Those who know, rejoice!

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”  Luke 1:39-45 (ESV) There is a simple rule that has often been applied though the ministries in which I have been involved and it is this: “Those who know, rejoice, and those who do not know, criticize.” Elizabeth, her baby, and Mary knew what God was doing and they rejoiced. Those who were looking in from the outside could not figure out how Mary could be a pregnant virgin, and criticized. Joseph eventually knew and rejoiced. The angels knew, the shepherds knew, and they rejoiced. I need to spend my time knowing, not criticizing