Joseph: One of the Greatest Men of Old

One of the greatest examples of the Men of Old is Joseph (like, Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus). He is incredibly underrated, but he exemplified what it means to be a real man.

Usually the story of the birth of Jesus focuses on the role of Mary. Of course, her praise is well-deserved, but Joseph played a very large role in the birth of Jesus, as well. Here is a quick question to think about as we jump into this story of Joseph: “Was the reason that God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus because God knew what a great man Joseph was?”

God entrusted the care of His Son and Mary to one man – Joseph. And did Joseph complain when things didn’t go his way? Did Joseph whine to God because he had to take Mary all the way to Bethlehem? Did Joseph get mad when Mary told him that she was pregnant? Did Joseph give up when the going got tough and there was no room in any of the inns? Did Joseph feel sorry for himself when his wife had to give birth in a stable? No way. Joseph was a Man of Old.

When Mary first came to him, he treated her with respect and kindness. When the angel of God spoke to him, he responded with faith and determination. When he found out they had to leave their homes and travel to a distant town right before Mary had the baby, he set his jaw and did what had to be done. When there was no room in the inn, he found a way to provide for his family. When Mary had the child in a stable, he never left her side. When the shepherds and the wise men offered praise and gifts, he held his head up high and thanked God for His blessings. Throughout the entire Christmas journey Joseph showed that real men are kind, determined, humble, and strong in the midst of difficult situations and historic events.

Really, is there a better example of how to be a man than what Joseph shows us in the Christmas journey? His deeds go unsung. His story is untold. His role is virtually unnoticed. And that is perfectly fine with him. Real men like Joseph do not do what they do for glory or praises. Joseph sacrificed and gave of himself to protect and provide for Mary and the baby because he loved them… and it was the right thing to do. That is what Men of Old do.

Joseph is a perfect example of what it means to be a real man in the face of difficult situations and in the midst of great deeds.

All young men today should strive to be like Joseph.

I want to be like Joseph.

Two Men. Choose to be One.

In many stories there are two different men. These two different men are in contrast with each other. One does things one way, the other does things the other. One usually does wrong things, and one usually does the right things. These two men normally have a lot of things in common, but they have important differences. And, also...well, actually, it will probably be easier to explain if I give an example.

Have you ever seen the movie Pocahontas?

In the movie Pocahontas there are two men who are very different from each other. One of the men is John Smith. The other is Kokoum.

John Smith is a man's man. He is strong, honest, and brave. He seeks adventure at every turn. He loves life, and he loves living. He is always trying to find new lands and have bigger adventures and stories. His heart will not be satisfied by small things, but he longs for the biggest things in life. He is kind, compassionate, and full of character. He would give his life for his brothers, and he would laugh all night with his friends. John Smith is a true man.

Oppositely, there is Kokoum. He is not a bad guy, necessarily. But he is just less. He does not have fun. He doesn't smile. He doesn't understand what people truly want. He has different motivations and different dreams (if any at all). He is just less. If you have seen the movie at all, Kokoum is a nice guy, but, well, he is no John Smith.

And therein lies the challenge for us young men today. We need to become men like John Smith. We cannot settle for being like Kokoum. We cannot settle for less. We cannot settle for just 'run of the mill' or 'boring'. We can't settle for being like Kokoum. We don't want to. The people around us don't need us to. It doesn't help anybody, and life is simply less as Kokoum.

Young men, we need to be like John Smith. We need to seek adventure in all we do. We need to follow our hearts and our passions. We need to live and love life. We need to seek out new lands and new stories. We must be men who are not satisfied until we have the fullest that life can offer. We need to live with hearts that constantly driving, running, and flying. We need to be all that we can be. We need to be John Smith.

The choice.

Two men.

Be one.

Be John Smith.

Here we go, guys.