Mary and Joseph dealt with their own failures and troubles. Their story appeared to be one of scandal when Mary got pregnant before she was married to Joseph. They also had to figure out how they would navigate, given their circumstances. One of their biggest pressures was being the parents of the promised Messiah. Think about that kind of burden. Even when they had their troubles and failures, they obeyed God. God sent the shepherds, the angels and the wise men to welcome the birth of Jesus. God used their trials and troubles to shape and mold them into something beyond they could ever imagine.