Peeling Off the Labels

God cares for me, his humble servant. From now on, all people will say God has blessed me.

Luke 1:48 (CEV)

Young. Low-class. Jew. Female. The labels placed on Mary didn’t leave much expectation for her to claim a blessed life—at least not according to the customs and traditions of her time and culture.

But she worshipped a God who sees the outcast people and who blesses those who trust and obey him. Mary said yes to God’s plan for her life. And God made her the mother of Jesus, who was the Savior of the entire world!

Maybe you feel a bit like Mary. You might feel overlooked because you are young. You might feel less than because you don’t have fancy clothes or live in a huge mansion. You might feel unpopular because other kids ignore you at school.

No matter how low you feel, you are never out of God’s sight . . . or his plan. He looks for those who put him first and are willing to trust and obey him. He uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things! It really is amazing what he can do with a willing heart.

So, peel off those labels. Refuse to give in to the feelings of helplessness. Say yes to what God has for your life. Remember how God used Mary, and remind yourself that he can use you, too. He will bless you beyond what you can even imagine!

SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING

Mary praised God for blessing her. Too often, we are so worried about where we want to be, we miss the blessings God has already given us. Take a moment to be thankful for what God has given you. Write a psalm, like Mary’s, praising him! (Bonus points: think of a catchy melody and sing it out loud!)

PRAY

God, sometimes I don’t understand why you made me this way. Help me trust you and say yes to your plans.

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help you expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Please read...

Psalm 138:6

Proverbs 3:34

Matthew 5:5

1 Peter 5:6

________________________________

This devotional was written by Tonia Gutting for the Hero Squad Program of the American Bible Society. Hero Squad provides complimentary faith-based resources to strengthen and encourage Military families through God’s Word. For more information or to enroll your Military family, check out our website:www.myherosquad.org.