The social stigma

What people around us seem to think is something that we always seem to value even though we shouldn’t. No matter how confident we are in ourselves, in a God, or a decision we make, it seems like we always need the validation of others.

I’m just as guilty of is as you probably are. I think about the rare occasion when I go shopping for clothes. No matter how much I think something looks good on me, I always need someone with me to validate my decision.

This isn’t a bad thing by any means. If everybody kept to themselves all the time life wouldn’t be any fun. Social stigma and caring about what others think can potentially become harmful. Say I’m confident that God wants me to go out of my way to do something for someone else in a crazy way. I’m talking about doing some sort of act of kindness in front of a bunch of people that might make me look a little ridiculous in the eyes of others.

A situation like this leaves you with two choices you can make.

 Option A: Your obedient and go out of your way to do what God wanted you too and you made someone else’s day. You also fulfilled because you were obedient and that feeling of fulfillment only comes from God.

Option B: You’re to cool. You choose to fit in. You think that what all of the other people you think is more important and more significant than impacting someone else’s life and being obedient. You might feel good right away because you feel like you’re fitting it, but that feeling will only be brief. It will quickly run out.

What choice would you make?

I want you to look at the story of Joseph and Mary in the book of Matthew for a minute with me. A Jewish marriage involves three steps: First, the two families agree to a union. Second, a public announcement. Third, the couple was married and began living together.

If you know the story, Mary was a virgin who become pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph at first didn’t believe this. He thought she had slept with someone else. He had the right to divorce her because of this. He though he had two options, but in reality he had more. Jospeh could have her publicly stoned or divorce her quietly. Either way he felt humiliated because he thought she cheated on him and he didn’t want people thinking they had an impure marriage. (Conceived a child before they were married)

God had a third option for him. Mary her. This option hadn’t occurred to him yet. But God shows us that there are more options available than we think. Joseph thought he was going to do the right thing by ending the engagement, but God’s guidance helped him make the right decision. This wasn’t easy for him...consenting to marry Mary casted shade on his own innocence and as well as leaving them both with a social stigma for the rest of their lives.

When the angel appeared to Joseph, he listened and decided that he was going to marry Mary. He chose to listen to God’s commands rather than what others thought about him and Mary. This teaches us that when our decisions affect the lives of others, we must always seek God’s wisdom and than be willing to follow through no matter how difficult it may be.

I hope this post encourages you to rely on God when you make decisions because that is what matters above all us. It will be difficult. It will be weird. People might think you’re crazy, but God is faithful and will never fail you.