Fatherhood

Joseph might not have a big part in the church Christmas pageant, but his role is the one I identify with most

by RICK HAMLIN, Contributing Editor

BY THE TIME Christmas comes this year, both of my sons will have had their first child and I will be a granddad. Maybe that’s why I find myself thinking of that biblical father who appears in the crèche, often cast in the background, bearded, holding a staff. Joseph, who was given the challenge—and gift—of raising God’s only Son. What do we know of Joseph? He was a carpenter—Jesus being rather scornfully referred to as “the carpenter’s son.” Not the poorest of the poor, but definitely toward the bottom of the social scale. That Joseph didn’t have a lot of money is apparent from Scripture. When he and Mary take their newborn to the temple in Jerusalem for dedication, they offer as a sacrifice “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons”…

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The Joys Of Christmas (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2021

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