Ite ad Joseph Series | #2

351 Words / Read time: 2.5 Minutes

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St. Joseph’s Obedience— The Key to Being Respected

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Without respect, a man cannot lead effectively.
The man who respects not will not be respected.
By resenting authority, a man undermines his own authority.
Why? By submitting to no one, he gives others permission to submit not to him.

If a person of authority desires respect, he must give respect to the one from whom he received authority.
How?

Obedience.

Obedience is a matter of justice.
Give God His due, God will give you your due.
Obey God, God will dispose others to obey you.
The scripture acclaims St. Joseph as the just man (See Mt 1:19).
The Hebrew word for just is Zedek, translated righteous, following God’s commands meticulously.

Mary was found pregnant without Joseph’s cooperation.
To save Mary from being executed, Joseph could have disregarded God’s Law.
Or he could have assumed Mary had committed adultery and exposed her to shame.
But Joseph did not act on his own authority.
He obeyed God.

The Latin word for obedience is ob-audire.
Ob—toward, audire—to hear.
Joseph turned toward God to listen to Him.

Listening presupposes obedience.
Obedience is the fruit of listening.

God says, “Sacrifice and holocaust I want not, but an open ear (Ps 40:6).
Translated, “Listen to God before considering offering Him those sacrifices you think He wants.”

Listening to God is the sacrifice of pride.

The secret father, like Joseph, refrains from boasting of his achievements.
St. Joseph never boasted of being God’s father.

God continues, “Disobedience is as witchcraft (1 Sam 15:23).
Being your own authority is imitation of the devil.

After the first Adam awoke from his God induced slumber he received Eve.
But Adam complied with her act of disobedience, which unleashed hell upon humanity.

St. Joseph, worn from his dilemma, falls asleep.
The angel commands him to take Mary his wife.
Joseph awoke, but unlike Adam, he obeys God.

Adam’s disobedience cursed humanity.
Joseph’s obedience gave humanity its Savior.
Joseph obeyed God and therefore respected God.
Mary and Jesus obeyed Joseph, and therefore respected Joseph.

Your destiny, family, and descendants depend on two things:
You listening to God and obeying Him.

Those who are faithful in little will be granted greater responsibility (See Lk 16:10).
Translated: those who obey God are granted greater authority and respect.