Imagine a young woman planning to get married. All your life is ahead of you, and you dream of your own wedding and marriage with an honorable young man. Suddenly your world is turned upside down when the angel of the Lord appears to you and tells you that you are giving birth to the Messiah. This is the Savior and miracle of the Holy Spirit that everyone in your culture has been waiting for. Sure, you’ll be humbled, honored, and excited, but you’ll also be dealing with criticism, disbelief, and possibly unwarranted shame.
Mary was an ordinary woman like you and me, but she was chosen to be a vessel to bring God Himself to earth. Her role was no small task, but with God’s help, she fulfilled the mission of bringing God into the world and raising him in her home. Today we dive into the life of this young woman named Mary in a character study about the birth of Jesus.
“So Joseph also went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, the city of David in Judea, because he was of the house and lineage of David. He entered into marriage with Mary, with whom he was to have a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, saying, “There is room for them.” (Luke) 2:4-7).
portrait of mary
Mary was a very sincere girl. She was chosen by God because of her humility and purity. The angel of the Lord Gabriel called her “a very favorable person” (Luke 1:28). Her response to the message from Gabriel not only proved her faith and trust, but also proved her trustworthiness. She was “very troubled” (Luke 1:29) and asked how she could become pregnant since she was a virgin (Luke 1:34). Her question came from a place of humility. She was not afraid to seek God’s will and gain understanding, and she respected God as her Lord.
Luke 1:38, “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ answered Mary, ‘May my word be fulfilled.’ Then the angel departed from her.” Mary was in an honored but difficult situation. She was given the power to be obedient and to accept this calling as a servant of God.
The way this young teenager showed boldness and trust in the Lord’s message should encourage our own personal callings. Mary, like many others throughout history, is merely a vessel and should never be elevated to the same level as God. However, her great faith and obedience in saying “yes” to the Lord should be honored and remembered. We too can live like this. Although we are not called to embrace the Son of God, we can respond by living in faith following the leading of the Holy Spirit.
In the later years of Jesus’ life, Mary appears many times during Jesus’ ministry. She is especially known for asking Jesus to perform the first miracle of turning water into wine (John 2:3-5). Mary knew that her son was God, the Messiah, and again with great faith she asked God to work in her seemingly impossible circumstances. She spent her entire life with her perfect son (who I imagine has shaped her greatly as a mother) and looked forward to watching him begin his ministry on earth.
Mary was by Jesus’ side throughout His ministry and was close to Him even during His crucifixion. She saw the sweet boy she had placed in a wooden manger nailed to a wooden cross for her and our sins (John 19:25). But Jesus did not leave her alone and told John (the only disciple who was not martyred) to take care of her as his own mother. He knew he would never let his mother go through losing her son in such a horrible way again. Jesus loved Mary (John 19:26-27).
Perhaps she saw her son glorified after his resurrection. I believe that Mary (like us) was lonely when her son ascended to heaven to be with the Father. But as special as her role in the Gospel was, Jesus remains at the center, and we are just as loved and worthy of Him.
3 important things to know about Mary
Below are more details about Mary. As you review them, let me remind you that she is not a fairy tale character, but a historical figure. Mary is real and her testimony is true.
1. Mary was in the line of David
Many scholars believe that Matthew contains the genealogy of Joseph and that Luke lists the genealogy of Mary. Both genealogies fulfill the prophecy that Jesus is of the line of David. Mary made Jesus a blood relative of King David, and Joseph made him a legal relative.
2. Mary pondered the mysteries of God.
Mary received the news from the angel and cherished it in her heart. Mary was a person who valued the things of God. She pondered the Savior (Luke 2:19, Luke 2:51). This shows that Mary was probably thinking deeply about spiritual things. Perhaps she took her faith in the Lord very seriously and served Him from an early age.
3. Mary was poor
Mary probably didn’t have much money because she married Joseph, a carpenter. Mary was poor in this world, but rich spiritually. We expected the Messiah to come from a prestigious family, but in reality Mary and Joseph were nothing special to the world. They were daily followers of Yahweh and faithfully said yes to being used by God.
Lessons we can learn from Mary
As you learn about Mary’s life and the role she played in the Christmas story, there are a few things to keep an eye on. God asks us questions, but He still deserves humility as we approach Him.
The Lord wants to use us for His glory, but for Him to do that, we must be willing to submit to His Spirit and grow in character. Jesus uses hurting people, but He wants us to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh.
Like Mary, life doesn’t have to be glamorous to be glorious. An ongoing relationship with God builds trust in Him.
Jesus was fully divine and fully human, but he also needed a mother. Motherhood is a valuable and important calling to the Lord, even in the most ordinary and invisible moments.
Finally, when a concept about God is mysterious to us, or when God teaches us something new in His Word, we, like Mary, should take the time to ponder it in our hearts and cherish our Savior.
As we prepare for Christmas, may Mary’s life remind us that God sees us and that it is important to be faithful to Him in our daily lives. The Lord has a plan for each of His followers. Like Mary, we can surrender ourselves with excitement and follow the Lord in faith.
See more of this series
innkeeper
joseph
baby jesus
angels
animals
shepherds
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Liliboas
Emma Dunsey’s mission in life comes from Ephesians 3:20-21, which is to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is traveling with the Lord in the Bible. She is Drew’s wife and Graham’s mother. Emma works in the ministry with her husband and spends most of her time at home, but she loves providing articles about the Bible, life questions, and the Christian lifestyle. Her article on interracial marriage was #1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma has released Treasures for Tots (Bible memory songs) and several books and devotionals for young children. During her career in ministry, Emma released two worship EP albums, Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran Refined Magazine. You can read her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com. Also, check out her Instagram @Emmadanzey.
