Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

As Christmas approaches, I often think about Jesus' mother, Mary, and all she had to endure to bring Him into this world. She was first visited by the angel Gabriel who told her her fate. She then had to share the news with her husband and endure scrutiny from her community for what they perceived happened. Instead of having the comfort she deserved, she gave birth in a manger, and she, Joseph, and Jesus lived a regular, humble life. Despite all she inherited, she didn't waiver in her faith, teaching her husband and community how to trust in God. She knew how special it was to receive such a sweet, precious gift. He chose her because He knew she would carry out her duties honorably and trust in Him. In Luke 1:45, Elizabeth said to her, "You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said." Many of her circumstances weren't fair, but she never asked God to take the burdens away.

She took everything in stride. She also had to sit and watch as Jesus endured a gruesome death. A mother's love and first instinct is to take action, but Mary could not protect Him from fulfilling the plan of God and becoming a savior for her and the rest of the world. One woman's obedience to God created a deeper understanding and relationship with God for us all. We can learn so much from Mary. What I love most is that she was merry and bright. She had these attributes, not by her own power but because she believed in God. She was never given the complete picture of how things would play out in her life, including her son's death on the cross, but her hope and faith were always in God. As for the moral of the story - so much can be birthed out of obscurity if only we keep the faith. Don't ever let circumstances dictate how God can use you for His good and glory.