The Real Housewives of Nazareth **** Girl, Your Business Is in the Street!

Third

"Shh, she’s coming,” said Chava's wagging tongue as Mary approached the well. An awkward silence filled the air.  Mary started down the cool stone steps to draw water. One of the older women rolled her eyes and scanned Mary’s robe for a tiny protrusion that would confirm a pregnancy. Mary hurried back up the steps and left the normally gregarious friendly group. 

As soon as she was out of earshot, or so they thought, they continued to gossip.  “Did you hear the news,” asked Tana?  “Joseph and Mary were engaged to marry next year,” she said. “But you know I heard they went to the priest and got married last week,”  countered one of the  women.  “I heard there was a Roman soldier that kind of liked her said another.   “What are you saying,” asked Esther?  “Well I’m not sure but I think I heard that she might have been with one of those soldiers,” said an emboldened Tana.   “I heard Joseph’s not the baby’s daddy,”  sniffed another. “Shut your mouth,” said Esther.

“Well remember  when Mary left  town,” said the highly animated eye rolling Hadassah?  “She was  supposed to be going to see her cousin Elisabeth in Judea," she said sarcastically."  "Sure," said Leah. "What I heard is that her really old cousin Elisabeth is going to have a baby," continued Leah  knowingly.  "Likely story" said Hadassah.  "You know what's really  happened," she continued. "Mary's went to stay there amd was going pass it off as Elisabeth's baby," she said confidently.  "No woman as old as Elisabeth was  going to have a baby," concluded Hadassah.  "But that planned failed when Elisabeth really did have a baby" exclaimed an exasperated Dorcas. Now she is back here trying to salvvage her reputation by  quickly getting married," snickered a bemused Chava. 

Now the real housewives of  Nazareth scurried back to their houses filled to the brim with something  more than filled water pots. Whiffs of the wagging tongues continually reached Mary’s ears. She knew that the next few months before the baby’s birth that she was going to have a hard time in Nazareth.  "Well,  at least I have the assurance that an angel told Joseph the facts, so let them keep to their ignorance," Mary  silently mused.

Mary  knew she had done nothing wrong. She also knew she couldn’t convince these women of the holy thing that was happening to her. Hadn’t every Jewish girl dreamed of being the mother of the Messiah?  “Here I am,  I should be celebrating that I was chosen, but now I feel like a villain,” she thought to herself. 

Mary learned that being chosen by God does not 

mean that there will not be misunderstandings and controversy.

Based on Luke 1