Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus, is the most well known woman of the Bible and perhaps the best-known woman in the world. Since the birth of Christ, people all over the world consistently honor her by naming their daughters after her. Yet, she was a humble, insignificant peasant girl from a small, insignificant town. So insignificant that Nathaniel asks
- "Is there any thing good that can come of Nazareth?” in John 1:46.
Yet this young woman was chosen by God to be mother to His own Son, the Savior of the world. How did she come to be chosen? What special character traits did Mary possess that qualified her for such an important position? We are given clues to Mary’s character in the few Bible verses that concern her.
We meet Mary when the angel Gabriel is sent to Nazareth to speak to a virgin, pledged to be married to a man named Joseph.
Gabriel tells Mary that she will give birth to a son and is to give him the name Jesus.
- He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. And the Lord will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel and His Kingdom will never end!” Luke 1:32,33
- The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the child born to you will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35
This was also prophesized by the prophets Isaiah and Micah some 700 years before.Isaiah 7:14,15
The Lord will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a baby! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel— meaning ‘ God is with us. ’
By the time this child is old enough to eat curds and honey, he will know enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong.
Isaiah 9:6,7
A child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His ever increasing, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!
Micah 5:2
You, O Bethlehem, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.
It must have been very hard for her to believe that these words were meant for her. Mary’s answer shows a profound belief and trust in God’s power and her willingness to obey, even though the cost would be great. Being found with child before she was married would not only destroy her expectations of marriage but would expose her to public disgrace and possible stoning according to Jewish law.
However, Mary confirmed her role in God’s plan and wholeheartedly believed in what Gabriel told her.
- Mary responded, “ I am the Lord’s servant, and I will to accept whatever He asks. May what you have said come true. ” And then the angel left. Luke 1:38
You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said. Luke 1:45
Mary was familiar with and believed the teachings of the Old Testament prophets. (Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46-55 shows this.) I believe that this knowledge equipped her with the faith needed to accept God’s will for her.
What is it that we learn from Mary? That knowledge of and belief in God’s promises are what is needed to answer God’s call to risk everything, when it comes.
Start now to familiarize yourself with God’s word because sometime, the opportunity will arise for you to take part in His plan. At that moment, will you have the faith to say, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I will accept whatever He asks.”
Bible verses paraphrased
Teach the children in your life about the birth of Christ. These are great reading anytime. Books
- Mary responded, “ I am the Lord’s servant, and I will to accept whatever He asks. May what you have said come true. ” And then the angel left. Luke 1:38
