And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30 ESV)
Mary was a young woman with plenty of things to fear. She did not know it yet, but shunning was coming. Her community was about to shun her. (She was pregnant outside of marriage.) Her immediate family was about to shun her. (She was pregnant and sullying her family’s good name.) Her fiancé was about to shun her. (She was pregnant, and NOT from anything to do with noble Joseph.)
But God cut all that shunning off at the pass.
The FIRST words of the angel were, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28 ESV) If God is with her, who can be against her? (Romans 8:31) Nothing that Mary is about to be afraid of is worth fearing.
Mary could have sought favor with Joseph… or her family… or the community at large. But why? The angel knew EXACTLY what she needed to hear. She already had found favor with God.
So Mary listened. With the faith of a child, she accepts this shocking news of her pregnancy. In the end, she responds, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38 ESV)
We sometimes find it hard to accept, but the angel’s words to Mary can also be said to us. Because of Christ, God finds favor with us, too.
Not because we are already holy, or wise, or clever, or cute, or pleasant, or in the right groups. But because of God’s grace. Which ADDS to the security of God’s favor, because keeping it is therefore not dependent on us, either.
Fear not, because of God’s favor.