Mary was the woman given the responsibility by God for bearing and raising His only-begotten son. The Bible does not tell us a whole lot about Mary. At most we have a few short word-sketches of her scattered through the Gospels and Acts. But these are enough to give us some clue as to what this remarkable woman was like. The record of the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary, as recorded in Luke 1:26-38, tells us a little bit about this woman, as much by what it does not say as by what it says. When the angel began by calling Mary "highly favored" and "blessed... among women," she didn't swell up with pride, nor was she quick to speak to this heavenly messenger; instead, she became troubled in her mind, wondering why on earth an angel would speak to her like this. This seems to indicate a meekness of spirit in her, as well as a tendency to think before speaking. The angel went on to explain the reason for his visit and his strange greeting. Mary had been chosen by God to bring forth His son, the Messiah. At this point, no one would have blamed Mary for bursting out with joy and praise at being chosen for this honor. When Mary spoke, however, it was with a very practical, down-to-earth question: How could she possibly get pregnant without first sleeping with a man? This was an honest question, and the angel answered it for her. Mary did not hesitate in giving her answer. The BASIS of her answer was the fact that she was the handmaid, or bondslave, of the Lord. On that basis she said, "Be it unto me according to thy word." What is not mentioned in this record, though, is even more interesting than what is actually recorded. In the culture she lived in, a woman was considered the property of either her father or her husband. Yet, the angel spoke to neither Joseph nor Mary's father about Mary having the baby. Even more remarkable, Mary gave her answer without checking with either of these men. While she was certainly meek toward God, Mary was no weak, indecisive woman. She had a mind of her own, and she was not afraid to break the cultural rules when she felt it necessary. In the culture she lived in, a woman who became pregnant by someone other than her husband was disgraced, and could be put to death. What the angel presented to Mary put her life in jeopardy. Yet, Mary asked not a single question about whether or how God was going to protect her if she did this. Ananias in Acts 9 asked for reassurance from God before going out on the potentially hazardous mission of ministering to Saul. Obadiah, the steward of Ahab the king, made it quite clear to Elijah (several times!) that what the prophet had asked him to do was putting his life in jeopardy, and proceeded only when assured by Elijah that he would not be put to death as a result of his obedience. Yet, Mary said not a word about the danger the angel's words put her in. That was not a consideration in making her decision. Likewise, Mary said nothing about the disgrace that this pregnancy would cause her. This, too, had nothing to do with her decision. Apparently, Mary wasn't particularly afraid of rough times, as long as she was confident that she was doing God's will. For most people, this would have been a good time to ask for advice on how to explain this situation to one's husband and one's parents. Mary didn't waste the angel's time on this question. This, too, had nothing to do with her decision. Mary's answer to the angel, with no regard to her personal safety or reputation, indicate a kind of child-like faith toward God. If this was God's idea, then as far as Mary was concerned, it was a good idea. Mary was perfectly content to leave the details to God, and to concern herself only with carrying out her end of the job. This quiet confidence in God stands out as one possible reason that God chose Mary for this responsibility. This same quiet confidence in God was evident in the life of Jesus. No doubt he got a very good head start in this area from his mother, Mary.