This Christmas, take some time to consider what we can learn from the mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Every young girl wants to be Mary in the Nativity. It’s the coveted role, which is interesting considering how challenging it must have been to be the real Mary. I have so much respect and gratitude for her. And though none of us are called to her specific life mission, we can all learn from how nobly she fulfilled her critical role.
Choosing the right didn’t protect Mary from difficulties, in fact it often made life harder. First there’s the aforementioned problem of an unwed pregnancy at a time when people were not understanding about such things. After the angel sorted that mess out with her betrothed (but probably not with the town gossips), Mary had to endure the normal hardships of pregnancy. And then when it came time for her to have this miraculous baby, did she deliver in the comfort of her own home?
No. She was in a strange city, not even in a proper house but in a shelter for animals. (Much to the delight of small children for centuries to come.) To fulfill her life’s mission Mary was repeatedly put in challenging and uncomfortable situations. Shortly after her first child was born she and her new husband had to leave their home and families to flee to Egypt. Like Mary, when we do what is right, often the immediate consequence is not always positive. And almost always, following God’s will for us pushes us out of our comfort zone.