Mary Probably Didn't Know

This morning my boss keeps singing the song "Mary Did You Know?" He always has a special way of singing random songs in the office right next to mine and getting them stuck in my head for days. I don't know about you, but I really like to ponder on the lyrics that are laid on the hearts of song writers.

At this point, this song may seem cheesy and outdated. However, the writer poses a great question.

Mary, you 13 year old girl who is had a baby by way of the Holy Spirit, did you know what an impact this birth would have on humanity?

My guess is that Mary really didn't know. I know in my life when I look back on the wonders that God has done, prior to that doing, I did not know. It is incredibly difficult for our minds to comprehend the work that God has brewing all around us. It is hard to us to comprehend the magnitude of wonder and majesty that happened in that one baby delivered by the young Mary.

So, look at your life and think of all the insignificance and ask yourself, is it really?

I know in my life, God has used tiny whispers into my spirit of the spirit of others to bring about great change and salvation.

In Colossians 3:17 the scripture says "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Mary probably didn't know, but in the beautiful story of Jesus' birth she calls herself a servant of the Lord and says that she is willing.

Think about the beauty: Mary did not know the fullness of God's plan, but she was willing.

Is that what you have done today. Have you laid aside your want to have comfort and "have your baby" in your own time with the father of your choosing, or are you prepared to be a chosen instrument of God's mighty hand in the smallest or biggest way?

Change

I was scrolling through Twitter minding everyone else's business when I came across a retweet originally by an account called "the real Megan Fox," I think if they have to say it's real, then it's not, but that's not what matters here. The tweet said:

 "Don't change for anyone. They should love you for who you are, or you don't need them in your life"

Now, there are some absolute grains of truth in this little quote, but when I hear things like this I get all in a fight with myself because I have a tendency to think this way. When someone is unhappy with something I do or say I think things like "Why don't they love me for me?" or "They don't except me for who I am."

I think there is a tension that exists between the world and the Holy Spirit within me. On one hand, the world blasts the sentiment "DO WHAT YOU WANT," and that Holy Spirit says "This is not about you."

I understand that the quotes like this are probably aimed at hopeless romantic adolescents, but we all need to understand that true love sometimes requires change.

Even I feel like this is a total Jesus juke, but the truth is that Jesus changed his surroundings, his comfort, his everything to show us His love. 

And the truth is that the scripture calls for sanctification in Christ Jesus. We are called every day to lay aside the things we want and pursue His heart. 

The truth is that when something about my personality is laced in sin and pride, it needs to go. For example, I like being sarcastic all the time (and I am rather funny). But if the point of my jokes is to raise my self above others and make them feel like less, that is sin, and it is wrong. 

It's a tough life for a believer who lives in a world that boasts of the ability to "be yourself," but in Philippians 1:21 Paul says "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." 

Do we really think about the weight of what that means? Paul is saying that life is not a matter of seeking his own comfort of advancement. This means that every decision, even down to personality traits we choose to nurse into life, can help to advance the Kingdom of God. 

Paul was looking toward Heaven in this chapter noting that he can't wait to be with his maker, but he knows that his earthly life is necessary. 

I could go on for days. But let's take time today to think about our lives and whether we are waiting for everyone to accept us for who we are, or whether we are pursuing losing our selves. 







A funny picture: