A Decision that Overcame Shame

The Faith of Joseph

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
— Matthew 1:18–21

Consider the moment when Mary, filled with fear and hope, told her fiancé that she was pregnant. She must have explained the implausible story of her miraculous conception in detail, desperately hoping Joseph would believe her.

However, the story was too far-fetched to accept. His decision to quietly divorce rather than publicly shame her revealed both his doubt and love for her. He remained unconvinced until another angelic messenger appeared, affirming her story and urging him to wed her. So, Joseph married Mary, fully aware he’d bear the communal shame of the gossipers’ whispers about their premarital pregnancy.

Later, Joseph’s decision foreshadowed their son’s willingness to “die a shameful death on the cross” (Heb 12:2, NLT) to redeem the church, which is “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (Rev 21:9). And this is how their unexpected son would “save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21).

Personally, because Jesus paid the price for my sin, I am fully forgiven. “As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).