But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19 (NIV)
When we go back to Greece to visit, I am often surprised at the intimacy of the villages. Usually, folks know we are there to visit before we reach out to them. Someone saw us and started telling folks and the word gets out.
I would guess Mary experienced this in a much greater magnitude. What do you think she heard as she walked around villages and towns?
"Did you hear what Jesus did? He made the blind man see."
"Jesus healed the leper."
"It's too incredible to believe, he walked on water!"
"Jesus fed 5,000 men with just 5 loaves and 2 fish!"
The Bible tells us in a few places that Mary pondered (treasured) these things in her heart. Here's my question. How did she stay humble? I'm a Mom. I am super proud of my kids. My heart swells when I see them and I feel good. Here is this Mom who has a son that is the Son of God. He heals people! He calms storms! How would you keep your pride in check in that scenario?
Maybe that's why God chose Mary. Maybe he knew that she would keep coming to him each day to keep herself grounded. Mary was not supernatural. She was a human that needed a Savior just like we do. I am sure she struggled with being a Mom, being a woman, being a human just like the rest of us. We don't know a ton about her but we know she had a relationship with God because God said she found favor in his sight. We also know she pondered....contemplated....thought about the things that were happening....is it possible this could also mean she prayed about them? In all that pondering, was she praying?
I look at Mary and I want that. I want that relationship with God that grounds me so well that no matter what good is happening in my life, I stay humble. I stay connected. I want to stay grounded in the one thing that is true. I want to always remember that it's God who is doing great things, not me.
Father God, It is impossible for us to be humble without you. As soon as we think about how humble we are, we are not humble! But you, Holy Spirit, can change us from the inside out so that we can truly experience your humility. Please do that in my life. Amen