I don’t know much about living in the middle east, much less, about what it would be like to live in a time where women were treated like a servant.  American culture is very much associated with power and individualism.  However, from what I’ve learned, in the middle east, community is their primary source of identity.  Tribal community and affiliation to their tribe is their primary source of identity.  

At the time of Mary’s life, a young unmarried girl who became pregnant risked disaster unless the father of the child agreed to marry her.  In Mary’s case, there was no human father, so no one would own up to being the father.  Mary risked remaining unmarried the rest of her life.  Her own father would have rejected her and she would have been forced to beg or become a prostitute in order to earn a living.  And Mary risked being called a lunatic because she would claim the Holy Spirit made her pregnant.

Imagine explaining to your entire clan, and the man she is supposed to marry, that this child she was carrying is the product of the Holy Spirit.  More than that, her child will be the Promised One who will inherit an everlasting kingdom, the One whom Israel had been waiting through years of oppression and exile.  Here is Mary, a poor, young girl from a small village, and she will be the mother of the Messiah?  It is almost certain no one will believe her.  If she is not stoned to death, she could be cast out of her community and scorned by all who knew her.  Apart from her community, she would hardly be considered a person.

Yet, the primary traits I have witnessed, is obedience and trust.  With humility, Mary accepts both the honor God gives her as well as the shame that will come upon her.  Mary’s life is bent towards faith and obedience.  We could survive being thrown out of our family and community.  It may be painful, but we could survive.  Our identity as an individual would make it possible to survive.  However, in Mary’s case, exile would be far worse than death.  Apart from her family, she would have no home, no income, no prospects, no identity.

The story of Mary contrasts our study of Elizabeth from last week.  Elizabeth’s pregnancy will restore her honor among her community.  Mary’s vindication will have to wait.  

I spent a great deal of time looking up scripture with the word obey or obedience in it, and I reflected on the fact that 400 years had passed since a prophet had spoken to the nation of Israel.  All these tribal people had was what was passed on to them.  The promises God made to them.  Just imagine if we allowed ourselves to shut off all the noise of others and simply focused on scripture - would we be able to hear the Lord better?  Would our lives look differently?  Would obedience and trust come more naturally?

Mary yielded her life completely to the work of God no matter the cost, and all generations will truly call her blessed.