EVERY Christmas many young girls are given the starring role of Mary in their school nativity. We sit in awe of our daughters as they play this unknown, unmarried, unnoticed teenager who was told by an angel that she would give birth to God’s son.
The life of Mary has always been a source of inspiration to me. We read of a teenage girl who had her everyday, ordinary life interrupted by the news that not only was she going to be pregnant, but she was going to give birth to God's son, Jesus.
As we get our sandals on (or boots/sneakers in our context) and walk these dusty ancient paths, we discover that it was not easy to be Mary. She grew up in a culture that did not champion women. Her patriarchal backdrop meant she did not have the privilege of an education and her future was pretty much mapped out for her. To announce that she was pregnant was extremely risky in those days.
I have often wondered what we would do with Mary today. If she was to walk into our lives/churches with such news; how would we handle her? I don't think we would accept her. I suspect we would probably dismiss her as some crazy girl seeking attention. Yet her story lives on today through many women who feel called by God to do things that just don't seem the norm or even make sense. Such women are waiting for the right time and right place to give birth to their God given visions.
God has a habit of working in obscure and messy situations that often we cannot explain. This was certainly my experience. Yet what struck me about the story of Mary was the fact that she was not on her own; God gave her Elizabeth.
Both women pregnant.
Mary was younger, Elizabeth was older.
We all need companions.
Elizabeth was a little further on in the journey. She would give birth to John, the one who would prepare the way for Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, would give birth to Jesus, the One who is the way. We all need an Elizabeth. We all need companions and community for the path ahead – those who make the journey a little easier for us. Today, let’s ponder on the story of Mary and Elizabeth. Let’s give thanks for the woman (and many women today) who believe ‘the Lord would fulfil His promises to her.’ (Luke 1:45)
