* Mary is the most “highly esteemed” woman in history.

* There’s even a religion based on her life.

* But notice that Mary being “highly favored of the Lord” wasn’t written until after she was most likely dead.

* Luke was written in 58-60 AD (roughly 25 years after Christ’s death).

* Tradition holds that Mary died between 10-15 after Christ’s death.

* So there was a 10 year gap between what people believed about Mary and what was true about Mary was revealed.

* She lived her life keeping the secret of what God’s angel had said to her so many years ago.

* For the time being, while she was young and single and pregnant, she would not be highly esteemed at all.

* She endured a temporary painful reputation to inherit a permanent powerful reputation for all time!