“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.” (Matthew 1:19)
There are days I seem so wise in my own eyes. Just and upright. Sensible and wanting to do the proper thing.
Surely, Joseph must have felt the same. A man of character, he knew what needed to be done when the news of Mary’s pregnancy whispered its poison through the settlement. And for whatever reason—maybe because he loved her and wanted to protect her or because the shame was too great—he chose to “put her away secretly.” Subtle and sensible, that was Joseph. And all because he was just and upright, wise in his own eyes.
God might have appreciated such a man. “Thank you, Joseph, for being gracious and willing to show great mercy when judgment was due.” God might have thought such a thing.
Except that Joseph was wrong. He had made a decision from partial knowledge, on the grounds of an assumption. What seemed to be right in his eyes, was all wrong in God’s eyes.
“There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads only to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
Humility pounds through this verse, nothing subtle about it, and we should all, right now, go to our knees and confess the rightness we feel about ourselves in our own eyes. We should pray for God’s eyes, for without his eyes we are blind. Pretending to see but seeing nothing at all.
Only divine intervention shifted Joseph’s perspective, and so too with us, without God’s revelation to us, we would have eyes only for ourselves and our ways.
Thanks be to God who sent Jesus—divine intervention—to make a New Covenant with us, that we might not only think we are wise, but that we might truly be wise. Not because we, ourselves, are just and sensible, law abiding citizens, but because He has written his law on our hearts and given us hearts of flesh, not stone. We have become heart-abiding citizens of God’s Kingdom.
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened . . .” (Ephesians 1:18)
Friends, when you look at your lives, what are the confusing circumstances? What are the frustrations, the situations in which you know you are right and the other person wrong? What are the setbacks that have you staring at closed steel doors?
May you have the eyes of God today and his wisdom, not your own.
Wow! Completely profound! Truth and conviction are all over me now. Thanks dear sister….
I look forward to your Advent posts, Sondra. Love the Scripture and fresh advent thoughts! Love, mom.
Father God give me your eyes and help me to see the plans all along of who or what I am to be!
Jesus give me your eyes help me to see myself and others in the light of your mercy and grace. Help me see your light with in us and to see your glory on each face!
Holy Spirit give me your eyes that I might have wisdom, love, peace understanding; that I may help others and me to know God, Jesus and You in a more real way day by day!
May we all turn and bless You and reflect you not on others stories but by what we with our own eyes see you do and with our own ears hear you say!
Thank you Sondra I am really enjoying these they make me think! They are inspiring!
Thanks, this is exactly what was needed today:) If we are praying for the eyes of Jesus in the confusing situations in our lives suddenly we are not praying for other people to be changed to what we think they need but rather for each of us (ourselves included) to be moved and changed how God wants. Imagine if the world operated this way. There would be no more pain, but then again I think that may have been God’s intention all along and when we messed it up He came to fix it.
There are times when I’m trapped in conflict. I believe that I am so right and the other person is so wrong. It’s like looking in a mirror. I only see my image and it looks so pure and righteous to me. Then I am told the other person’s side of it, and I am astounded to see beyond the glass. I’m at least PARTLY wrong. Many times I’m very wrong. And suddenly, all my selfrighteousness looks selfish and just plain wrong.
Lord, please teach me not to jump to conclusions before all the facts are in. Even if my perspective seems right, my point of view is often molded from my past experiences, just as the other person’s conclusions are based on his or her past experiences. Maybe we both need to humble ourselves and meet somewhere in the middle of the field of conflict. Or better yet, we both may need to fall to our knees, clasp hands and pray together to the one who is always right and perfect.