One of the categories of the famed Academy Rewards is that of Best Supporting Actor.  This is the actress or actor who, in the opinion of the Academy, was the most outstanding actor in a supporting, not starring, role in the movies for the year.  In football the most valuable player is not always the star quarterback or wide receiver.  It is sometimes a lineman who made it possible for the quarterback to get the passes off that won the game.  He's the one with the mud on his jersey and the pain in his shoulder.

Great stars and players are often made great because of "lessor" people who play supporting roles and are all too frequently overlooked or forgotten by all but a few.  Many of those who achieve stardom all too often forget to recognize the part played in their success by others.

Even in the Bible we find many who played only supporting roles, yet, on closer scrutiny, their part was absolutely essential to the success of the star.

I thought of these biblical supporting players as I was reading the second chapter of Matthew in this week's scriptures.  The wise men have come and gone, having played their part and I'm sure the family of Jesus, his mother Mary and Joseph were ready to, well, just get on with life.  That is until we read in Matthew 2 that an "angel of the Lord" told Joseph to "flee to Egypt with the child and his mother and stay there until I tell you to return."  In verse 14 the Bible says "That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary."

When later (vs. 20) Joseph was told to take them back we read in verse 21 "So Joseph returned immediately."  Still later in versed 22, 23 Joseph was "warned to go to Galilee.  So they went..."  Over all, when one considers all the players in the life of Christ, Joseph always seems to be standing in the background.  He is always a supporting player to Mary and the infant then child, Jesus, yet, without that support would we have the story at all?

The point?  The future of Christianity rests, really, in the hands of supporting players, Christians like you and I.  God has called each of us to do some particular task, a special role, and like Joseph's it supports the whole and makes success possible.  There are no smal roles in the Christian Church.  How well do you play your part?

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