As we study the story of Joseph, we learn that obedience cost Joseph his reputation. Think about it – How many of Joseph’s friends do you think believed him when he told them his fiancé was pregnant by the Holy Spirit? I’m guessing zero! I’m guessing that most concluded he and Mary lost control one night in the back seat of Joseph’s camel! And unlike today, where no one bats an eye when someone gets pregnant out of wedlock, in Joseph’s day, this was a big deal. So obedience to God’s plan, in Joseph’s case, absolutely cost him his reputation. But Joseph cared more what God thought than what people thought.
It’s different for each person, but obedience will always cost us something. When my wife said yes to God’s calling to move to MA to start a church with me, it cost her proximity to her family. It was hard enough for her to be four hours away in MD, how much more so twelve hours away in MA! When the Benham brothers refused to cow-tail to television executives who wanted them to tone down their Christian views on their new reality tv show – obedience to Jesus cost them their job. When a gunman arrived on the Oregon community college campus and asked the students “Are you a Christian?” obedience cost some students their lives. When you share your faith at work, like Joseph, it might cost you your reputation.
Joseph’s life teaches us that obedience will always cost us something. Obedience might cost you your reputation, your job, your friends or even your very life. The question then begs: Is it worth it? And that’s exactly the question we’ll answer in tomorrow’s post.