The Gift of Faith
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” Luke 1:38
“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-38)
Mary’s story perfectly illustrates the gift of faith. She stands as an example for us all, showing how this divine gift works—even when we experience fear, questions, or concerns.
The first thing the angel says to Mary upon visiting her is telling her that she is “highly favored”. The Greek phrase in Luke 1:28 translated as "highly favored" is κεχαριτωμένη (kecharitōmenē), derived from the Greek word charis (grace). It carries the sense of being "graced to the fullest." In Hebrew thought, this would align with the idea of chen (grace) and berakhah (blessing), highlighting God's unmerited favor and divine empowerment.
For Mary, being "highly favored" meant:
She was chosen by God for a unique, world-changing mission (the birth of Jesus).
She received divine grace, not because of her merit but as part of God's sovereign plan.
Her favor was accompanied by challenges, demonstrating that divine favor often includes both blessing and responsibility.
Just like Mary, we are here for a divine purpose. Each of us has specific roles to fulfill during this mortal life. Through God’s grace, we are empowered to accomplish these roles. Without this grace, we would fall short.
This is where faith comes in. As Jesus taught, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). God calls us to act in faith, trusting that He will provide the strength, guidance, and grace we need to move forward.
Others in scripture have also been described as “highly favored.” Nephi, for example, writes, "having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days" (1 Nephi 1:1). The Brother of Jared is another example (Ether 1:34), as well as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (Alma 27:30). The people taught and led by Captain Moroni and Helaman (Alma 48), both considered men of great faith, also experienced divine favor.
To be chosen requires faith. Faith overcomes fear, enabling us to move forward in the Lord, taking responsibility for what has been asked of us and receiving protection and help from Him.
When Mary asks the angel, “How shall this be?” the angel explains, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” This pattern is mirrored in our own lives. As we move forward in faith, we receive the Spirit, which brings peace, strength, clarity, and the ability to keep going. We find ourselves overshadowed by God, as He protects us and clears our paths so we may accomplish the work He has called us to do.
Faith becomes a gift—not something we work to earn, but something we are willing to receive. We demonstrate this willingness by acting on God’s word, just as Mary did. Through this gift, the impossible becomes possible: "For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
So, this Christmas season, let us bring our hearts to the place Mary’s was when she proclaimed her faith and willingness to step into the impossible by saying:
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”
Love this. ❤️