Mary makes a good deal in the Magnificat of the way God uses the poor. It is not the spiritual poor, either, but those who have a lack of cash. Does there have to be an inverse relationship between wealth and God’s mission? I hear of those in China who have nothing and there seem to be great stories of supernatural events where God’s hand is at work. I hear that the church is growing rapidly in Africa. Christians are collecting money and developing schools and teaching the faith alongside reading and writing. Then we look at the spiritual condition of the West and the very notion of a spiritual realm is not as commonly accepted as it once was.
However, can a nation that pursues pleasure and leisure survive? Can a nation that has lost its moral compass produce a youth who can look beyond themselves? Will God allow greed and irresponsibility to strip the west of its wealth so that poverty will cause people to ask what’s truly important?
Luke 1: 39-56
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
46And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Questions
- Where did Mary hurry?
- What happened when Elizabeth met Mary?
- In what ways has God scattered those who are proud?
- What do the two women in the passage share?
- How is a clear vision of what God is doing through the poor and humble a motivator for you?
Going Deeper
Do you agree with Francis Chan that we should be living a more radical life of self-denial and poverty? http://www.christiantoday.com/article/francis.chan.calls.on.christians.to.be.radical.followers.of.christ/25892.htm
Why do you think poverty is growing so rapidly in the United States? http://washingtonindependent.com/98935/poverty-state-by-state
Faith, Politics, Yale, Tony Blair and Poverty Alleviation – How can all of these things come together? http://academicearth.org/lectures/faiths-and-poverty-alleviation-tony-hall
Plymothian 
I sometimes wish that I lived in a different time. A more simple time. A time when I imagine it might have been easier to keep one’s priorities straight. A time when just surviving took most of one’s time. And you couldn’t help but be dependent on God.
But here we are in a culture that values entertainment more most other things. Our movie stars and sports heroes are some of the highest paid and most admired. We (certainly myself included) spend so many hours distracted and pulled away from the really important things in life.
I don’t know that I agree completely with Chan on the poverty issue. There are certainly Biblical characters who have money and follow God simultaneously. But I do agree that our version of Christianity is much more comfortable than it ought to be.
Perhaps I should clarify that the previous comment (and some other comments on previous days) was by Kelli Worrall—logged in as Peter. Oops.