We who are Protestants don’t know what to do with Mary, the virgin of whom Jesus was born. We have no issue affirming and defending the doctrine of the virgin birth. It is an essential part of the ecumenical creeds. It has been held as a central tenet of the Christian faith. For example, in the Fundamentalist/Modernist controversy in the early part of the 20th century, the virgin birth was one of the five fundamental beliefs one must hold to be considered a Christian.

But Mary herself? If we are honest, we feel squeamish about her. Most of that comes, I would guess, because of some of the teaching in the Roman Catholic church. This would include belief in her perpetual virginity, her immaculate conception such that she was born without original sin, and her assumption into heaven, such that she did not taste death. Perhaps most concerning is the veneration of Mary and holding her as a co-redeemer or co-mediator with Christ, as one who is not only a recipient of grace but who is herself a source of grace.

But does that mean we can say nothing good or honoring about Mary? I think we would be wrong not to do so. Fear is rarely a good reason to not do something. On the other hand, the Bible clearly models for us the practice of honoring others. What else is the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews? And Paul tells us that elders who serve well are worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17).

So what are some ways to appropriately honor Mary?

We can honor her for her love of Scripture. Mary most likely was illiterate and would certainly be looked down upon by our modern standards of education. And yet it is clear that she knows the Scriptures. The Magnficat, her song in response to Elizabeth’s declaration, is saturated with the word of God. The only way it could have sprung from her is that she had listened to and memorized the Scriptures she had been taught, most likely by her mom and dad.

We can honor her for her meditative spirit on the words and works of God. In the opening two chapters of Luke, we see three instances of this. At the announcement of Jesus’ birth by the angel Gabriel, we are told that Mary was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be (1:29). After the shepherds come to find the newborn Jesus in response to the angelic visitation in the fields and to share what they had been told, Luke writes, But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart (2:19). And at the conclusion of the account of 12-year-old Jesus in the temple, we find that his mother treasured up all these things in her heart (2:51). Mary was a Psalm 1 believer!

We can honor her for her submissive obedience to the will of God. We saw this last Sunday, when she responds to the particular revelation given by Gabriel by stating, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word (1:38). But we also see it in her obedience to the will of God revealed in the Scriptures. She and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple at the appointed time after his birth to present him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord (2:22-24). That visit is summarized with the statement that they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord (2:39). And the reason 12-year-old Jesus is at the temple is because his parents are faithful to keep the prescribed feasts (2:41).

Finally, we can honor Mary for faithfully discharging her unique charge. There is only one woman who was given this task and Mary carried in her womb, and birthed, and then cared for Jesus. She wasn’t perfect in it. There is clear evidence that she did not understand the mission of Jesus any better than the disciples and at least at one point thought Jesus might have been going insane. Yet, when you follow the thread, we see her there at the beginning, we see her at the cross, and we see her in the upper room with the other disciples awaiting the coming of the promised Holy Spirit. Mary was human like us and a sinner like us but overall, she stepped up to the unique task given to her and all the burdens that came with it and faithfully, not perfectly, carried it out.

But, saints, you want to know the best way to honor Mary, the one that would be most pleasing to her? Honor her son. For the honoring of any believer is not the end goal. We focus our eyes momentarily on them so that they might direct us to the one on whom our eyes should be permanently fixed, Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. Saints, where are your eyes fixed today?