Of all the people you meet in Scripture, who is your favorite? If you could have dinner and spend an evening with a person you meet in Scripture, other than Jesus, who would you choose? Questions like these are used occasionally in classes and small groups to get people talking. It is really a thought-provoking question. There are so many from which to choose.

We might want to have a conversation with Noah and his family and ask what it was like to experience the flood. Perhaps we would want to have dinner with Abraham and Sarah and listen to them tell us about what it was like to leave their native land and follow God to Canaan. A conversation with Moses would be incredible. Think about listening to him talk about standing before Pharaoh, witnessing the plagues, the parting of the sea, and being in the presence of God on Mt. Sinai.

The list could go on and on: Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Hannah, Deborah, David, Peter, John, Mary Magdalene, Paul, etc. We read the stories of their lives and experiences and are amazed. We want to know more. What made these people tick?

At this time of year, Mary gets a lot of attention, and rightfully so. Of the people we meet in Scripture, hers is one amazing story. Think of it. A teenage girl in a relatively obscure place gets a visit that will change her life forever.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:26-33)

Mary was understandably confused and probably somewhat scared. For an unwed but engaged woman to become pregnant prior to the wedding would be scandalous and even dangerous for her. The family would be dishonored. The consequences could be extremely severe. Yet even in the face of all that could happen, and having no idea as to what would happen in the future and how all of this might play out, her response was, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord: let it be done to be according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

As we look again at those people we admire from Scripture, I believe that what draws us to them is what they were able to accomplish. They were able to accomplish these things in conjunction with God through his power at work in them. And they were able to do this because they stepped out and followed God in faith. They had no idea exactly how things would turn out for them. They just knew that God would work things out for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

We are drawn to these folks, and we admire them because we also would like to contribute to the work of the Kingdom. Often, though, we are reluctant to step out in faith unless we know in advance how it will end. There are so many variables and so many “what ifs” that face us. We want to be sure that whatever we endeavor to do will succeed. That is certainly a noble goal. However, it is one that we cannot guarantee on our own because there are so many things that we do not know, and so many things we cannot control.

We do know the one who knows all that we will face. We know the one who is able to work all things out for the good of the Kingdom. We may not be able to predict all of the details, but we have been assured of what is in store for us in the end. He has promised that he will not leave us or forsake us. He has promised that we will be with him. He is the one who worked with and through all of the ordinary people on our list of Bible heroes to accomplish his purpose. He can do the same with us if we will let him. He has promised to do the same in our lives if our response is like that of Mary’s, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”