Christmas Underdogs: Joseph
Joseph: The Overlooked Hero of the Christmas Story
When you picture the nativity, what comes to mind? Maybe the angels lighting up the night sky, the shepherds hustlin’ to the manger, or maybe a little drummer boy- who isn’t actually in the story… but the song is a banger.
There is plenty that catches the eye in the nativity scene, but I want us to look at the least flashy of the crew, Joseph.
Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, is often treated like an extra in the Christmas story—no speaking lines, no solos, just standing quietly in the background. But his role? Pivotal. He’s a reminder that God uses the quiet, the overlooked, and the ordinary to pull off extraordinary things.
That’s what we’re diving into this December—the unsung heroes of the Christmas story. These are people who didn’t steal the show but played critical roles in God’s plan. Joseph might not have had the spotlight, but his quiet faithfulness helped shape the life of Jesus—and that’s a story worth telling.
The Rarity of Righteousness
The Bible doesn’t just throw around the word “righteous” like it’s a participation trophy. There are very few people referred to as righteous, in fact, before Joseph, there wre only 7 people who were explicitly called righteous in scripture, and we’re talking heavy hitters like Noah and Abraham. It’s a title reserved for those whose lives are deeply aligned with God’s will—marked by faith, compassion, and doing what’s right, even when it’s hard.
Joseph’s righteousness wasn’t loud or flashy. It showed up in the quiet moments. When he found out Mary was pregnant, his first thought wasn’t to retaliate or humiliate her—it was to protect her dignity. He planned to divorce her quietly, but then an angel dropped into his dreams and flipped his plans upside down.
So, what did Joseph do? He obeyed. No arguments. No “But what will people think?” Just quiet, steady faithfulness.
What We Know About Joseph
Scripture doesn’t give us a ton of details about Joseph, but the little we know is rich with meaning:
His Lineage: Joseph came from King David’s family line, fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah would have a royal lineage. Pretty cool family tree, right?
His Actions: When God told him to stand by Mary, he did. When God told him to flee to Egypt to protect his family, he packed up and went. Joseph had a pattern of saying yes to God, even when it meant uprooting his life or enduring public judgment.
His Character: Joseph’s humility, courage, and faith made him the kind of man God trusted to raise His Son. Let that sink in for a second—God chose Joseph to be a father figure to Jesus. No small task there.
Joseph didn’t need the spotlight. His actions spoke louder than words ever could.
Life Context and Challenges
Let’s talk about Joseph’s real life for a second. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t exactly the #blessed life you see on social media.
Economic Role: Joseph worked as a carpenter , which meant working with a variety of materials like stone, metal and wood. He likely built and repaired a wide range of things from furniture and buildings, farm equipment and maybe even boats. He modeled the dignity of hard work, teaching Jesus how to work with His hands and interact with all kinds of people. And knowing Joseph, he probably modeled kindness and integrity while he was at it.
Spiritual Leadership: Joseph was the spiritual leader of his family. He took Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated, traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, and ensured Jesus was educated in Jewish customs. Think about it: Joseph taught Jesus daily prayers, the commandments, and stories of God’s faithfulness.*
Joseph’s life shows us that faithfulness isn’t about the big, glamorous moments. It’s about showing up and doing the next right thing, even when it’s hard or unglamorous.
The Carpenter and the Cornerstone
Joseph taught Jesus to build—to create with His hands, to make things that endure.
Imagine the hands of a little boy. Held tightly as he took his first steps. Clumsily gripping a chisel as he learned his father’s trade. Bandaged after a splinter or two.
Those same hands, once shaky and unsure, became strong and steady as a young man, working confidently beside his father in the workshop.
And later, those hands—calloused from years of carpentry—would touch the untouchable, heal the sick, and lift the broken.
Joseph may have taught Jesus how to shape wood, but Jesus took those lessons and reshaped the world. Those same hands Joseph held and trained, scarred by nails and stretched out in ultimate sacrifice to restore what was broken in all of us.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled what Joseph’s craft symbolized: enduring creation and restoration.
No material is too rough. No structure is too broken. In the hands of Jesus, everything can be made new.
Living Out Joseph’s Legacy
Joseph’s story isn’t about big, public moments. It’s about showing up, trusting God, and doing the work He’s called you to.
So, here’s my question:
Where can your quiet faithfulness have an eternal impact?
Closing Thought
Joseph’s story is a reminder that God’s extraordinary plans are often carried out by ordinary people. He didn’t seek recognition or applause—he just trusted God and got to work.
And here’s the good news: Jesus, the ultimate builder, is still at work. He’s taking the rough edges of our lives and shaping them into something purposeful, beautiful, and enduring.
Because in God’s story, there are no insignificant roles—just ordinary people serving an extraordinary God.
Next Week
Next week we’re going to dive into other underdogs in the Christmas Story: The Shepherds. You’re not going to want to miss it!
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*This can be kind of a ‘head scratcher.’ Jesus was a human, but God at the same time? Wouldn’t he know all of this already? I think about it like this: Jesus didn’t come out of the womb walking, talking and spouting of scripture. He grew and developed like any other person. It was a distinct choice for God to choose to become a person in Jesus, meaning He willfully submitted to the experiences of a person - including the human pursuit of learning from His parents, and growing in his knowledge as he grew and developed- as any young Jewish person would have.
