Courageous Sacrifice: Mary, the Mother of Jesus

"Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. " Luke 1:38

Photo by [Ben White] from Unsplash

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a key figure in his life and ministry. She was there at his birth, baptism, and crucifixion. While on the cross, Jesus entrusted her care to John, one of his disciples. The devotional I read today during my quiet time reminded me of the courage and sacrifice this young woman demonstrated.

Consider what Mary must have felt when an angel appeared to her, revealing that she would give birth to Jesus. Young and planning to marry a man named Joseph, she had her whole life ahead of her. While the Bible does not specify Mary's exact age when she became pregnant with Jesus, scholars, considering historical and cultural context, generally believe she was likely between 13 and 16 years old. In ancient Jewish society, it was typical for young women to be betrothed and married in their early teens.

The angel's message transformed her life, undoubtedly requiring her to relinquish her personal hopes, dreams, and plans. Mary exhibited remarkable bravery by putting aside her aspirations to fulfill God's purpose. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in Luke 1, revealing that her life would drastically change as she was to become the mother of Jesus, she could have objected. She might have pleaded with God to select someone else, as this would demand sacrifice. It meant Mary would have to give up her life plans and possibly her future with Joseph. After all, what if Joseph didn't believe in her faithfulness? Instead of questioning God or pleading for another choice, Mary embraced courage. She boldly decided to sacrifice her entire life for the sake of God's greater purpose. Even if it came at a cost, Mary bravely accepted her calling, which is why she responded to the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:38, when he announced her role in Jesus's birth, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary likely recognized that this calling was a privilege, yet she may have often pondered, "Why me?" Nonetheless, she accepted it, even though it might expose her to public disgrace and rejection by Joseph, her betrothed. In fact, according to the laws set forth in the Torah, particularly in Deuteronomy 22, a woman found to be pregnant outside of marriage could face severe consequences, including death.

Despite the possibility of serious consequences, Mary chose to rely on God for her life and future. I believe she was one of the bravest young women in history. By courageously deciding to become the mother of the King of kings and the Savior of the world, Mary became the first disciple of Jesus Christ.

Once Jesus reached adulthood and commenced His ministry on earth, He conveyed that being His follower demanded brave sacrifice, akin to the courage and sacrifice demonstrated by Mary. In Matthew 16:24, He told His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me”. The disciples understood that following Him entailed surrendering their very lives. Like Mary, they courageously sacrificed everything to follow Him.

Friends, responding to Jesus' call demands the courage to make sacrifices, but Jesus assured us with a promise in Matthew 16:25: "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it, but if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." Indeed, following Jesus ultimately leads to the salvation of our souls.

Beloved, is there something God is calling you to do that requires courage? Perhaps He is urging you to share your faith with someone, despite the uncertainty of their response. Maybe He is inspiring you to sacrifice your time and serve others. It could be that He is prompting you to take a challenging step of obedience. Whatever it is, embrace this call and take a bold step of faith.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Please feel free to share your comments below. If you don't have an account, you can comment as a guest without needing to register.

I remain Yours in The Faith

Margaret (MKO)