How Mary Is My Role Model

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many of us moms find ourselves teaching our kids about the birth of Jesus Christ. We find ourselves talking about young Mary and her poor economic state, and Joseph’s kindheartedness, not wanting to expose Mary to ridicule by publicly humiliating her, prior to his “angel visit.”

I have to confess that I find myself meditating on Mary.

Traditional Baptists sometimes gloss over Mary in an attempt, I suppose, to counter balance the focal point that is made of her by the Catholic church. Of course, the focus needs to be on Christ, ultimately.

But Mary is an amazing woman. And you can tell so by her speech. She gives clues to her heart’s state by her words. After learning that SHE would bear the Savior of the world, it could have dawned on her that she would now become the center of scandal. People would surely accuse her of being pregnant out of wedlock. But her heart doesn’t contain anything but trust. Her words reveal what’s in her heart: “Behold, the maidservant of the Lord!” She presented herself as God’s servant. In short, it was like saying, “Here I am, ready to do your will.”

I imagine that Mary’s “maidservant mindset” did not just happen that miraculous day. It was cultivated beforehand in a thousand little decisions.

At some point, Mary bowed her entire life to the service of her God. A “maidservant” expects to do the will of her Master. She doesn’t insist on her rights. She trusts that the Master will do what is best for her. She is committed to obedience to her Master.

Imagine if Mary had clung tightly to her own will–perhaps a dream wedding with Joseph or her plans to wait for 2 years before having children, or perhaps waiting until she had a home and an established bank account.

I really appreciate Mary’s testimony. It encourages me to trust God even when things seem less than perfect. Her meekness inspires me to walk humbly before my God leaving the results to Him. She inspires me to not kick and scream inside when my desires are not realized or met.

Like Mary, I want to rest in the fact that my life, my desires, my future is safe in the capable and loving hands of a God who is working out His perfect will for me each day, and His plans include only to do good to me. When things are unexplainable or even unimaginable, and my heart rises up in anger or in defiance against God’s good plan, Mary’s testimony encourages me to remember that God is not taken by surprise. He is still sitting on the throne of heaven, unperturbed. Things are as they should be.