And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her – Luke 1:37.

Mary lived in Nazareth where she was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter. Before the consummation of their marriage, the angel Gabriel appeared to her at her home with the message that she would bear a son, who was to be the Son of God.

Mary a young girl of Nazareth, a city of Galilee, a remote corner of the country, and in no reputation for religion or learning, but which bordered upon the heathen, and therefore, was called Galilee of the Gentiles was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus, God’s only begotten, Son. Mary the same name as Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron; the name signifies exalted. She was a daughter of the royal family, lineally descended from David, and she herself and all her friends knew it, for she went under the title and character of the house of David. Although she lives in poverty and obscurity, yet she shall have the honor to be the mother of the Messiah, Jesus! Mary knew the Messiah was to be born, and he would be born of a virgin, but she never thought that she would be the one chosen to birth the Messiah.

After receiving the message from the angel, Mary reply was “Be it unto me according to thy word” Mary didn’t have second thoughts about what would happen to her after the neighborhood finds out she was pregnant, neither did she think about Joseph who she was espoused to marry, what would he think, what would he do when she tells him she’s pregnant? Mary was going to be the talk of the town, but it wouldn’t be something Mary would want to hear. During that time if a woman was caught having nonmarital sex or pregnant without being married she would be stoned to death according to the Jewish Law. Mary took none of these into consideration; she had been chosen by God and she knew if she was chosen then God would protect her.

Can you imagine the look on Joseph’s face when Mary informed him that she was pregnant? Not only was she telling him she was pregnant, but she was also telling him she was still a virgin, she hadn’t been touched by a man, and the baby she was carrying was going to be the Messiah? The information she was giving him was enough to make him want to send Mary away without being harmed by the neighborhood folks. If she stayed Mary would be talked about or stoned to death, and he would have been talked about wanting to continue the marriage although she was pregnant and not by him. It would have appeared, she must have been with Joseph prior to their marriage, and according to the law if a man had sex with a virgin that was not betrothed, he would have to pay the father fifty shekels of silver, and he had to marry the virgin he had sexual contact.

Mary, a young woman chose to be submitted to the will of God no matter what the cost would have been. First of all, she no longer would have been engaged to Joseph, secondly, her choice would cost her life. Mary believed in God and what she had to face was not bigger than the God she believed in. Just like Mary, when one chooses to be a vessel for God, sometimes they will lose friendships, sometimes their marriage, family members no longer want to be around them. It’s a cost many will have to pay if they really want to be a vessel for God to use as well as being one of His children. Those that truly serve God will be called “holy rollers, fanatics, and sometimes crazy”. Christians have been chosen by God to birth spiritual babies. When the Holy Spirit comes and takes residence in our being, He has made us His dwelling place. He has empowered the Christian to work in a position He has called and ordained them to be in. Just like Mary, God chooses vessels to impart His Holy Spirit into those that have set themselves apart from the lust and desires of the world, and their desire is to please the Father.

When people truly become Christians, when they tell others about their conversion, family and friends will not be enthused about their new nature because they know they will no longer do the things they normally would do before coming a Christian. A Christian’s behavior and character would be a reflection of the Father and Son, they are in the world, but not of the world because they have been born of the Spirit of God in their spirit, and the Son resides in their heart. Don’t fret if you have been ostracized by family and friends, know that the God you serve will never leave you nor forsake you. He will fill the voided spaces in your heart, and He will send people to you that will love you like a family member. If your marriage has been broken because of your relationship with God, give your marriage and spouse to God and allow Him to restore what has broken or damaged. As many people, there are in the world, God chose you to be His child and servant. No greater privileges than to be chosen by God.