OAKRIDGE BIBLE CHAPEL

DECEMBER 19: JUSTICE AND MERCY

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 7:14

Whenever I reflect on the miraculous conception of Jesus, I can’t help but think of Joseph and what he must have gone through. No matter how often I try to convince myself that I would have acted like him, my inner voice tells me, “Stop deceiving yourself!”

Joseph was betrothed to Mary, likely filled with dreams of their future together, plans of settling down and raising a family. Then, out of nowhere, he finds out Mary is pregnant. In that moment, his world must have shattered. He would naturally think, “How could you, Mary? How could you betray our love?” And had Mary explained that the Holy Spirit was responsible for the conception it may have sounded absurd to him. Like any rational man, Joseph assumed infidelity and considered ending their engagement.

Matthew 1:19 captures the pivotal moment: “And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.” Joseph, as a just man, felt he needed to do the right thing—end the relationship. But it’s the second part of the verse that truly challenges me. He was also compassionate. Despite believing that Mary had been unfaithful, he didn’t seek to shame her. Instead, he chose to quietly end things to protect her dignity.

This is where Joseph’s character deeply resonates. Most of us would want to proclaim our innocence, to let everyone know we weren’t the guilty party. But Joseph waived that right. He was ready to follow the law while still showing compassion, even in the face of hurt and betrayal.

In Joseph, we see a powerful example of balancing justice with mercy. No wonder God sent an angel to reassure him that he was in control. Joseph’s story reminds us that even when we feel wronged, we can choose to respond with compassion, regardless of who is at fault.

When we are wronged, Father, help us to remember that your Son was wronged also and that bearing up under such injustice in your strength is an opportunity to share in our Saviour’s sufferings.

Godsgrace Agu


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By job title, Alice is the office administrator at Oakridge. But her behind-the-scenes efforts go far beyond that! She is actively involved in the leadership team for the Tuesday evening women's bible study, she is on the mission committee, and she has recently both stepped into the leadership of church bridal and baby shower celebrations, and started teaching in our Ozone kids program. Oh, and if you see any special seasonal or holiday decorations around the church, it's a safe bet that Alice was involved!

Alice Popovich

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