ROLE MODELS

Role Models

My wife and I read every day from devotionals. Hers is from the Bible, mine is for drunks. This is from hers, so if speaking of things religious offends you, read no further

In our readings today hers talked of Joseph - Jesus's father. Deconvoluting the scriptures took me a bit, but what it boiled down to is Joseph was "Tsadiq" (Hebrew for one who follows the Torah and obeys the law - considered by he community a very righteous man).

Under the laws of the time, Mary was considered a wanton or a harlot for becoming pregnant by a man other than Joseph. Their laws were pretty strict about this and if Joseph had followed them things would not have been pretty, including a pissy bunch of people with rocks.

Joseph mulled all this over and decided since all he had was Mary's word that the child was God's he would divorce her quietly - so as not to harm her. But in doing this he was violating the Torah. Which meant he too would have been an outcast by virtue of the loss of "Tsadiq".

Then God spoke to him and confirmed Mary's story. Guess what? There could be no violation of the Torah (mans laws do not apply to God), so no divorce - and the rest is history.

There is not much written of this man, but I see one well worth emulation. To relinquish ones honor and standing in the community for a woman thought to be unfaithful and a supposed bas***d child is truly a selfless sacrifice. May I be able to temper my actions with the kindness and respect for others he obviously had.

Dennis

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