Just A Man!
Every Christmas, as I revisit the story of Jesus’ birth, I find myself drawn to Joseph—the man who raised Jesus as his own. The carpenter. He’s one of the most recognized fathers in all of history, yet he appears in only a handful of verses, tucked into Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2. Even with so little said about him, Joseph continually amazes me. He wasn’t wealthy, influential, or formally educated. He was a simple tradesman—and still, Scripture calls him “a just man” (Matt. 1:19, ESV).
We all know the story, but here’s my quick summary: Joseph is engaged to Mary—meaning he had likely already paid the dowry, booked the barn-venue, and sent the invitations (well… maybe not exactly, but people knew about this engagement). Then Joseph learns Mary is pregnant. In that culture, this wasn’t just awkward—it was a serious, reputation-shattering situation. And yet Joseph, being a just man, chooses not to disgrace Mary. In fact, he’s willing to take the shame upon himself. If he refuses to expose her, it means he’s the one who will look like the man who abandoned his pregnant wife. Not a great look.
Then God steps in. He speaks to Joseph in a dream and tells him to take Mary as his wife and to embrace Jesus as his son. I imagine waking up from a dream like that and thinking, “Really?” or “No way!” or even, “God… was that actually You?” Joseph was essentially being asked to raise the Son of God. That’s a lot to take in before breakfast.
But Joseph wakes up—and obeys. No arguing. No bargaining. No hesitation recorded. He steps into a calling that would be difficult, uncomfortable, and misunderstood. And this is the part I love: Joseph gets almost no recognition for it. If you read quickly, you can miss him entirely. We don’t learn much about him at all. He appears faithfully—and then disappears quietly from the story.
And that’s the beauty of it. Joseph didn’t step into this role for fame, for glory, or even for a mention in Scripture (and he only gets a few verses anyway). He answered God’s call simply because of the One who called him. He embraced his role as a leader with quiet strength and integrity.
Later, when people interacted with Jesus, they said, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” That’s the legacy Joseph left behind. He may never have been wealthy, educated, or prominent, but he shows us the lasting impact of a faithful man—a just man.
Don’t settle for being “just a man.” Be a just man. As one of my commentaries puts it, “That’s the kind of man God looked for to rock His Son’s cradle. And it’s still the kind of man He seeks to rock the world.”
Merry Christmas…
You are the man
