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bigmike

Willing to Sacrifice
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Matthew 13:54-57
Though the Bible does not record a single word that Joseph said, he was chosen by God for the amazing task of being the earthly father to the Son of God. Joseph brought Jesus up, teaching Him all the things a father would teach a son, probably including his trade of carpentry. The people of Nazareth who watched Jesus and His brothers and sisters grow up made no distinction between them, which shows us that Joseph fully accepted Jesus as his own child, despite not being His father. Charles Spurgeon said, “What must he have thought when he saw the Son of the Highest lying on the bosom of her whom he had espoused! He was happy to render any service to the newborn King. Since he accepted Mary as his espoused wife, her child was the heir of Joseph, and so of David; and thus was by right the King of the Jews.”
It is unlikely that God will ever ask of us something as demanding as Joseph faced. But anything which He calls us to do is worthy of whatever sacrifice it requires. Whether it is doing something that will be misunderstood and mocked by the world or giving up something to which we have a right, or taking on a task we wish would be given to someone else, we need to follow the example of Joseph and accept God's plan without resistance or complaint.
Nothing that God asks us to do is too much in light of His grace to us.
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