The mission of The Sage Forum is to encourage, equip, and empower women over 40 to mature in faith and grow in wisdom. We send out a newsletter at the beginning of each month focusing on a different theme relevant to women in the second half of life.
Today’s Sage Forum Extra! is a short mid-month reflection meant to offer you a word of encouragement. Today’s Extra! is penned by Sage Forum contributor Judy Allen, who offers us a welcome reflection about perspective. You can read more of Judy’s wise words here.
On this NASA photo of the earth, populated by about 8 billion people, we can’t see any details; we don’t know who’s in power or which country is fighting a war with another or where the wealth is and where it’s not.
All we see is the very big picture.
This was the perspective of the angel Gabrial when he appeared to Mary as recorded in Luke 1.
Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end. (Luke 1:30-33)
Gabriel had informed Mary that Jesus would be the Son of God, inhabit the throne of David forever, and that his kingdom would never end. Gabriel’s thoughts were about what God was doing, a long-awaited Messiah was about to be born, and Mary would be his earthly mother. Wow! God’s eternal plan, in the works for millennia, was about to reach its climax.
Mary freaked out. Wouldn’t you? From Gabriel’s vast heavenly perspective, Mary immediately zoomed in to her individualized view. It’s understandable, for how could she have a baby if she was a virgin?
‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ (Luke 1:34)
Humans do this regularly. We are focused on ourselves, wonder what events in our community, country or world will mean for us, and question God. (We are not often in conversation with angels.) This interaction reminds me that God has a far greater perspective than I do and that he knows what he’s doing.
He is also gracious and knows that we do not have his perspective. Gabriel patiently explained to Mary what would happen and gave her evidence so that she would believe it.
The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.’” (Luke 1:35-37)
Mary didn’t know exactly what this would mean for her life, but she believed God and stated her faith with these words:
’I am the Lord’s servant…May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)
May we do the same.
Prayer: Lord, help us to remember that your perspective is far greater than ours, that you love us, and that we can trust you. We desire to have Mary’s attitude toward you, and we are your servants. Thank you that you have given us the information that we need to serve you well.
All of us at The Sage Forum wish you God’s peace and a healthy measure of zoomed out perspective this Christmas. See you in 2025!
Photo by NASA
