Not Irrelevant
In the churches I grew up attending, I noticed we often ignored Mary. We seemed to put her on the sidelines as someone who’s not really all that important, until Christmas, when we gave her a brief appearance in the nativity scene. It’s interesting that we give more attention to the shepherds, the magi, and at times, pregnant celebrities than Mary. I’ve been guilty of that. Why don’t we want to acknowledge Mary?
She is in fact extremely important. She helped bring salvation into the world by having a son at a time that was shall we say, less than convenient for her? She said yes to God and she took on a task that most of us would have declined.
She gave of herself to bring the one into the earth who would be the healing, the salvation, the joy, and the light for all of us.
I have been watching a show called THE CHOSEN. I love the way it honors Mary. They don’t put her on a pedestal and they don’t make her out to be a god, but they show her as the person who was willing to basically give her life so that she could bring our Savior into the world. Quite a selfless act, because back in that day, she could have been stoned for being pregnant before marriage. Her betrothed husband (fiance’), contemplated putting her away secretly, (divorcing her privately) so that she wouldn’t be murdered for carrying a baby.
I think Mary is a tremendous inspiration for a lot of women, maybe all women on the earth who may find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy. We don’t know who that child will grow up to be, or what that child will grow up to do. What if we make the choice to allow God to help us as we carry the child and bring the baby forth into the earth as Mary did? Trusting that he will help us to do it even if it means that we raise our child as a single parent, or we give our child up for adoption. If we trust God I know he will be there for us and provide the answers. Just as he did for Mary.
Again, I am grateful for The Chosen for showing me the value, the respect, the props, the honor, that sadly, I rarely thought to give Mary the mother of Jesus. She deserves it. I want to honor her, not worship her, not bow down to her, but thank her for saying yes to bringing the son of God into the world during a difficult, cruel, and desperate time of national occupation.
Most Christians, me included, don’t hesitate to honor The Apostles, Peter, James, John, etc. They wouldn’t be apostles had Jesus not called them. Jesus is here because of Mary!
Yeah, if she had said no, God could have chosen another to bring his salvation plan into the earth. But because of her yes, he didn’t have to. Let’s follow her example and not make God choose someone else for what he called us to do. Thank you, God, for choosing Mary. Thank you Mary for saying yes to God. I look forward to meeting you in the Kingdom of Heaven. Thank you Jesus for saying the ultimate yes and giving your all for every baby ever born and to be born on this planet. I have mad love - - for both of you!
Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-24