Read Luke 1:34-35
Today we will just focus on verse 34, even though you read two verses for today. Verse 34 is a very important verse for a lot of reasons, so we will spend time just thinking about this one verse today.
Let’s compare this verse with Luke 1:18, a verse that you read in last Wednesday’s reading. In that verse Zechariah asked a question, too. But he received a different response from Gabriel. Gabriel scolded Zechariah for doubting what he said, since he was an angel who was sent directly from God. But if you look at verse 35 you will see that Gabriel did not scold Mary for asking a question. That does not seem fair, does it?
Does that sometimes happen at home with your brother or sister, if you have one? Or does that happen in school, when you ask a question and get in trouble for asking, while someone else asks a question and does not get into trouble. What’s the difference?
The difference is the reason the question was asked and the way the question was asked. People sometimes get in trouble for asking questions because of the attitude they show when asking. Sometimes we ask questions and we are thinking, “That’s not true. I know that’s not going to happen because I know more than they do.” And we question others because we are proud, we think we know more, or we don’t believe what they say.
Both Mary and Zechariah understood what the angel said. But Zechariah wanted some proof for this hard thing the angel said would happen. He wanted proof because he really did not believe the angel. Mary believed the angel, but she did not see how it could be possible for her to have a child, since she was not married and had never been with a man. Mary did not understand, so the angel knew that her question was out of confusion. She was puzzled and could not figure it all out, while Zechariah was proud and didn’t believe.
God sees the attitude of our hearts. He wants us to ask Him questions. He listens to all our questions, forgives us when we are proud, and loves to tell us when we humbly come to Him and say, “I don’t understand.” He wants us to understand His true words in the Bible.
I Commend Joy! 