Treasuring and Making Jesus Famous
We all knew from social media that Anastasia, my friends’ baby girl, made her debut Friday morning. I love her name because my Staci’s name is a derivative of Anastasia, which means “resurrected life”! My thoughts went to Mary and how she “treasured these things in her heart”, unlike how descriptive we are about our children and their lives. I’m guilty, as charged. Back in my day, it was word-of-mouth to alert our friends and family that our baby had arrived. Today, we even know the gestation periods of moms as they show photos of their growing tummies at 12 – 16 – 28 weeks and more. We wore full tops that kept our expanding waistlines from showing. Now it’s tight-fitting outfits that let it show, let the whole world know as the baby grows! And, the latest trends are showing photos of babies bearing a sign “One Week Old”, then at one month, two months, etc. We are our babies and families’ “publicity managers”! The world of social media certainly is different than Mary’s “treasuring those things in her heart”.
Mary shared very little about her baby, the Son of God. Dr. Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke, must have interviewed Mary because she was the only surviving eye-witness of those events. Only do his writings explain the miracle birth. And, very little “detail” did she give us, unlike my “many words” daily posts. I reflected on Mary’s brief explanation of her miracle pregnancy and the wonders of her baby’s birth – the angels, the shepherds, the star. I marvel at her quiet demeanor and her ability to “treasure” these things in her heart. “Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.” Luke 2:19
We know little of keeping things to ourselves these days – with social media that keeps us well aware of what’s going on in our lives. I know I’m not measuring up to Mary’s “treasuring in her heart”, especially when I post about where I am and what I’m doing and what my family is doing almost daily. Obviously, my “treasuring” is bold and in technicolor to the world.
But, in reality, how can we make Jesus famous if we simply sit and treasure Him — keeping Him all to ourselves? Unlike Mary, who had the benefit of a host of angels and a star, we have so many extraordinary, available ways to broadcast the GOOD NEWS of Jesus. Oh yes, there are times to sit in His holy presence and treasure Him and adore Him and honor Him. But, if we don’t get out of our comfortable places of “Silent Night. Holy Night” to “Go Tell It On the Mountain” — who will be the bearers of “Joy to the World. The Lord Has Come. Let Earth Receive Her King. Let every heart prepare Him Room” to our world?
If ever a mother could exploit the exploits of her Son, Mary could have, but she chose to treasure those things in her heart. As I treasured Mary’s “Yes” yesterday, I realized God was inspiring me to use whatever platforms I’m given to be Mary’s mouthpiece. She treasured in her heart because that was God’s best plan for her. Now, her heart is revealed in how I can help her make her Son famous and help people fall in love with Him as I did.
I’m inspired by Mary’s quiet “treasuring-in-her-heart” ways, but in John 14:12, Jesus said “Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, the one who believes in Me will also do what I’m doing. He will do even greater things than these because I’m going to the Father.” Why then, would we NOT use every means possible like books, churches, missions teams, movies, television, social media, and word-of-mouth to get the word out to make Him famous?
I hope to live my life with the same willingness of Mary. What if she had said no? What if she had rejected the opportunity to be the Mother of the Lord? But, she would have missed out on being a crucial part of the greatest story ever told! Millions of people throughout time wouldn’t look back at her life in gratitude, understanding that their salvation was made possible because she was a willing servant of the Lord. No matter the cost. Like Mary, I want to treasure each moment as Mary did, choosing to trust in God’s sovereignty, but I want to get out there in every way possible to shine the spotlight on Him and help make my Lord famous. Will you join me?