Much has been written, discussed, sung, and speculated about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mainly because she was the mother of Jesus!

I have been thinking about her more lately because I have been digging into the first chapter of Luke in my Quiet Time.  I realized that the “Christmas Story” had become too mundane, and I didn’t want that. This was the greatest event in human history! It isn’t just some cute wooden figures on my mantle or verses printed on a card.

I know Mary was exceptional – she had amazing faith, astounding humility. And, as the commentary pointed out, she knew scripture well. Pretty impressive for a teenage girl! The angel called her highly favored, and Christians for centuries past have honored her.

However, as I was reading, it struck me that, in her own lifetime, she was likely shunned. We can infer that no one – other than Joseph, Elizabeth, and Zechariah – believed her story about an immaculate conception. And so, in this highly legalistic environment, she was most likely looked on as a pariah. She was probably not invited to “Mommy and Me” groups, probably not invited over to dinner with other families. If she attended synagogue, people likely put plenty of space between themselves and her. The religious leaders, confident that they would be the first to know when the Messiah arrived, may have been horrible to Mary. How dare she claim to know something they didn’t?

And yet, when faced with this news, Mary’s immediate response was to say, “I am the Lord’s servant.” She truly cared more about pleasing God than pleasing man. Her prayer in Luke 1:46-55 is filled with references from the Old Testament scriptures, and it is full of praise. Knowing she was facing “social suicide”, Mary chose to focus on the goodness of God, of His mercy and His promises.

As we enter this Christmas season, I want to follow Mary’s example. I want to be the Lord’s servant. I want to face difficulties with my focus – not on the difficulties – but on the goodness of God, of His mercy, and His promises. I want to say, with Mary, “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”