“He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” –Luke 1:51-53
As we studied Adam Hamilton’s The Journey over the past few weeks I was struck by God’s consistent choice of poor, humble people to accomplish God’s purposes. God chose a humble carpenter and a young girl from a poor, obscure family to parent the Son of God. The first people to whom God revealed the good news about the Messiah were lowly, night-shift shepherds. God’s choice of the lowly and humble shouldn’t be so surprising, however, for it happens over and over again in Scripture. God chose Abraham the wanderer to become the father of God’s chosen nation. God chose Jacob the rascal to become Israel. God chose David, a young shepherd boy, to be the great King of Israel. Throughout the stories of our faith we see God lifting the lowly to accomplish great things.
In Mary’s song of praise she celebrates this characteristic of God’s activity in the world. She praises God for humbling the proud and lifting up the lowly, for providing for the poor and hungry while sending the rich away empty. Mary’s song invites us to celebrate with her that God looks out for people who are overlooked by the powerful, who are struggling to get by, who are weary and hungry. Moreover, Mary’s song invites us to celebrate that God uses such people, the lowly and ordinary, to accomplish God’s wondrous acts.
Mary’s song of praise can be a little bit frightening, however, for us who are powerful and rich in comparison to the rest of the world. As Americans, we are blessed with a plethora of resources and an abundance of food. What does this passage say to us?
Adam Hamilton rightly described this passage as a call to mission. Our God cares for the poor and lifts up the lowly. Jesus’ ministry was filled with these activities: he healed the sick, befriended the outcasts, and chided the powerful rulers and religious leaders. As Christian disciples, we are called to be imitators of Jesus Christ. We are called to care for the sick and the hungry, befriend the people on the margins of our society, and make sure that we humble ourselves before God so that do not use our power for injustice.
Today, people of Union Grove will break bread with homeless individuals of Durham and Orange Counties. Today, we will fellowship with people who are often overlooked and judged. Today, we will sing praises with Mary that God cares for all people. And I imagine that as we fellowship with the people of Open Table Ministry, our souls will be filled along with our bellies and we will experience the love of God that knows no boundaries.
There are countless other ways you can imitate Jesus by humbling yourself as you lift the lowly and feed the hungry. You can stock shelves at OCIM. You can offer words of hope to a discouraged neighbor. You can donate your nicest clothes to people who have none. You can listen to someone who needs a friend. As Christmas approaches and we celebrate the coming of our Lord, the One who calls ordinary people to be extraordinary in love, Mary invites us to consider: how is God calling you to humble yourself and lift up the lowly?
Advent Blessings,
Laura
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