How to Be Truly Remarkable

As the year draws near its end, many of us are asking ourselves, Did I accomplish my goals this year? Did I do anything different or noteworthy this time around? Or did I just survive another 365 days?

We begin each year with visions and intentions. We make resolutions and promises to our New Year selves. Then life happens. People weigh in. Criticism and fear and overall weariness take their toll, and before we know it, another year has come and gone, leaving us less than fulfilled.

Christmastime brings to the foreground one of my favorite women. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is an incredible example of someone who answered these queries in a way that not only changed her life but made an impact on human history. She had a chat with an angel and listened in awe as he gave her the rundown on what God wanted from her.

Luke 1:35 says, “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (NIV).

From the beginning, everything about Jesus’s birth was unconventional. The conception of Mary’s child defied science. Acceptable social norms were out the window. Mary did not live a life of comfort, but she did live a life of extraordinary purpose. The desire for extraordinary, for purpose, is deeply rooted in all of us. It’s how we’re made.

Mary was so wise in how she handled her challenges, and in how she listened.

Luke 1:41–45 tells us, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill her promises to her!” (NIV).

What a relief that had to be for a young, scared mom-to-be, a girl with an unbelievable story and terrifyingly uncertain path to walk. And what a lesson for us. Look at who is given space in Scripture. And notice, too, who isn’t. When we read the story of Christmas, we hear about Mary, the brave and faithful mother of Emmanuel. We hear about Elizabeth, the relative who loved and supported her. We don’t hear about the other cousins, friends, or neighbors, the ones who no doubt snickered behind her back, didn’t believe her, enjoyed her discomfort, mocked her family, or said, “I told you so” with nods and whispers as Jesus hung on a cross. Their names didn’t make it into the annals of history, onto the pages of our most sacred book. They didn’t make it because, in the end, what they did or said didn’t matter. Their doubt and malice and mocking didn’t last. Those never do, not when held up to the light of truth.

In this life, we’re going to be uncomfortable—at some point, in some way, with someone. There is no easy path. No free ride. No smooth sailing off into the sunset with the perfect guy, or perfect book, while we eat perfect food that never makes us fat and watch as perfect waves gently rock the boat we’re lounging in, where we never grow bored or tired or seasick.

We’ll have unavoidable hard times, tough conversations, and difficult days. We’ll have relationships that suck the life out of us, money problems, and health scares. We’ll have moments of weakness, or doubt, or anger. This is the world we live in—the crazy, broken, people-filled world with its sin and jagged edges. No exceptions, no free passes. Whether we seek a life of comfort and ease or seek the path we’re created for, there will be bumps in the road.

If Mary had chosen differently, she still would have faced discomfort. She would have experienced the pain of childbirth, tolerated family drama, slogged through travel for the census, and faced persecution with the rest of her people. She would have been cast in the role of mother to multiple kids, facing the struggles of everyday life. She likely would have had a son, and maybe even outlived him. She would have lived as an ordinary woman of her time. Perhaps always wondering. Perhaps always seeking the approval of others. Perhaps a little lost.

Instead, she got to be an integral part of something unimaginable, unprecedented. She got to fulfill arguably the most unique role in history and have her name forever on the minds and hearts of God’s people. She got to experience the joy and sense of identity found only when we follow God’s plan for our lives.

No matter what we say or do, no matter how hard we chase the approval of man or the world, we’ll never please everyone. We’ll never find perfection that lasts or that we can hold on to. So we might as well be a part of the remarkable. We might as well shine in the mess, live a life that’s amazing, and be the people we were put on this earth to be.

We can make a difference. We can shine brightly and with purpose. We can make our mark. We can leave a legacy, a trail of lights for those who come behind us to follow. We can give them joy and courage and hope.

Rebecca Greebon is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and child of the One True King. She has a passion for sharing with others how amazing they are, how much they are loved, and how blessed every day is, even when we are lost or distracted or completely over ourselves and the world. Rebecca blogs at theriverchick.com.