A loud creak made Joseph stop in his tracks. He and Mary both turned toward the sound as the tightly closed door slowly swung open. For a brief moment, the round, cherubic face of a small child peeked out before quickly vanishing behind the door. As it opened wider, Mary’s family appeared one by one—her father, mother, and younger siblings—all watching the pair with knowing smiles.
“Mary, why are you being so harsh to someone who’s helped us so much?”
“Mom!”
“Yes, that was a bit much.”
“Dad!”
Joseph and Mary were left speechless by their family’s teasing.
“Young man, would you like to come in for a moment?”
“What? Oh, I—”
“It’s fine. Don’t hesitate—come on in.”
Before Joseph could refuse, Mary’s father gently ushered him inside. The house was just as Joseph had imagined: a lamp flickered on the table, casting a warm glow across the room. In the kitchen, the food that had made his stomach rumble earlier was still bubbling over the fire. Joseph felt a warmth in his heart that he’d always longed for. As the family smiled at him, he felt a lump in his throat.
“So, can you tell us who you are?”
“I’m Joseph ben Jacob.”
“Joseph, son of Jacob. That’s a meaningful name.”
“My father gave me that name, hoping I’d stay faithful and endure whatever came my way.”
“So, where are you from?”
“I’m from Bethlehem, of the tribe of Judah.”
“Bethlehem? That’s King David’s hometown, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right. King David is one of my ancestors.”
“Oh, so you’re descended from David.”
“Well, yes... but as you can see, this is the life I’m living now.”
“I’m not sure what you mean by that, but you shouldn’t talk down about yourself.”
“Ah... yes.”
Everyone in this house seemed so open. Joseph, who had always watched others’ reactions and kept his own feelings hidden, found this hard to get used to—but he also admired it.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re poor. What matters is having a good heart. Who knows? The Messiah is supposed to come from David’s line—maybe even from your descendants.”
“Oh, that’s impossible. That could never happen.”
“You’re just as stubborn as our daughter.”
Mary, who’d been quietly preparing dinner with a frown, burst out at her father’s words.
“Dad!”
“Well, I’m not wrong, am I?” he chuckled.
“Yes, Mary, you should admit it. You are stubborn.”
When her mother joined in, Mary looked wounded but soon fell silent and went back to her work, though her face made it clear she still didn’t agree.
“But why did you help us in secret? If you’d just told us, we would have felt more comfortable.”
“It was nothing, really. I didn’t want to trouble you.”
“Nothing? You have no idea how much you helped us. Without you, things would have been so much harder.”
“Honestly, it was nothing.”
“There you go again, being modest.”
Joseph gave a sheepish smile, unsure how to respond.
“You seem like a genuinely good person.”
“Sorry?”
“Some people make a big show of even a little help, acting as if they’re saints.”
“I’m really no different.”
Joseph gave an awkward smile.
“What do you mean, no different? If you were the same as them, would we be treating you like this?”
Mary’s father, clearly amused by the sight of Joseph sweating with embarrassment, clapped him on the back with a broad grin.
Joseph had dinner with Mary’s family and shared many stories. They were warm, affectionate people—overflowing with energy, their lively, unrestrained conversation filling the table with laughter and noise. At first, Mary seemed uncomfortable with Joseph’s presence, but before long she joined in, freely expressing her own thoughts. Her rich, resonant voice made the meal even more lively and filled the room with warmth.
Joseph had grown up under strict instruction never to break the law. Burdened by guilt and blaming himself for his poverty, he had always hidden his feelings. This open, confident way of sharing opinions and accepting one another without overthinking was utterly unfamiliar to him. Yet it was exactly the kind of life he had always longed for, even in his dreams.
“You don’t have to bring us any more grain from now on. I think I’m well enough to start working again. By the way, are there any jobs where you work?”
“There are plenty of openings, but the pay isn’t great...”
“That doesn’t matter right now. What’s important is being able to work. Could you ask about it for me?”
“Yes, I will.”
“Good. And since we’ve received so much help from you, and now you’re even helping me find a job, let us repay you. Come and have dinner at our place three times a week, starting tomorrow.”
“What?”
“Dad!”
Joseph and Mary both cried out in surprise, each for their own reasons. But in a family full of stubborn people, no one could outdo Mary’s father—once he’d decided something, it was as good as done.
“Yes, I understand. I’ll ask and let you know tomorrow evening.”
“All right. I’m itching to work after resting for so long.”
“You can probably start the day after tomorrow.”
“Great, I’m looking forward to it.”
Joseph said his goodbyes and left. As he disappeared down the road, the voices of Mary and her parents echoed through the closed door.
“Dad, three times a week is too much, no matter how you look at it.”
“Twice wouldn’t be enough, so it has to be three.”
“Considering all the help we’ve received, is three times really so much? And by the way, I think what you said outside earlier was wrong.”
“That’s right, there’s nothing shameful about receiving help. You love helping others, so why do you dislike being helped? Isn’t that just pride?”
“Dad, it’s not that. I really am grateful. It’s just... getting so much help from someone we barely know, for no reason, feels overwhelming. And didn’t you always say to be careful of kindness that seems too good to be true?”
“Well, that was just to warn our lovely daughter to be careful of men, but this young man seems all right.”
“Yes, what if God sent him to help us? We’re not saying we should take help for granted, but maybe there’s a reason for it.”
“But this is still something we need to face ourselves, isn’t it?”
“Mary, we’re doing our best with what we’ve been given. Facing more hardship isn’t always better. Isn’t it also pride to insist on handling everything by ourselves?”
“Yes, remember when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness? Did God send manna and quail because they deserved it? They were supposed to receive it with gratitude, and so should we. Maybe God wants us to show that same gratitude to Joseph. Isn’t that what He’s teaching us through all this?”
* * *
Because Joseph was a trusted foreman in charge of a small work crew, Mary’s father was able to join the team without any trouble. From then on, Joseph stopped by Mary’s house each morning, and the two went to work together. They spent time talking both at work and on the way home.
The two got along better than Joseph had expected. He tended to adapt to how others treated him, but Mary’s father’s relaxed, open manner soon helped Joseph lower his guard and share his true feelings. At first, Mary’s father thought Joseph lacked confidence and overthought things. While Joseph’s quiet nature and lack of assertiveness weren’t exactly what he’d hoped for, he could sense a genuine goodness beneath the surface, and so he didn’t mind it too much. Still, it wasn’t entirely satisfying.
But as he got to know Joseph better, he found himself revising his judgment. Joseph might not have seemed confident at first, but he was always someone who reflected on his actions, carefully considering whether he had done anything wrong. If he realized he had made a mistake, he would immediately admit it and do his best to correct it. And when, after much thought, he was sure he’d done nothing wrong, he stuck to his convictions with quiet determination.
Joseph didn’t realize it, but he possessed a far stronger and finer character than his outward appearance suggested. There was a decency and steadfastness in him that could not easily be seen at a glance, but which grew ever more apparent the better one got to know him.
As Mary’s father grew to respect Joseph, the family started inviting him for dinner almost every day. Mary wasn’t entirely comfortable with this at first, but she didn’t object. She trusted her father’s judgment, knowing his stubbornness was never selfish. Over time, Joseph and Mary’s relationship grew more comfortable, and they both began to appreciate each other’s good qualities.
Working together, Mary’s father saw how much Joseph loved God and strove to keep the law. He truly was a righteous man. It didn’t matter how lowly Joseph thought of himself; that was simply the truth. His poverty was not his fault, but a sign of the times—only the wealthy Sadducees, Pharisees, or those who profited by oppressing others were well off, while ordinary, hard-working people like Joseph remained poor.
He always thought of those who were struggling even more than himself and tried to do good for others. Seeing this sincerity and kindness in Joseph, Mary’s father decided that the two should be betrothed. Joseph and Mary shared a cup of wine before witnesses and signed a marriage contract, pledging themselves to each other. Now, after a year-long engagement, they would finally marry and become one before God.
What God has joined together, let no one separate.
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