How Would You Respond?

In our morning family devotions, we have started reading from the book of Matthew. Something that I have been thinking about is the miraculous events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Every time I read of how Mary and Joseph's respond to the Lord and His messengers, I'm think, "How would I respond if faced with the same situation?"

It's easy to say the right things and think, "Oh sure, I'd obey the Lord just like they did!" But is that true? Would I knowingly put myself in the shoes of that brave couple? Think of it, Mary set herself up for much ridicule and scorn. People would think she had been promiscuous and now her sin had finally caught up with her. For Joseph, people would think that he had been immoral or that he was engaged to a fornicator.

However, Mary was just doing what the Lord asked her to do. She responded in faith and for that she was blessed with being able to carry the Savior of the whole world! Joseph was such a godly man that he planned to quietly put Mary away, but when an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him to go ahead with the marriage, he did.

So how do you think you'd respond? Would it be in faith or with doubt? Let us look to Jesus and respond in faith when called upon to do something for the Lord!