Mary’s Honor Burden

The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!” Luke 1:28

In honor-shame cultures throughout history, women have been honor-burden bearers for their families, tribes, and nations. Men have served as honor guards. Honor-bearers and honor guards have learned their roles from childhood. Avoid shame at all costs. Preserve the honor of the group by doing your part. This is the essence of the honor-shame worldview. 

Mary knew her role, even as a young girl.

By all cultural standards, she was a beacon of honor. Like other Jewish girls her age, Mary carefully maintained this position in her family and community by doing the expected things: following religious law, fulfilling household duties, and accepting her family’s careful arrangement of her betrothal to an honorable man. 

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he turned Mary’s earthly concept of honor upside down. God Himself called her honored, yet He chose her to carry a child whose conception would appear to be cloaked in shame. God declared her favored, yet her willingness to choose Him over her culture would likely cost her the favor of her family and community. And by religious law, it could even cost her life.

To be honored by God, bearing His favor, may look shameful to those who do not know Him. 

This is the case for so many in honor-shame societies today who choose to follow Jesus, to accept the call of God at the risk of losing family, community, and perhaps even life itself.

This is true for anyone who chooses to follow Jesus against the edicts of popular opinion and culture.

There is an honor that does not look honorable to the world. It is the highest honor possible to man or woman, boy or girl, the favor given to all who will believe Jesus is the Messiah and risk everything to bear His name.

Honor was born on #Christmas when a young girl chose the shame of believing God’s promise over the honor offered by world systems and human opinion.#insteadofshamehonor Share on X

Mary believed the impossible was possible with God, and she was willing to risk it all to bear Jesus to the world.

I learned to appreciate her honor burden the first time I shared her story with friends in North Africa, women who helped me understand the gravity of Mary’s choice to choose God’s honor burden over man’s.

This Christmas, remember your brothers and sisters around the world who have heard this counter-cultural word of the Lord and chosen to believe Him. 

As we consider the Advent season, where in our lives may God be asking us to exchange the approval of our culture for His honor burden?

With Mary, may we respond,

“Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Lord, thank You for giving us the highest honor of all at Christmas, by sending the Messiah Jesus who would save us all from shame. Amen.

@audreycfrank