Rhinos are amazing. They are huge and have made an impact in my life in Christ. Read the home page short article to understand what I mean by the rhino way. Then come back and maybe you will see Joseph in a way that you never have before. He was the original Painted Rhino.
A few months ago my wife came to me with a crazy idea. I didn’t take her seriously at first. We are part of a small group that meets once a week and most of us take turns leading it. I am the most outgoing of the group and obviously the loudest lol. Let’s just say I talk a lot. Probably way more than I should. My life long friend Troy is there as well, leading and teaching and playing off my stories and content like two old friends do. So when my wife said that we should start a podcast it only made sense to do it with Troy.
But how do you do that? Start something from nothing? What do you talk about? What if no one listens? What if people from my past chime in and tell everyone not to listen to me because of who I used to be? What if, what if what if???
She just said do it and just go back and forth like you guys do in small group. Well, If you know anything about painted rhino, then you know I believe we should move when God says move. Even if we don’t know how, or where, or what, we do know He said move. So we move.
Joseph the earthly father of Jesus was a painted rhino for sure.
Joseph has just found out that Mary was with child, and it wasn’t his. Like any guy would be he was conflicted and hurt and trying to figure things out. He was making plans to have her sent somewhere that she could move on with her life with as little public shame as possible. That’s when God stepped in and we see Joseph’s rhino nature come out. The angel comes to him in a dream and let’s him know God’s plan.
Matthew 1:24 “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.”
Notice it doesn’t say that he woke up and planned a ceremony for a few months down the road. He got up, and they got married. Then, not later, then. Yes it kept the timeline of the pregnancy less conspicuous, but clearly Joseph heard from God and moved without hesitation.
After the wise men came and met Jesus in Bethlehem the angel of the Lord came back to Joseph in a dream to give him the next step in the plan.
Matthew 2:13-14 “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying. “Arise take the young child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him. 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother and departed by night for Egypt.”
He didn’t wait to make plans, or send someone ahead to find housing and work. He got up and left right then. God spoke, Joseph moved. A few verses later (20-21) the angel comes to him again. Tells him that Herod has died and go back to Egypt. Again, no hesitation, no argument, no looking for another way, he just got up and moved!
Matthew 2:22 .”And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee…”
This time he was still on the way to where God had sent them, and God changed the plan. But what did Joseph do? You got it. God spoke and he moved.
Joseph was the king of painted rhinos
He moved, and moved, and moved, then moved while he was moving…. All without question, without grumbling or complaint. Over and over again he uprooted his family, left his clientele that was so crucial to providing for the family business and moved when God spoke. Then we don’t see him again until Jesus is 12 years old, and after that, nothing. No accolades, no statue, no amazing Bible story of him being swept up by angels into heaven. Nothing
Rhinos don’t move to be noticed, they move to follow God’s call. So yes we started a podcast. Its on YouTube, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Podcast addict… Its everywhere. But it’s not there so that Troy or Adrian gets noticed. Its there because when God says move, we move. What are you waiting for? Has God given you a mission? He probably does everyday. It may seem small, but I encourage you to embrace the rhino way. When God speaks, just move.