Posted on: 17th December 2024

All the nativity plays at this time of year take me back to my own stage debut: playing Mary in my reception nativity! (Maybe my name set me up for that one!) Unfortunately though, I did not have any lines at all. I did get a lot of stage time and remember walking around in circles with a donkey (aka another child on their hands and knees), but alas, my script was blank. What I thought was a starring role turned out to be just another ordinary part. (My younger sister reprised the role of Mary three years later and by that time they gave her one line!)

When we look at the Christmas story, King Herod probably thought of himself as a main character. He was a king after all! He already had his own story going on where he was the centre, so when he heard the news of another king (Jesus), he simply couldn’t cope. There was no room for another king in his story! He was threatened and disturbed and it caused him to lash out in destructive ways in an attempt to control his own story.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, shows a different attitude though. She might have had ideas and dreams about how her marriage and family life would go, but she surrendered all of these things in order to play a part in the story of Jesus. Mary’s sacrifice was immense! She sacrificed her reputation completely. Her pregnancy was not something she could easily explain to people around her without them thinking she was crazy! “I know what it looks like, but there was this angel…”

Then shortly after Jesus was born, Simeon prophesied over her that a sword would pierce her own heart. It was true, because she watched her first born son be brutally murdered. On paper, it sounds like it might have been better for her to say no to Gabriel and carry on living her own story! But Mary had the privilege of playing a significant part in Jesus’ story and walking in close relationship with Him. She experienced the favour of God in her lifetime and she has an eternal reward.

To follow Jesus is to be a part of His story, not our own.

Although hardship comes, playing a part in the story of Jesus is infinitely better than just living out your own story. When God invites each one of us into His story, that’s where our purpose is truly found. Being part of His story is completely fulfilling in every way because walking closely with God is what we were made for. He has a part specifically for you and it is perfectly tailor made to the way you were created! 

In reality, we are all caught up in the story of God already. He’s the God over all - the Alpha and Omega! King Herod was caught up in the story of God and he resisted. Mary was also caught up in Jesus’ story and she submitted and played her part. Will you choose to live in your own story, or play your part in God’s story?

To return to my original question: who’s the main character? Jesus! Jesus is the main character!
 

By Mary Swain, Author of ‘40 Days of Going Deeper with God'.