To be “Favored” Brings Great Risk
Ever get a promotion at work to handle a job nobody else wanted or was elected to do? Mary, by all accounts, carried much humility and grace.
Now the biggest job anyone could imagine fell onto her. To carry an “illegitimate” child while being betrothed to Joseph was against the law. This place rewarded un-married women having pre-marital sex with everything from persecution and condemnation by her community to exile or death!
In small-town Nazareth, she wasn’t going to be unnoticed for long. Every sideways glance as she grows will be a sermon of indictment and prosecution.
She has little choice but to speak to her betrothed, Joseph. Not only for support but out of obligation. Betrothal at the time was the legal agreement between two families. It carried more weight than the actual marriage which was more of a ceremonial event. So, right away, Mary had to overcome her doubt before even morning sickness or the first kick. No time for denial. Fear had to turn to courage immediately! Imagine how the conversation must have gone… “uhhh, Honey? Can we talk?”
By all accounts the conversation didn’t lead to instant drama but you can be sure it was heavy. Joseph could have publicly accused Mary, instead according to Matthew 1:19, “Joseph, her husband (betrothed husband), being a faithful to the law, and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had a mind to divorce her quietly.” Even that option carried great risk to Mary.
Having a good handle on scripture, Jospeh must have had Isaiah 7:13-14 on his mind who wrote, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Later, perhaps that night, Joseph was visited in his dreams by an angel convincing him to carry this weight alongside Mary. There was no argument, no delay, or recorded words. Only action on Joseph’s part— protect Mary and the baby Jesus.
Without Joseph, the miracle of Jesus would not survive infancy. That is faith without theatrics.
For us, living comparatively easy in our modern ways, we tend to highlight with joy Mary’s “favored” status— you know, “blessed art though”? But that favor came with great exposure…And that’s the point, isn’t it? God’s calling, or blessing, as it has been called, rarely adds comfort but discomfort can often lead to wonderous outcomes.
God didn’t protect Mary from suspicion
He trusted her with it!
Favor is a recipe for judgment. Her neighbors didn’t get an angel
They Got Rumors
Being highly favored isn’t comfortable
It is Dangerous
If God is going to do something eternal through you, He may allow something to be misunderstood about you
