A wise king once said, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” (Proverbs 31:30 NLT).
I’ve referenced this verse, not only because it’s Mother’s Day weekend, but more precisely as it is an accurate description of the woman featured in today’s post. But before we dive into the topic at hand, if you are a mom, have a mom, love a mom, care for a mom, are a spiritual mom, miss your mom, or long to be a mom, I pray great blessings over you. And not only you, but also the many amazing women in your life, past, present, and future that have made, and continue to make your life sweeter, richer, and more beautiful.
Having shared this, considering the Mother’s Day holiday, I have chosen to reflect upon one of the most renowned mothers in all of history, Mary, the mother of Jesus. To be honest I was somewhat hesitant to talk about her for two valid reasons. First her story is widely known, and second there is already so much written about her, what more could I possibly add? But on the other hand, there is vastly more to Mary than the immaculate conception and birth of Jesus. This of course is the awe inspiring, miraculous part of her story; worthy of remembrance and respect. But past the Christmas narrative, there is much we can learn from Mary as a woman who honored and revered God.
Favor With God
God chose Mary for a magnificent mission. His selection of her as the earthly mother of Jesus was not based on merit, physical appearance, talent or giftings. Instead, it was a sovereign act of God’s grace (Greek kairos) resulting in Mary being favored. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28 ESV).
The angel Gabriel spoke these introductory words the day he paid an unannounced visit to Mary. And because his greeting startled her, he spoke reassuringly to her once again saying, “Do not be afraid…for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30 ESV).
This is not an insignificant fact in any way, shape or form when considering who Mary had favor with. She didn’t have favor with just anybody. Instead, she had favor with God. And while we’re not provided with details concerning the basis of this favor, Mary’s humble, surrendered response to Gabriel’s pronouncement that she would miraculously give birth to the Son of God provides further insight regarding her favored status. “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38 ESV).
Blessed by Believing
Soon after Mary’s visit from Gabriel, she went to see her elderly Aunt Elizabeth, also miraculously pregnant, as she was past the years of childbearing. By divine providence, Elizabeth was carrying a very special child of her own, John, as in John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. Upon Mary’s arrival and at the sound of her voice, John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb. And this then ignited a chain reaction of mutual joy and praise that began with Elizabeth’s proclamation, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! …And blessed [are you] who believed…there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:42-43, 45 ESV).
Mary, like Abraham (see Genesis 15:6), was blessed because she believed the Lord, and this testified to her unwavering faith in Yahweh. Following Elizabeth’s prophetic declaration, Mary also responded prophetically, but this time with song.
The Magnificat
Mary’s Magnificat, a spirit-inspired song of jubilant praise reveals two of her additional and significant character qualities.
First, she obviously studied and meditated upon God’s word. And this is clearly evidenced in her scripturally founded lyrics mirroring portions of Hannah’s song in I Samuel 2:1-10.
I believe the reason Mary’s song is so similar to Hannah’s is because Mary knew the Scriptures well. She had so saturated her heart and mind with the word of God that when she broke out into spontaneous praise, she sang the words most familiar to her from Scripture … and Mary was only a teenager! Dr. Ron Jones
And this leads me to the second character quality revealed through Mary’s magnificent song of praise, she sincerely and unashamedly worshiped God! “My soul magnifies the Lord… my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he who is mighty has done great things… holy is his name.” (Luke 1:46-47, 49 ESV).
Adaptable
An individual who demonstrates flexibility through sudden changes and adverse conditions is adaptable and this couldn’t be truer of Mary. Beginning the day her life intersected with the divine and continuing throughout her earthly journey, Mary’s life was characterized by continual change. And this necessitated adaptability and flexibility.
I find it interesting as most artistic expressions of Mary depict her as calm, serene, and tranquil. And while it’s comforting and reassuring to view her in this light, the reality is she was only human meaning she experienced the same cares, fears, and weights we all do. This knowledge in no way diminishes Mary’s esteemed position in the biblical story. Instead, it only makes her real and relatable, someone we can learn from.
Unwed and Pregnant
Mary’s first experience with sudden and in this case dramatic change began the day she found out she would become miraculously pregnant. Not only was she young, perhaps as young as 12, but she was also unmarried and pregnant. This was not only scandalous, but also potentially dangerous as it was a crime punishable by death according to the Law (see Deuteronomy 22:23).
The Trek to Bethlehem
Additionally, the Roman census was cause for great flexibility requiring an arduous, approximately 70-mile journey to Bethlehem at nine months pregnant. And mind you this was not in a coach, but rather upon a donkey. To add to her plight, Mary went into labor while in Bethlehem and, due to a scarcity of available lodging, was forced to give birth to Jesus in a barn.
And as if somehow that weren’t enough,
There’s also…
- The escape to Egypt during the genocide of Jewish baby boys during the reign of King Herod (See Matthew 2:13-23.)
- Raising a large family of at least seven children (See Mark 6:3 for insight.)
- Adjusting to life without Joseph. While there is no historical account of Joseph’s death after Jesus’s temple appearance at age 12, Joseph is no longer mentioned in scripture leading to the presumption that he died sometime after this event.
and ultimately,
- Accepting the mission of her Son and watching Him die (See John 19:25-30.)
Ponder Over Panic
As I consider Mary’s many qualities, I believe the one I admire most is the wisdom she displayed in responding to confusing, challenging, and even disturbing news. Instead of hastily reacting by panicking, she chose instead to respond thoughtfully by pondering. Pondering is the act of considering, meditating, or thinking deeply about something. When this is coupled with prayer, it leads to peace, perspective, and godly understanding.
The first mention of Mary as a ponderer is following the shepherd’s ecstatic visit in response to the angels’ announcement, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 NLT). “And all who heard… [the news] …wondered. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:18-19 ESV).
Let’s fast forward 12 years when Jesus was found after He had been missing for three days! When Mary and Joseph finally recovered their young Son, He was sitting in the temple with the teachers, listening and asking questions. When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. Mary said, “Son, why have you treated us so? Jesus answered, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:48-49). While Mary could not make sense of Jesus’s words in the present, rather than worry, she treasured [quite literally pondered] these things in her heart (Luke 2:51 ESV).
These two instances are the only scriptural recordings referencing Mary as a ponderer. However, I am of the personal persuasion that she continued this practice throughout her life.
A Disciple
Finally, the most significant role Mary could ever hold, far superior to the earthly mother of Jesus, is that of disciple. Mary was in fact the first and longest disciple of Jesus. She knew Him from conception and trusted God’s word to her concerning Him. Therefore, she understood He was on assignment from God and released Him on the day He left her home to begin His ministry. She believed in His miracles (see John 2:1-12). Mary was a loving and caring mother, raising Him with Joseph in the ways of God. And finally, she stood by Him on His darkest day as she watched Him die on the cross.
Following Jesus’s crucifixion, Mary mourned and waited in hopeful expectation along with the other disciples. And while there’s no account of her encountering Jesus after His resurrection or of her presence at the ascension, we do know she was numbered with the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. (See Acts 1:13-14.)
Like Joseph, we have no record of Mary’s death, but we can assume she lived the rest of her life under the care of the apostle John (see John 19:26-27). It is therefore altogether possible that she remained active in the ministry of the early church for the reminder of her years on earth; living as she always had, faithfully, fruitfully and fully surrendered to God.
Extend grace to others!
If you’ve been encouraged, strengthened, or edified by this week’s post, please consider sharing Grace Notes for You with a friend.
Question of the Week
Please also consider sharing your response to the question with me and other Grace Notes for You readers HERE.
What aspect of Mary’s character most encourages, challenges or inspires you in your personal journey?
Reflect
Mary found favor with God, yet her life was not void of pain or sorrow. What does this truth reveal to us regarding the purpose and power of God’s favor in our lives?
Pray
Holy Father, I thank you for the example you have provided me through the life of your servant Mary. By your Spirit, empower me to live my life wholly surrendered and fully available to you. Like Mary, help me to trust you, even when I don’t understand your ways. You are an amazing God, worthy of the highest and greatest praise. I give you my heart, my life, my all. In Jesus’s name, Amen!
