Matthew 1:19-21
Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph hears that Mary is pregnant, he is likely hurt and confused and decides to break their engagement quietly. But an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph with the same message he had for Mary: Don’t be afraid! And once again, the angel doesn’t just say ‘don’t be afraid’. He explains why Joseph doesn’t have to be afraid. Because God is involved. God is in this situation and Mary and Joseph need only trust Him through their fears.
Mary and Joseph knew what it was like to be rejected by friends and family for being obedient to what God was calling them to do. Is your life consumed with not being accepted? Do you fear rejection for not producing, or for not saying or doing the right thing? Ask God to point out areas where you may fear man’s approval more than the approval of God.