The Appearance of Sin

Have you ever thought how strange of Him to introduce His Son through the appearance of sin?

Mary could not take much more. Joseph feared for her. Over the days, her voice was tinged more and more with pain. He feared for the baby. Would Mary have the strength left when the child chose to be born? He was too young, too inexperienced, for this.

After all, a Jewish man was not supposed to know about babies being born. In the village, the midwife was present along with the mother, grandmother and many others. The men just moved aside. “Why me?” Joseph thought, “Oh God, why did you choose me, of all the men of Israel!”

The sun was not even high over the Samaritan hills when Mary cried out. Joseph, lost in his own thoughts, was so startled that little Ben almost fell backward when he whipped around to face Mary.

“Joseph, I can’t go any further," Mary shouted, "I have to...aaaahh!” Joseph was aghast.

What he had feared more than Roman soldiers, robbers, or dark nights appeared to be imminent. The baby would come here in the Jordan Valley far from any city. Without the help and care of a midwife, chances were slim that Mary or the baby would survive.

He helped Mary from the donkey and quickly spread out the bedding in the shade of a large oak tree. “Come Mary. Lie down. Everything is going to be all right.” But his face betrayed the fear of the moment. The pains continued to come. Would all that the angels told end here?

But what is that? Coming from the south. Voices. Laughing. The dust people kicked into the air gave Joseph enough time to hide their belongings and the donkey as best as he could. Robbers and scoundrels no doubt.

Joseph was so intent on Mary that he never noticed the little children that had gathered around the makeshift tent. When he looked up, there they were, staring at the frightened couple as if they had discovered a great treasure. Then one of them, a little girl with a toothless grin yelled out, “Aunt Mary!” Turning, she ran up the road followed by the others, yelling to the adults, “It’s Mary and Joseph!  We found Mary and Joseph!”

Mary’s family and the others from the village were returning to Bethlehem and happened upon the couple. And what a time to find them!  All thoughts of shame were instantly gone as the women rushed to little Mary’s aid. Her mother now sat with Mary’s head cradled in her lap, her tears falling as she gently caressed her daughter. The mid-wife of the clan examined Mary with the skill borne from many births. Joseph stood with her father and the other men off at a distance and offered prayers to Jehovah for the safe delivery of the child. But no child came. The pains slowly subsided. Finally, Mary was asleep.

No, there was no baby born that day. But something else was birthed. In the fear and excitement of the moment, everyone forgot about the shame of Mary’s circumstance. No one cared, in the moment of need, about anything other than Mary and the baby’s safety. The rest of the day the poor Jewish peasants rejoiced—for the first time openly—at the soon-coming birth of Mary’s baby.