God blessing us shows how worthy He is, not us
“For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” — Luke 1:48b
Millions of people idolize Mary, largely because of that half-verse, as well as what Elizabeth says in verse 42: “Blessed are you among women.”
Because they think that when a person is blessed, it’s an acclamation of that individual. They think the blessing indicates that the person is worthy of exaltation.
That mindset is hardly limited to the Romanists. I spent years in charismatic church circles where blessing was a status symbol, where we congratulated each other for being blessed, and where we were taught to earn our blessings, or even that we’re entitled to them.
It gets me thinking, when God blesses someone, who does that say more about? The blessed person, or God?
When God blesses someone, should we talk more about the person who’s blessed, or the God who blesses?
Ironically, Mary herself knew the right answer to these questions. The blessing God bestowed upon her caused her to pour out a song of praise that magnified God, not herself.
Look at the first half of verse 48: “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant ...”
The only thing Mary says about herself is that she was a lowly maidservant: doule, a slave. She is astonished that God would bless her. Her message to “all generations” is, can you fathom the astoundingly merciful love and grace of God, that He would regard an unworthy nobody like me?
It’s a tragedy of dead religion that the Magnificat is used to magnify Mary, when every line of it is Mary magnifying God for what He has done, not her. She would be horrified by the “veneration” of her. She would have none of it. She wants every word of glory directed to God.
Mary understood that God blessing someone says nothing inherently good about the person. We don’t deserve any blessing we’ve ever received. A blessing is an act of entirely unmerited favor. God blesses us not because of who we are, but who He is. God loves us not because we are lovable, but because He is love.
Even more unfathomable is that the ultimate blessing of Mary’s Baby is for us: God taking on human flesh to take to the cross so He could take our place under the only thing we do deserve: the wrath of God.
But every blessing, no matter how great or small, should be shocking. Every blessing should leave us in stunned awe, like it did Mary. Every blessing should have us, like her, exclusively exalting God in humble wonder over how amazing His grace is, knowing that He alone is worthy of all blessing.
