So far, the fruitful women I’ve described have included Hannah, who epitomizes longsuffering, as well as Miriam, Pharoah’s daughter, and Jochebed, who exude gentleness.

When I think of the fruit of the spirit, joy, I think of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary went to visit her cousin, Elisabeth, the scripture explains that the babe, John, leaped in her womb for joy. This happens shortly after Mary learns of God’s plan for her to be the mother of Jesus.

In Luke 1:38, Mary comes to terms with being chosen to be the mother of Jesus when she responds to the angel, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

Furthermore, when Mary visits Elisabeh, Luke 1:42 quotes Elisabeth saying, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”

Elisabeth recognizes the blessing of Mary being called to be the mother of Jesus. She feels the joy as Mary enters the room. When Mary gives birth to Jesus, the wise men rejoice when they see the star, and scripture explains they rejoice with exceeding great joy.

Furthermore, Helaman 14:5-7 depicts imagery of Christ’s birth as an amazing, joyous occasion: “And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you. And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven. And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth.”

During the Christmas season, we see the word “joy” on many occasions. The word appears in decorations, lights, cards, ornaments, songs, etc. It is truly a joyous time remembering and celebrating Jesus’ birth.

In reflecting upon the scriptures that depict the birth of Jesus, I can only imagine the emotions that Mary felt in being chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Despite her mixed emotions, she allows herself to be used as an instrument of God to bring about the most joyous occasion, and that is the birth of Jesus.

During the month of December, as we get busy preparing for the Christmas holiday, don’t get thrown off course by extra traffic, longer lines at the store, searching high and low for the perfect gift, or trying to outdo each other on social media. Rather, take a moment to reflect on the joy that Mary brought us through her humble spirit to deliver the birth of our Savior. It is the joy that we have in knowing Christ is our Savior that really matters, and Mary understood that right from the beginning.

We hope you enjoy this rendition of “Mary Did You Know?” to go along with this article.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.