making yokes, plows, and ladders. When no work came to him, he would rise early and walk to nearby Sepphoris, hiring himself out to overseers who needed good carpenters to build lattices, doors, and furniture for the wealthy.
Life fell into a routine of struggle and hard work. Each morning, Mary and Joseph rose together, washed their hands and eyes. Mary pronounced the blessing over the house and went out to feed and water Joseph’s donkey before he went to work in his shop or started out for Sepphoris. Then she and Jesus went down to the common well to draw water for the day. She worked in the vegetable garden or small flower bed. She pressed oil for the lamps, pounded spices, gathered brushwood for the house fire, washed linen, worked spindle and loom, prepared meals, and laid out the pallets.
For Jesus’ sake, Mary made no mention of the visitation of the angel of the Lord, his miraculous conception, the visit of the magi, or the gifts still held by Joseph in trust for him. She said nothing of the four times that the Lord had spoken to Joseph. Someday, when Jesus revealed his
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