“His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.” (Luke 1:51-53 NLT)
These words of Mary’s “Song of Praise” upon hearing the Lord had chosen her to be the mother of the “Son of the Most High,” encourage and inspire me. Mary was essentially a peasant girl. She had no credentials anyone but God would value (and maybe Joseph 😊). If anyone could have played the “I’m not worthy” card, she could have, but she kept her focus on the Lord, saw her opportunity through His eyes and valued the privilege He was giving her. We’re all richer because of her choice.
What can we learn from Mary’s choice that can enrich our lives in Christ and help us to be more valuable in His holy Kingdom? Three things come to mind. First, don’t think too highly of ourselves. Yes, of course, the choice the Lord gave Mary placed very high value on her, but her response was sensible, yet very humble.
Had that been many of us today, not that the Lord would have chosen a man, but we’d try to weasel out of such a major responsibility, not because we wouldn’t be flattered that the Lord had asked, but the price for us would have been considered far too high. Typically, rather than value what God can do through us, we count the cost of what we will have to go through to get there.
The Lord asks us to stand up for something that flows against the grain of popular opinion, but rather than risk the ridicule, we bow out. “Mention Jesus to my friends? They’d laugh me out of town!” Where’s the focus there? Not on Jesus!
Secondly, we must keep our focus on the Lord. Mary had a lot of reasons to turn the angel down, but she kept her heart and mind, not on what her decision would cost her, but on how it would exalt and honor the Lord. The Lord always gives us a choice to choose humility, but when we can’t get our thoughts off ourselves, we too often miss the will of God. God chooses those who leave the choice to Him.
When challenged with a decision that will potentially cost us time, money, energy, prestige, or position, where are our thoughts centered? As a rule, on us! But what if we could look beyond what seems to be the apparent results as we view them, to what the Lord sees. Listen to Mary’s words as she declared: “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.” What might it mean to us to think like that?
That relates to the third thing the Lord showed me: We must allow the Lord to channel His thoughts through ours. Call me crazy, but Mary didn’t come up with those beautiful thoughts on her own. The Spirit of God had anointed her mind and heart to enable her to see things she would otherwise have missed. This isn’t by any means taking anything away from Mary, it’s actually commending her for allowing the Lord to speak to and through her.
My sense is God’s choice grew out of many hours He’d already spent with Mary over her lifetime. She was familiar with God’s voice, perhaps giving her insight into understanding the angel’s message was indeed from Him. If the Lord is going to channel His thoughts through ours, we must spend time with Him! Which is, of course, a choice we must make.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 