Mary and Elizabeth teach us about the importance of mentoring relationships
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One of the most touching parts of the pre-Christmas narrative in Luke is the record of the visit of Mary to her relative Elizabeth. Mary probably made the eight or nine day journey from Nazareth to Elizabeth’s home in Ein Karem for several reasons. The angel had told Mary that Elizabeth too was miraculously pregnant. Perhaps Mary felt that Elizabeth might understand. Since Elizabeth was older and farther along in her pregnancy, perhaps Mary went partly to help her. What we know is that when Mary arrived, any anxieties she had about how to divulge her secret were preempted quickly by Elizabeth’s prophetic blessing. Three times in three sentences Elizabeth declared Mary and her child to be blessed. Perhaps Mary needed this word of blessing to move from seeing the difficulties of her position to seeing the blessings.
All of us can benefit from being mentored by someone else. And we can do our part by mentoring someone younger or less experienced. Mary and Elizabeth are a great reminder to us of the mutual benefit of mentoring.
We know that Mary responded to Elizabeth’s words with faith because Mary’s own song of praise follows. It is a well known passage known as “The Magnificat.” This short passage is rich in Bible background as it is modeled heavily upon Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. And Pastor Kelvin pointed out that it has many touch points with prominent themes from the Psalms as well. Hope for the humble is one of those.
Our author, Adam Hamilton mentions that one line of the Magnificat should be disturbing to most Americans because it speaks of God sending the rich away empty. Comparing ourselves to others in the USA, we might not think of ourselves as rich, but comparing ourselves to the many in our world who subsist on so little, we are very rich. Mary prophesied,
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
Luke 1:53
Rev. Hamilton suggests that we let the passage remind us that our responsibility as those who have means is to help fulfill the first part of the prophecy. Through our giving, we help the needs of others to be met. Pastor Kelvin suggested that at Christmas especially, we consider giving significantly to charities that help with inner city needs or with the needs of the third world. In so doing we are able to give gifts to Jesus. Jesus taught us that when we are at the judgment,
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matt 25:40