In the past month, like many others, I have been pondering the situations surrounding the birth of Jesus. I especially have been wondering about the people God chose to be key characters in His real life drama. What characteristics did Joseph and Mary have that caused God to trust them with circumstances unlike any that had ever been heard of?
To begin, I believe that Joesph and Mary were not puppets used by God for a purpose but rather people that had legitimate opportunities to go along with or reject God's plans for them. I believe that God risked the success of His plan for the salvation of the world by choosing to to let imperfect humans partner in it's development.
What kind of man must Joseph have been for God to trust him with such a shameful looking scenario. A lesser man would have washed his hands of the entire situation and appeared to be a greater man for it. In first century Israel the honor of one's name carried greater value than gold. Joseph's honor and the honor of his family name had to be forfeited (temporarily at least) for God's plan to succeed. God must have seen in Joseph the type of integrity that would cause him to listen to God rather than look like someone who was Godly.
What about Mary? Socially it certainly would not have seemed like a blessing to be a pregnant unmarried girl in tribal Israel. Whispers, jeers, and disdain probably would have been her portion. She must have been a very strong young woman with great devotion in her heart to God to be chosen for such a embarrassing (yet favorable) mission.
I can't help but wonder how God goes about choosing people for the adventures of His will on the earth. What kind of man, woman, boy, or girl is he looking for today? What does he find when he looks in Michigan at the onset of 2011? I hope He finds many that are choosable ( I am aware it's not a word) for His missions.
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