Matthew 1:18-25 gives these facts about the birth of Jesus
When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, he decided to break the engagement. Understanding the danger facing Mary as unmarried single mother Joseph makes plans to quietly send her away.
Joseph did not take this decision to leave Mary lightly. During a sleepless night he fell into a dream, an angel of the Lord appeared with amazing news. Mary had been impregnated by the Holy Spirit she will have a son and Joseph will name him Jesus which means Savior for he will save people from their sins.
All this will be done to fulfill God’s message through his prophets. All of this will be done if Joseph obeys his dream.
The Brookings Institute reports to be male, poor and either African American or Native-American is to confront, daily, a deeply held racism that exists in every social institution. No other demographic group has fared as badly, so persistently and for so long.”
Young Black men are not getting an education:
The national center of education statistics report that Black Men are at the bottom of graduation rates in High School, College, Graduate and Technical Schools.
Young Black are men most at risk at remaining in poverty:
The group Opportunity Insights reports only 19% of Black Men who were born into poverty lift themselves out of poverty compared to 40% of white men.
Young Black men are less likely to participate in the labor force:
According to the US Labor Department, Black men consistently have the highest unemployment rate
Joseph obeys his dream and Mary had a baby, a baby that he named Jesus. For so many black men in America, they have no dream to obey. Having no dream is a problem, it deprives the world of the talents of black men. Talents which can do so much good.
On each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas, an Advent candle is lit representing the virtues of Jesus. This Sunday we light the candle of Hope.
This week as we celebrate the Hope of Jesus let’s keep black men in prayer as we hope that they will be like Joseph and will have dreams to obey.
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