Devotional
When God decided to enter human history, He had countless options for how to make His entrance. He could have chosen royalty, nobility, or religious elite. Instead, He selected Mary—a common young woman from Nazareth, a town so insignificant that people questioned whether anything good could come from there. This wasn’t an accident or oversight. God deliberately chose the ordinary over the extraordinary, the humble over the proud, the unknown over the famous. Mary wasn’t wealthy, influential, or connected to powerful people. She was simply a faithful young woman living an ordinary life in an unremarkable place. God’s choice of Mary reveals something beautiful about His heart. He doesn’t need our credentials, our status, or our achievements to use us for His purposes. He looks for hearts that are open, humble, and willing to trust Him. Throughout Scripture, we see this pattern repeated—God choosing shepherds over kings, fishermen over scholars, the weak to confound the strong. This should encourage every one of us who feels ordinary or overlooked. God sees you. He values you. He can use you in extraordinary ways, not because of who you are, but because of who He is. Your background, your education, your social status—none of these disqualify you from being part of God’s amazing plan.
Bible Verse
‘In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.’ – Luke 1:26-27
Reflection Question
What ‘ordinary’ aspects of your life might God want to use for His extraordinary purposes?
Quote
“God did not choose a woman from the elite class of Rome. He did not choose a woman from the ruling class of the Roman Empire. He did not choose a woman from the leading class of the Jewish people or of the synagogue. He chose a common girl.” -Pastor Jerry Madden
Prayer
Father, thank You that You don’t need me to be extraordinary to use me. Help me to have a humble heart like Mary’s, ready to say yes to whatever You ask of me. Use my ordinary life for Your glory. Amen.