Mary's Song of Love


"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, or he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name." — Luke 1:46-49

What do you think of when you think of Mary, the mother of Jesus? How do you picture her? By now everyone is familiar with the Nativity story, and our mind logically fills in the gaps based on our experience of the world.

I remember when I saw the movie "The Nativity Story." It was written by a Christians, based on the Gospel accounts, research of the period, and consultation with pastors. The goal was to give a moving and authentic portrayal of the familiar story of the birth of Jesus Christ. And I think the film accomplished that. But it also made me look at the story differently.

Previously, I never really thought that much about Mary, and who she was. In that movie, she's depicted as a young teen, doing chores, playing with friends, and living her life. Then an Angel appears, tells her she's been chosen by God to carry Jesus, and her world changes. We know the story, but sometimes I think it isn't real to us.

Mary was an unmarried 14-year-old girl. She lived in a time and a culture where, having a baby out of wedlock didn't just make you an outcast, it could have been an offense punishable by death. She faced real danger and real shame from those who didn't understand. And she was a young girl.

I think when a lot of us think about the story, we picture Mary differently. We picture her older or more mature than we should. I know I did. What was interesting about "The Nativity Story" was how it changed my perspective, and made me think about the story in a different way.

That's also what makes her song in Luke 1 so incredible. There is joy, graciousness, maturity, and wisdom that many of us will never possess, no matter our age. The beautifully gives thanks to God for this gift. In fact, even seeing it as a gift and a blessing is a sign of Mary's maturity beyond her years.

When we talk about the Nativity Story, the focus is often on Wise Men, gifts, stables, and a birth. But when we stop to think about the faith of the people, too, it gives us a richer picture of all that God is trying to tell us.

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