Are You A Mary?

What is more important to you? What God thinks of you or what other people think of you?

Are you like Mary? When she was told by the angel Gabriel that she would have a baby, what did she say? She said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. ((Luke 1:38) To a married lady, this would be no big deal. But to an unmarried woman engaged to be married this was a huge deal. Today it is considered normal to be pregnant when you're unmarried, even though it's still just as wrong. But in those days it was big scandal. Her whole reputation would be ruined. Yet she knew that God knew that she was pure. What God thinks of you is what is most important! He sees and knows what others don't see.

 Or what about Mary, Martha's sister? Martha was extremely annoyed at Mary for listening to Jesus instead of helping. And yet, what did Jesus say about Mary? One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42) What was more important to Mary? What Jesus thought or what Martha thought?
  At another time, Mary took something very precious to her and extremely expensive and gave it to Jesus (John 12:1-8). One of the disciples gasped and exclaimed, "What a waste! It could have been sold and given to the poor." But who did Jesus tell off? The disciple! And then He defended Mary. He knew that Mary loved Him, and He also knew that the disciple (Judas Iscariot) was a thief who didn't care about the poor!

Will you be like these Marys? Will you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and live to please Him? Even when people gasp and say, What a waste! What a stupid thing to do!  Even when people misunderstand, mock and judge you. Even when people are totally unfair in what they think of you.
It's very hard to give this to God and not live to please others. And God is merciful to forgive when we confess our failures to Him.
God knows you inside and out. He knows your intentions and your motives. He knows your heart--what you truly love.
It is God who you will account of your life to. 
Of course, you want to have a good reputation. And you should try to where possible. But at the end of the day, it's what God thinks of you that truly matters.

BE A MARY!