To Us a Son Is GivenSample

The Humble and the Hungry

Our culture is enamored with the wealthy and the powerful. Athletes, actors, politicians, and successful CEOs—these people just seem to matter more. Even as Christians, we are drawn to worldly standards of power and influence.

In today’s passage, Mary celebrated the fact that God was turning the world’s standards and expectations upside-down. He was keeping His promises, but He was doing it in a surprising way. Instead of the proud, it was the humble who were receiving His favor; instead of the rich, the hungry were being filled. Those who were insignificant in the world’s eyes would receive God’s mercy and steadfast love. This is still God’s pattern today:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26–29)

God’s chief aim is to put his own glory on display, and one of the ways He does this is by undermining the world’s wisdom. The Messiah comes through an unknown virgin from Nazareth. Eternal riches are promised to those who admit they are spiritually bankrupt. The King of the universe saves His people by dying on a cross.

Simple Summary

Mary praised God for His mercy and His faithfulness. She was overcome with joy at the idea that God would use her to fulfill His promises of salvation. Rather than showing favor to the rich and the proud, God was showing His grace to the humble and the poor. We’re reminded that God’s ways are very different from ours. He reaches out to those who are forgotten and rejected by the world.

Pray

Thank God that His mercy extends to the poor and the despised, and even to you. Ask Him to give you this kind of compassion for others.