Speaker: Courtesy LHM

No doubt Joseph taught Him building skills. I expect His mother taught Him other skills—how to do chores, keeping His things neat, and even some cooking (see John 21:9).

Joseph did right to listen to God’s direction as well. And we do right when we listen, when we put our trust in Jesus, who “became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30b).

On that cross He would put a decisive end to the works of the devil and all his angels, conquering them with His own blood. And three days later He would rise from the dead, breaking the power of death forever—for Himself, and for everyone who trusts in Him.

Joseph does his part so faithfully that it looks ordinary. For him, it probably was. There would have been no way to survive Jesus’ infancy without a strong trust in God.

It doesn’t last long. The young King will soon be a refugee in Egypt; the wise men, on their way home in a hurry. But they will remember the Child to whom they gave gifts—Jesus who is God’s gift to them and to the whole world

God Himself has suffered abuse—what else was the cross, and what went before it?—and come out the other side, in His resurrection.

They were doing a very normal thing—taking presents to the new heir to the throne of a nearby country. From their viewpoint, it was a diplomatic mission like dozens of others. How were they to know it would end up in tragedy?

It isn’t what people do that matters to God; it is who they are. And these people are … forgiven sinners. Beloved by the Lord. Redeemed by Jesus, who would suffer, die, and rise again to make them God’s own children.

And not just things like temple ceremonies. What about the Ten Commandments—those Laws that we all know we should do, and we all fail to carry out perfectly? What about our daily failures in love, in patience, in justice, in mercy?