Two Days of Advent: Joseph

Reverence
A lost art 
A lost commodity
defining the experience of the tribe of Joseph

Joseph
man of confidence, integrity and resilience
standing in the face of popular judgement
and righteous indignation at his moral courage.
Invisible witness?
Passive participant?
Illusive and invisible?
Hardly.
For we know that it is those of distinction
with the courage to act while others speak
who change the course of history.
It is not merely the notable record-holders 
on whose shoulders we stand

It is the men of the tribe of Joseph
Those who know the anguish 
of standing against the politic 
in lieu of the need to stand your ground.
Those who know what it means to reverence —
to define the future by honoring 
what you know deep inside your gut
 is the only right answer.
To give honor to the one you 
have pledged to love — 
which doesn’t mean tolerance..
To reverence
is to see God’s action in the other
and to be the one who 
honors the space in another where 
God’s action thrives
with the care of another.

To reverence

Joseph
Man of Vision
Knowing scarcity
he lived from abundance
Knowing social rejection
he created community
Knowing the cost
he acted with fierce intention
Knowing the options
he chose reverence
Knowing …
he chose love

Joseph
Reverence