The Magnificat. That wondrous hymn found in Luke 1:46-55. That place where Mary is so badass that generations of Church history have worked to make her a meek, submissive baby mamma of God. But Mary has one of the best lines in all of the New Testament.
My favorite verse of Mary’s song is 52: “He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.”
We love to think of the praise aspects of this hymn as though she’s just thankful to be God’s mom. But this verse gets to the heart of what Mary is praising. So, what does it mean to put down the mighty from their thrones?
It means to bring down people who are powerful and important, and to lift up those who are humble and not as important.
Sometimes, we might think that people who are powerful or important are better than others. We might think that they are smarter, or more talented, or more special. But the Bible teaches us that God does not look at people the same way we do. God does not care about how powerful or important someone is. Instead, God cares about how kind, loving, and good someone is.
God wants to help those who are humble and in need of help. God wants to lift them up and give them hope. And God wants to bring down those who are proud and think they are better than others.
By “bring down,” I do not mean that God seeks to hurt those who are arrogant and powerful. Their attitudes and behavior will do that all by itself. When I say God wants to bring down the mighty, I believe it to mean that God wants to change the hearts of those people so they see beyond themselves. God wants to inject the love for others that Jesus lived.
So let’s remember that God does not care about how powerful or important we are. He cares about how we treat others and how we love Him. Let’s strive to be humble and kind, and to help others who are in need. And let’s always trust in God, who is more powerful and important than anyone else, and who loves us more than we can imagine.
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