Joseph

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

He couldn’t believe it. Mary, his betrothed, had just told him that she was pregnant, and her growing figure supported her story. But it couldn’t possibly be true. It certainly wasn’t his child, and surely Mary . . . she seemed like such a righteous woman.

Well, he would just have to do the honorable thing and break off their engagement. Then Mary could go and marry whoever the father of the child was.

But he loved her so . . .

When he was finally able to sleep that night he had a dream, a very vivid dream. In the dream he saw an angel. Hadn’t Mary said something about an angel? But the angel was talking to him now, telling him to go ahead and marry Mary – she hadn’t been unfaithful to him. She was carrying the Son of God.

When he awakened he wasn’t sure if it was all true, but his next visit with Mary reassured him. He was to be the "step-father" of the long-awaited Messiah.