Did She Really Know?

The book of Luke in the Bible tells us that an angel came to Mary, who was about thirteen years old, single, uneducated and poor, to tell her that she would give birth to the Son of God. He instructed her to not be afraid, and to name the baby Jesus. Discussing this passage with the high school Sunday school class I teach, I began to think how Mary must have felt.

Let's look at it from a modern standpoint Imagine an eighth grade girl, one day busy doodling her boyfriend's name on her book covers, the next hearing an angel give her news that would change her life. Though she has done right and remained a virgin, she is pregnant. Never fear, though. The baby is God's. Name him Jesus. Take care of him. Don't worry about the people that will call you ugly names, all of the gossip that will be spread about you, and the fact that your boyfriend may well hate you. Forget all the hate messages that will pop up all over Myspace, Facebook, and in your email box. Pick up what you have and if your boyfriend will have you, leave your home and give birth to this miracle baby in a stable in the hay. They don't stone anymore, so no worries, right?

"Alright. Let it be as you have said," says brave Mary. How scared she must have been! Even with the future resume the angel wrote for Jesus when speaking to Mary, do you really think she KNEW? Do you think she had any inkling just what the tiny life growing inside her would grow to do? Who he would grow to be? That she would be known as the Mother of God? Mary, did you know...COULD you have known how your baby would change the world?

Now, I know my son is not the savior of the world. I also know that I will never change the world in any earth shattering way as Jesus did. However, this song got me thinking about what I don't know. It gave me hope. On the days my son or my daughters are driving me nuts and I am wondering how they will ever manage to make it through life in one piece, I can think of Mary. I know and expect my children will accomplish great things. I know God does and will call them for a purpose. That God could use a poor, uneducated little girl like Mary to give birth to and raise His only Son, our Savior, gives me such immense hope.

I doubt the villagers in Nazareth were very supportive of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. I doubt they expected Jesus to make much of anything of himself. All those years Mary knew her child would be great. She didn't have the details. She didn't need them. She had God's assurance. God was using her. She didn't question why. She didn't question if she was right for the job. She just said, "Bring it on, God."

That is my challenge this Christmas. Let go of our self-doubt, of our small-minded attitudes that we can't change the world. Say a prayer. Ask for courage, and then tell God, "Whatever it is You have called me to do, bring it on, Lord. I'm ready and willing, and I believe."