It Starts Small

As a woman, and reading various stories of a variety of women, I can not think of one woman whose circumstances were more unfavorable than Mary’s, mother of Jesus. That does not limit the stories and lessons of other women, but the culture in Mary’s days were much different than today. A woman’s purity was something taken vary seriously.

We often find ourselves focused on the glory of the angel’s visit and forget that the nine months between that day and the delivery of Jesus.

The Galilee area was then, for a long time, a hotbed of revolt against the Roman government. Mary more than likely witnessed very violent situations. Besides the political climate, there was the many long months of pressure and probable persecution from family and community concerning the suspicious timing of her pregnancy. There were many unfavorable circumstances surrounding Mary’s life that might have caused a weaker, less-devoted woman to crumble.

The dangerous journey to Bethlehem in her ninth month of was, at best, harsh on the body and the soul. There were no cars, no smooth sidewalks. Thieves and murderous men waiting at each corner to rob those making way from place to place. There were phenomenal events and prophecies surrounding Jesus’ birth that she might not have understood as she was a woman and not allowed to learn scripture as men were.

But through it all, she was unmoved.

“may it happen to me as you have said.”

She was unmoved. She was complained. She never questioned. She never gave to her mouth the words of doubt or fear. She pondered in her heart and pressed forward.

We get a small glimpse of a moment while Jesus is hanging on the cross (John 19:25-27). She was there for Him, loving Him and letting Him see that she had not abandoned Him. What she most likely did not know was that she was there for herself as well. Surely, what she saw that day still did not fit the picture of God’s plan that she had imagined. But then, maybe the word of Simeon the prophet came back to her: “A sword will pierce your very soul” (Luke 2:35).

Though its true that Mary’s moral and spiritual quality is worthy of great recognition, her life bears testimony to a greater message that specifically impacts our lives. There’s a lingering idea that God searched and searched all over Israel to find a woman who could be worthy enough to be the mother of His Son, and that her worthiness created her opportunity for greatness.

But the beauty of it is that we do not create our own destinies, we are simply privileged to discover and fulfill them. God had an assignment, an appointed plan for Mary that literally only Mary could fulfill. That plan was initiated when He created Adam and followed a bloodline down through the centuries (Luke 3:23-38). Think of all the family infighting, wars, displacements and general craziness in the Old Testament. Think of the odds He had to overcome to produce a little girl in Nazareth. Only He could see to it that everything that was necessary for Mary to fully complete her destiny was instilled within her. By divine design she was born fully equipped to carry out the plan of God for her life. The good news is: So were you! Thank God she yielded to His plan and thank God we can too!

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has a plan for us and it is for good, not evil. There’s no need to ever try to embrace another man’s destiny. Yours is wonderful and everything you need to fulfill it is in you. God made it to be that way.

In Luke 1 the angel told Mary she was highly favored of the Lord. This doesn’t mean He liked her a lot. The word favored in English is from the Greek word also translated “grace.” He was actually telling Mary that because of the favor of the Lord she was high graced, or highly equipped to carry out the assignment she was about to be given.

She was a woman who was surrendered to servanthood and acknowledged God’s Word.

Today in our hearts, let us ponder the Word of God. Is there something He has spoken you have not surrendered to? Are you hearing only and not doing? Where do you struggle most and let us lay that down before the Lord. He is able to guide us and lead us to overcome our fear and doubt. He has an amazing calling for your life, and our pursuit of righteousness is choosing to not fear or doubt.

---