This Christmas season, as we gather around the tree, exchange gifts, and celebrate with loved ones, it’s easy to let the story of Mary and Elizabeth fade into the background—a quaint tale for ancient times, far removed from our modern lives. But if we pause and truly reflect, their story holds a profound lesson for us today. It’s a story about trust, connection, and the life-changing power of simple, selfless acts. It’s a story about what God can do through us when we say yes to Him.

When the World Feels Heavy
Let’s be honest: the world feels heavy right now. Inflation is biting, divisions are deepening, and loneliness is at an all-time high. This season that promises peace on earth and goodwill to all can feel, for many, like just another reminder of what’s missing—a loved one who isn’t at the table, a struggle that seems insurmountable, a world that feels cold and indifferent.

But what if that’s exactly where the story of Christmas comes alive?

Mary’s life was anything but ideal when the angel appeared to her. She was young, unwed, and living in a society where her circumstances would invite scorn and judgment. She could have despaired. She could have run. But instead, she chose to trust. She leaned into God’s story, even though she couldn’t yet see how it would unfold.

And then she did something remarkable: she sought out Elizabeth. She didn’t isolate herself in her uncertainty. She reached out for connection, for reassurance, for community.

Isn’t that what we all long for? Someone to understand us, to walk with us, to remind us that we’re not alone?

The Power of Small Acts in a Broken World
We can’t solve all the world’s problems this Christmas. We can’t heal every wound or fill every need. But we can do something. And that something, no matter how small, has the power to ripple outward in ways we may never see.

• The young mother struggling to buy gifts for her children this year—what if your small donation to a toy drive becomes the miracle she was praying for?
• The elderly neighbour who hasn’t spoken to anyone in days—what if your visit, your smile, your plate of cookies reminds them that they are not forgotten?
• The family sitting in silence because grief has stolen their joy—what if your handwritten card or warm invitation breaks through the darkness with a glimmer of light?

These are not grand gestures. They’re not expensive or elaborate. But they are holy. They are the hands and feet of God, reaching out through us to touch the lives of others.

What If It’s You?
Maybe you’re the one who feels like the weight of the world is pressing down this Christmas. Maybe you’re the one wondering if anyone sees you, if anyone cares.

Mary’s story speaks to you, too. God sees you. He knows your struggles, your fears, your heartbreak. And just as He was writing a miraculous story through Mary, He is writing a story through you.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to feel joyful right now. All you have to do is trust—one small step, one small yes at a time. Trust that God is at work, even when you can’t see the ending yet.

And maybe, just maybe, one of the small acts of kindness someone else does this season is God’s way of reminding you that you’re part of His story, too.

The Multiplying Miracle of Kindness
It’s easy to feel like what we do doesn’t matter, that the problems are too big and our efforts too small. But consider this: when Mary went to Elizabeth, it wasn’t just an ordinary meeting. It was a moment filled with the Holy Spirit, a moment that confirmed God’s promises and brought joy to both women.

Every small act of kindness we do has the potential to be that kind of moment for someone else. A smile, a kind word, a helping hand—it can be the confirmation someone needs that God is with them, that they are loved, that there is hope.

And those moments don’t stop with us. They ripple outward. The kindness you show someone today might inspire them to show kindness to someone else tomorrow. That’s how God works—through the small, the simple, the seemingly insignificant, until it all adds up to something miraculous.

An Invitation to Be Part of the Story
This Christmas, I’m asking you to take a moment to reflect:

• Who in your life needs an Elizabeth right now—a listening ear, a word of encouragement, a reminder that they are blessed?
• What small act of kindness can you do today to lighten someone else’s load?
• How can you, like Mary, choose to rejoice in the story God is writing, even if you don’t fully understand it yet?

Let’s not let this season pass by in a blur of busyness and consumption. Let’s be intentional about living out the message of Christmas—not just in words, but in actions. Let’s be the hands and feet of God in a world that so desperately needs to know His love.

This Christmas, let’s remember that we are part of a much greater story. And when we trust God, when we open our hearts and our hands to others, we become living proof of His love.

The story God is writing isn’t just about Mary or Elizabeth or even Jesus—it’s about us, here and now. It’s about what we do with the time and the gifts we’ve been given.

So let’s make this Christmas count. Let’s give, let’s love, let’s serve. And let’s trust that every small act of kindness we do is part of something so much bigger than we can imagine.