MAN OF HUMILITY

     One of the most humble people in all of human history has never received much recognition.  His life is not mentioned often, messages and lessons are seldom taught of him and his quiet life.  He is, in fact, a person who is somewhat invisible, yet his life had an important impact upon human history, and his name is Joseph, the step-father of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.
     If you recall the story, Joseph was engaged to marry Mary, and upon hearing the news that Mary was with child, Joseph was not thrilled---as would any other man be in his circumstances.  At that time, too, engagement was treated as seriously as marriage; and, according to the law of his time, Joseph had every legal right to divorce Mary and thereby free himself of his commitment.  Something happened, however, that not only changed Joseph's mind, but it also changed Joseph's heart:  he heard a word from Heaven in a dream:
     Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:  for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:  for he shall save his people from their sins.
     Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son:  and he called his name JESUS.
     the lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word:  for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
     But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel:  for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
    But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth:  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
     Joseph is never quoted as speaking a word, he never wrote a book, yet he answered the call of God and performed his mission for the Lord, unselfishly giving of himself without desiring any form of recognition.  And silently Joseph disappears from the Scriptures. 
     As it is written in the book of Numbers,  Hear now my words:  If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
    All of the messages Joseph received from the Lord were given to him in dreams.
    Joseph was a prophet of God:  the evidence of which was in his actions.