The Secret of Mary's Success
Thanksgiving is officially over. I’ve eaten way too much. I’ve talked politics with family members till I’m blue in the face. My house is a total disaster. My checking account has taken a serious hit, and my body has officially nose-dived from all of the sugar I’ve consumed. I weighed this morning and I just abouit died. It’s been great, to say the least. Settling back into reality is quickly approaching, and Christmas is merely weeks away.
Where do I even start? I won’t bore you with my list of Christmas to-do’s, as I am sure yours is out of control as well. Although the thought of it all zaps what little bit of energy I have left, I find myself wondering…how can I successfully navigate through the next four weeks, running here and there like a crazy person, and still find joy and experience Christ in the process? I don’t want to be asking myself on Christmas Day, “What the heck just happened?” I want to begin January feeling spiritually and emotionally renewed, as opposed to dramatically depleted. I want to be a source of joy to others, without killing myself in the process. I don’t want Christmas to resemble a car drive wherein once you arrive to your destination, you realize you remember absolutely nothing about the drive itself. Scares me silly every time. So what’s the secret?
In searching for an answer, I looked to the life of a very young, yet mature woman by the name of Mary. We first discover young Mary in the Book of Luke, in her teenage years. When considering Mary’s life, we must take into account the downright scandalous situation in which she was placed, in which the length and depth of her character, as well as her emotional and spiritual strength, astounds me every time.
Mary lived in a society where rules and regulations reigned. Just about everyone watched just about everything, waiting for an opportunity to point a religious finger. Mary, a mere child barely touching womanhood, was betrothed, or engaged, to a man named Joseph. She was the epitome of innocence, a virgin who had absolutely no exposure to the ways of the world. In addition, given the fact that she was female, she wouldn’t have had opportunity to exercise much, if any, independence.
Yet when she was visited by the angel Gabriel, who delivered the shocking news that she would be carrying, delivering, and raising an immaculately conceived child who would just happen to be the Savior of the world, she was the epitome of strength and steel. After an initial question of “How can this be?” her next response is astounding…“I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” eriously? How'd she do that?! If this had been me, I could only imagine the fit I would pitch - crying, begging, and being completely freaked out at the mere thought of what everyone would think and say…especially my parents and my fiancé! I mean, who in the world would believe this stuff? But Mary? She didn’t flinch. She was determined to trust, believe, and engage in the God-assignment being placed before her.
How could such a young woman be such an incredible tower of strength and courage? I believe the secret to Mary’s success is found a bit later in Luke Chapter 2:52, following the birth of Jesus. Despite the challenges of not being able to find a room, giving birth in a stable with cows and God-only-knows what else, and having strange shepherds show up to worship her baby, Mary made a most amazing choice – to be present in the moment – as she “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” This exact same response, by the way, is found again in Luke 2:19, when as a mother, she found young 12 year old Jesus in the temple, following a heart-stopping, frightening search for the “lost” young boy. Goodness, she was amazing!
Mary stopped. She looked around. She took note. She chose to see the glorious over the not-so-ideal, refusing to give the fact that she was an unmarried woman giving birth to a child that everyone would most assuredly consider to be illegitimate, to overshadow God’s miraculous plan. She chose to see God in the midst. She didn’t allow the opinions or criticisms of others to overshadow the gloriousness of what was taking place. She recognized and counted these experiences as treasures…taking the time to think, mull over, ponder and remember…treasuring and allowing what was happening to take residence in her heart. She saw the beauty in the awkward, and even embarrassing. But most importantly, she saw God in every detail.
In thinking about this upcoming Christmas Season and all that it entails, like Mary, can we see the beauty in those we do life with? Can we determine the miraculous in the challenging? Are we able to negate what we believe others think and/or say about us? Can we discount the negative thoughts we even think about ourselves? Can we stop in the midst of the hectic pace of the season and acknowledge God’s plan, trusting and believing in Him? And most importantly, like Mary, can we treasure up these things and ponder them in our hearts?
Although obviously not easy, it’s possible when we ask God for His wisdom, insight, strength, prompting, and self-control, along with determining that we will certainly “give it a go.” In doing so, we will come out the other side of Christmas, entering into January stronger, healthier, and quite honestly, happier. We will have seen God in the midst, communed with Him, and worshipped Him – experiencing the true essence of Christmas. I think of my husband’s constant reminder to “enjoy the journey,” instead of being so hyper-focused on the destination, and I know this is what he’s talking about.
I desperately need help in this area. I bet some of you do as well. But if we determine that we will “treasure up” and “ponder”, we will succeed in entering 2017 with a freshness and determination to not allow these miraculous moments to pass…all because we followed the example of a young girl named Mary.
Let’s take a deep breath. Let’s enjoy, ponder and treasure. I think we’re allowed. And may I be one of the first to wish you a “Merry Christmas!”
