Elizabeth greets Mary by James Tissot
“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” (Luke 1:43, 44 NIV)
We can feel the sense of excitement and jubilation Elizabeth has here for her cousin Mary. How wonderful it is for us to be happy for others! However, at times, this can be tainted with jealousy or resentment. But we have to remember that we are all blessed as Elizabeth proclaims. Our blessings are different and unique. So we do not need to be envious of others because God has gifted us with everything we need. We also don’t need to fall into the trap of comparison. This holiday season, let us be careful not to compare ourselves to others but instead be grateful for everything that God has blessed us with this year.
Dear LORD, this Christmas season, as we see others filled with blessings, help us to be truly happy for them. Help us to stay away from resentment or jealousy. Give us the firm conviction that we are all your beloved children and we all have different gifts. Amen.