Monday November 05, 2018

 

I recently read a study that concludes that the most harmful and dangerous word in the world is the word “no”. According to this study, if we were to videotape our brain with an FMRI scanner while flashing the word “no” in front of it for one second, it would show immediate neural changes taking place in the brain. It would show the release of dozens of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters that instantly interrupt the normal function of the brain. These would impair logic, reason, and the way we listen and what we say. This study immediately captivated my attention because the word “no” is one of the most commonly used words in our vocabulary. Think about it; if you have children, from the time they are born the word they will hear the most growing up is the word, “no”.

 

In the United States, more than 90% of the population says they believe in God; even people who do not live a Godly life say they believe in God. What is funny however is that while we profess we believe in God, we are constantly saying “no” to Him. Some say “no” to Him in every aspect of their lives and others in specific areas of their lives. How smart can it be to say no to God? Can this ever lead to anything good?

 

According to the Bible, when Mary was just a teenager, an angel of the Lord appeared to her. He told her that God had granted her great favor and that she would conceive a baby who would be the Son of God and who would be King over all Israel forever. The fact that she was a young virgin girl, living during a very difficult period for Israel, made this news very confusing to her. The Bible tells us that she was perplexed and confused; in other words, the angel’s statement made absolutely no sense to her. She probably thought to herself: If God were going to choose someone to bring His son into the world, it would definitely not be me. I am too young, not ready, and this is far too big a responsibility; in any event, this is not even remotely possible. The angel had to tell Mary to not be afraid and the word he used for “fear” implied that Mary was so afraid she wanted to run away. Now, look at the answer Mary gave the angel, this despite the fact that she was confused, perplexed, and so afraid that she wanted to run away.

 

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. – Luke 1:38 NLT

 

I love Mary’s response to the angel; she chose to say “yes” to God in spite of the fact that she was confused, perplexed, and afraid. She said “yes” although it all seemed illogical, did not make sense, and at least from her perspective, was completely impossible. She said “yes” because she chose to trust God even when her brain was incapable of comprehending the angel’s message. And you? Will you say “yes” to God with your life, the way you manage your time, money, and every aspect of your life? Mary had no idea how things would work out, but she answered, “yes” anyway. You too might be confused, perplexed, and full of fear, but believe me, the only right answer when it comes to God, is to always say “yes”.

 

To walk in Mary’s shoes is to say yes to God in spite of our confusion and fears.