Getting Ready For Christmas--Mary Was Humble

When Mary learned from the angel Gabriel that she was to give birth to the Son of the Most High, the Messiah, she did what ladies often do--she went to tell someone she trusted. This happened to be her older cousin, Elizabeth, who herself was also miraculously pregnant (Luke 1:36).

That conversation could have taken many paths, and most probably did as Mary spent three months with her trusted friend. We don't know the full extent of what Mary and Elizabeth discussed, but what we do know is how Mary initially responded to Elizabeth identifying her as the mother of my Lord (Luke 1:43).

It is hard for us to imagine the importance of that title, the mother of my Lord. Mary was carrying the Messiah, the Savior of the World, in her womb. The One foretold by the prophets of old. The answer to God's long-standing promise of a Deliverer. Israel's awaited King. Immanuel. God with us.

Elizabeth's recognition of this world-changing truth gushes out in Luke 1:41-45. Add this to the visit from God's Messenger, Gabriel, put yourself in Mary's place, and ask yourself how you would respond. Would you be excited? Of course. Would you be fearful and intimidated? Probably. Now, ask yourself this question: Would you have been proud?

Would you have thought more of yourself than you should have? Would you have thought that perhaps God had chosen you because you were so good, so right, so everything? Would you be tempted to place yourself on a pedestal? Consider that for a moment. Be honest with yourself.

I think most of us would. Pride is ubiquitous. It is the seed from which all sin originates, that which led to the fall of Lucifer (Satan) and the fall of man. If being told that I was to have a most important part in the answer to all of Man's problems, would I be able to resist the call of pride? Man, I hope so, but honestly, I doubt it.

Now, back to Mary.

How did she respond? The answer is found in Luke 1:46-55. Read that passage, and note how Mary refers to herself. Do you see it? In verse 48 . . . humble. Not only humble, but a humble servant. That's it. That's all she says about herself. Everything else she says is about God. No reference to herself as being deserving, or important, or really anything. She is just a humble servant of God.

That's humility. That's getting ready for Christmas.

Christmas isn't about us. Christmas is about God. It's about Him sending His Son as our Savior for His glory, not ours. We're not so good that we deserved Jesus. We're so bad that we required Jesus. Christmas should not be a celebration of ourselves, our children, our families, or anything else but rather a celebration of God. Mary got that. Do we?

Think about that as you get ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior.