In honor of the now quickly approaching Christmas holiday, I want to spend some time on the blog examining the life of one of the Christmas story’s most overlooked characters: Mary. I know we all know her name, but do we know who she really was?
Mary was one teenager who revolutionized society. She was a small town girl in her finest form. Had she lived in modern times, scholars say she wouldn’t have even been old enough to have a driver’s license. But God looked down from heaven and placed His favor on Mary. Before she probably even realized what had happened, she was infused with royal blood and brought us the King of the world.
Uninvited and unannounced an angel came to inform Mary of the great call God had on her life. And although I am no angel, and I cannot give you any specifics, I’m here to tell you the same thing. God has plans for your life—big plans. You are called to be a world changer, a life impactor, a girl who will make a difference for the kingdom of God.
Most of us though, live like God is not calling and the world does not need changing. We believe the lie that it’s too early to be used by God to make an impact. Because of this the world remains unchanged, and our lives become an endless cycle of going to school, doing homework, going to sports practice, going to youth group, eating junk food and not getting enough sleep. Somewhere in the midst of living we lose sight of what we are really living for. Every now and then we all need a reminder that there is more to life than the world we live in. This blog series is such a reminder.
On an afternoon, not that long ago, when I was going about the normal hustle bustle of life God took me to a story I knew well and He taught me to see it with different eyes. For the first time ever I didn’t see Mary as someone who had it all figured out, or someone who was super spiritual.
The impact of her story didn’t lie in Mary herself, but in the God who called her. It is the same with us. Because she was so much like us, there is a lot she can teach us. Yes, Mary had an incredible amount of faith—but it doesn’t mean she never doubted or got confused.
Yes, Mary was blessed among women as the Bible tells us in Luke—but that doesn’t mean she never encountered disappointment or loneliness. Yes, Mary was loved and loved greatly—but that doesn’t mean there weren’t moments when she felt unloved. Mary had many moments like you and me where the path grew dim, life was hard and she felt lonely. Yet God loved her and used her in mighty ways.
When Mary was born there was no earthquake, no lightening bolt, no angels blaring trumpets announcing that the world would one day be changed by this simple girl. She was from Nazareth. If there was a nowhere, Nazareth was the middle of it.
Nothing good ever came from Nazareth (John 1:45-46)—well at least not until God had His way in the life of one teenager who lived there once. God delights in using uncommon heroes. In the end, it’s never about the one who is called. It is about the One doing the calling. No matter what anyone ever tells you, it’s not about you. But it is about God—and He wants to use you to help get that message out.
Be part of something that will live longer than you ever will. Mary’s impact was so great that the whole world still knows of her on a first name basis over 2,000 years later. Someone even played her in a box office blockbuster (The Passion of the Christ) in 2004.
Although God called many great men of faith to incredible tasks in the past, there came a time when a man would not do. So….God called a girl. And that girl changed the world. The same God is calling again, and this time He’s calling you. Are you willing to step forward and answer that call?
Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To order a copy click here.
Tags: Christmas, Mary, nativity story, purpose, world changers
Great post, Shannon! I’m reading God Called a Girl right now, and I’m loving it!