Joseph

Yesterday I was reading an article about Mary, the mother of Jesus.  It was a really fantastic article in the January 2018 Ensign and perfect for Christmas Eve.  It talked about how faithful she was, chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.  Choice above all other women.  Millions revere her.  Then I got to thinking about Joseph. He is an unsung hero in my eyes.  I think we do him, and ourselves a disservice when he is left out of the conversation.  We know Joseph was a righteous man. The scriptures say he was going to put Mary away privately, so he was compassionate.  Then the angel came and he married her instead. When Herod sent soldiers to kill all of the babies Joseph knew and fled to Egypt.  The angel came to him instead of Mary, that speaks of his sensitivity to the spirit and his willingness to obey.  I think Joseph was choice above men to be called as the Father of the son of God.  Sometimes people like to make the distinction very clear, he was not the Father, he was the step father.  Maybe it's the influence of growing up without a dad in my home, but I see Joseph as the father of Jesus as much as Mary is His mother.  I think Jesus saw Joseph as his father.
     Joseph must have taught him.  He taught Jesus to work with his hands, to be compassionate, to pray.  Joseph taught Jesus, by his example, how to be a good man and care for others.  I wish there were more in the scriptures about Joseph.  I don't wonder if he was a disciple, I believe he was, I know he was!  Did he live to see the great atoning sacrifice of our Savior?  Did a sword pierce his soul at the death of his son?  Or did he wait on the other side to see him again?