Writing on the Heart

It’s an old saying, but can we really have writing on our heart?  When we were young and preparing the small gifts for our classmates on Valentine’s Day, we carefully chose just the right candy to place in each bag.  And it was the special people who received the little candy hearts with the messages written on them in red – the pink ones, yellow ones, and blue ones.  And there was that special person who received the little heart that read "be my valentine." We certainly didn’t want to send the wrong message to the wrong person!

As things touch our lives, specifically our hearts, they leave a mark on them; our first puppy, our favorite memory of our grandparents, or the moment we first laid eyes on our future spouse.  There was no way we could erase those indelible writings on our heart, nor did we want to.

Joseph was no different.  When he first saw Mary, he must have had the same moment all men have when they lay eyes on their future bride!  The marks were so deep, he told his father he had found his future bride. He probably even bragged to his friends he would be the one to marry the beautiful Mary.

As Joseph prepared a place for his future bride, I’m probably certain his carpentry skills suffered.  He didn’t exactly have precise wood-working on his mind. Just like all smitten men, his beautiful bride-to-be had written some indelible deep on his heart.

Imagine how his heart must felt when he heard the news his fiancé was pregnant.  He hadn’t seen her since he paid the dowry and returned to his home to prepare a place for her, in true Jewish fashion.  How could she have done this to him? He was heartbroken.

Joseph knew the law and knew what he had to do.  He had to give his future bride a writ of divorce and dissolve the marriage contract.  But he loved her so much and respected her family, Joseph decided to put her away privately.  The writing on his heart by Mary was just too deep to publicly embarrass her or her family.

It was only when an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife did he begin to listen to his heart instead of his head.  The law said one thing, but God was telling him differently. God reminded Joseph what was written on his heart – a writing of God’s plan for all the world.

During the Christmas season, lead with your heart in all matters.  Treat people with the love shown to us by God. He sent his only son, to be born to loving parents, and to live the life of a lowly carpenter.  Eventually, Jesus would show the same love to everyone who would accept him; the same love His earthly father taught him. Trust in God and His eternal plans!