"But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (Luke 1:29-30, ESV).
Troubled. Disturbed. Concerned. Worried. Anxious. Bothered. Regardless of how you say it, it happens to the best of us. Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, was troubled. An angel appeared to her. Don't you know she wondered if she was seeing and hearing things? I wonder if she shook her head or blinked her eyes several times. An angel reassuring her not to be afraid might not have been so reassuring! Probably a good thing that Mary and Joseph both got visits from angels so they could calm each other down. Troubled was probably an understatement.
Right now I'd troubled over much smaller things. Things like the right gift for the right person. Somehow I think if it fret over what to buy, it makes the gift-giving so much better. It seems I spend more time thinking about it all than I do just getting something. When I think back on years past, I can hardly remember what I gave - or what I received. It seems that shopping for hours leads me to buy more and then I'm still concerned it wasn't good enough or the perfect gift. I need to learn to be less troubled and more thankful. After all, this has nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas. There are so many more important things I could be troubled, and thankful for - like friends, family, health, and the list goes on.
Mary must have gotten a handle on the trouble she felt. She was told not to be afraid, because God was with her. Wow Lord, give me your perspective on all the things that really don't matter. Help me to reach out to someone who is letting the little things get to them. May I remind them that there is no fear in the Lord because He is with us.
Have a "Mary" Christmas season.
