Especially at Christmas I like to consider what a great woman of faith Jesus had for a mother. Not supernatural, not perfect, but a woman just like us. Yet she was singled out like no woman before or since, which explains why some have been tempted to exalt her as though she were more than just flesh and blood. The Scriptures record a great deal for us about Mary, and we should not be jumpy about studying her in God’s Word. I have written three articles about her and posted them here on Femina over the past couple of years. So rather than re-posting them, I thought I would just link to them for you, so you can give them a read. Here, here, and here. She is a woman we can admire, thank God for, and look up to as an example of great faithfulness and courage. And Christmas would certainly not be Christmas without her.
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Exactly! We can study Mary’s life without falling into venerating her. The Scriptures say she was blessed among women, and with that thought in mind we named our second daughter after her (middle name). And no, we’re not Catholic. 😉
My parents named me after Mary. I was the child of promise, to them, coming after a brother who had died of crib-death and three long years of empty arms. To my parents, naming me after Mary was the highest sign they could give that I was a gift from God to them and an act of their faith in Him. It has never felt like a burden to me to wear this name…and I, too, reflect upon the great suffering she endured as she observed the world’s mistreatment of her son & Lord. I think many mothers feel close to Mary at Christmas, especially those who are pregnant!
My mother worships Mary and prays to her, this has been difficult for me as a protestant. It was tempting as I grew up not to swing to the other extreme about Mary (disregarding her altogether.) I have been grateful for your guidance over the years. It has helped me to correct my over-correction. 😉 I have come to love and appreciate and look up to Mary as a beautiful example of motherhood and godliness. Especially in her submission to God and to her husband. Here she had the God of the universe in her womb yet she never led Joseph, Joseph led her. In my eyes, out of all the women in the Bible, she was the most humble woman.