Devotion 1: Mercy in the Melee
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” Matthew 1:18-19
Years ago, one of my family members was cheating on his wife. The affair led to a child being born. The husband hid the whole situation from his wife. Without his wife knowing, he was having child support taken out of his check. After several years, while doing their taxes, his wife discovered the secret. It caused a melee in the family, to say the least.
When Mary was found to be pregnant with Jesus, it caused a melee in her family as well. Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Being betrothed was more than an engagement. In those days, families arranged the marriages of their children. Joseph and Mary were no exception to that custom. There was most likely a contract between the two families. Once Mary and Joseph entered into the betrothal, the contract was binding, and to separate required a legal divorce. At this point, the couple was considered husband and wife, but they did not live together or sleep together. A betrothal would last a full year before the actual wedding.
Do you see the melee? Mary was pregnant, and Joseph knew the baby was not his. Imagine the emotions that Joseph was feeling. Mary’s pregnancy was causing some serious melee.
If Joseph had exposed her, Mary could have been put to death (Deuteronomy 22:23-27). Joseph had a decision to make. He could either expose her or give mercy. Scripture says that Joseph was “a just man.” Joseph chose to give mercy. Joseph showed his love for her and decided to divorce her quietly and not cause her any shame. Thankfully for Joseph, an angel spoke to him in a dream. “‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins’” (Matthew 1:20-21, NLT). With this information, Joseph married her.
People in our lives, even those who are closest to us, can hurt us terribly. Forgiveness and mercy can seem impossible. However, through prayer and the strength of Christ, forgiveness and mercy are possible.
Let us go back to the example from my family. The wife of the cheating husband was a follower of Christ. She separated from her husband for several months. During this time of separation, through prayer, counseling, and the strength of Christ, she was able to give mercy. She forgave her husband, and they moved forward with their marriage. The two stayed married for the rest of their lives. Even in the most difficult situations, mercy in the melee is possible through the strength of Christ.
Jesus, the child that Mary was carrying, is our greatest example of mercy. Even though we have all rebelled and sinned against God, Jesus, God’s Son, chose to give us mercy in the melee by going to the cross and dying to pay the price for our rebellion.