“Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy, and they shared her joy.” (Luke 1:58 NIV)
Zechariah and Elizabeth were well-loved and esteemed by their community. They were righteous and observant of God’s commands, yet they had grown old and remained childless. Zechariah had no sons to train in the scriptures or to work at home. Elizabeth had no children to love and raise alongside other mothers in their community. Instead, she bore the disgrace of barrenness. God, however, was about to intervene with a miracle.
Word certainly got around fast in those days. Zechariah returned home from serving as a priest in the temple, but he couldn’t speak! The story passed in bits as it circled the Judean countryside. He had seen a vision while burning incense in the sanctuary. An angel told him they were going to have a son. Zechariah couldn’t believe it, so the angel made him mute. Then, Elizabeth secluded herself for a time, and when people finally saw her, she was six months pregnant!
It delights me to read how Elizabeth and Zechariah’s friends responded when their baby arrived. “Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy, and they shared her joy. (Luke 1:58)”
On the day of the child’s circumcision, Zechariah and Elizabeth’s friends and family excitedly gathered around, eagerly expecting them to name the baby after his father, Zechariah. Elizabeth interrupted their lively chatter, “No! He is to be called John (Luke 1:6).” Well, that didn’t persuade them. After all, none of Zechariah’s relatives had that name. This next part is funny … they made gestures to Zechariah to find out what he thought. He was unable to speak, but he could still hear. So, they were gesturing away and talking over one another. “The baby should have a family name!” and “When will there be another chance to name a baby after his father?”
They finally gave Zechariah a tablet to find out what he had to say. Surprisingly, he wrote, “His name is John”—the name the angel had given. This broke Zechariah’s mute speech and awed the crowd in joyous wonder. I imagine them cheering in approval, “It’s as he says, the baby is called John!”
Zechariah and Elizabeth’s good news became the community’s good news. I can feel their enthusiasm throughout the story. Isn’t it wonderful when others are genuinely happy about your milestones and experiences?
I like to cheer people on and participate in their celebrations. Yet, I can’t do it all. In the seasons where I find there are more people to honor than I can reasonably celebrate, I’m helped by a quote by pastor Andy Stanley: “Do for one, what you can’t do for all.” So, I don’t try to do it all. But when I hear good news, I gladly clap my hands and share their joy.
Wouldn’t life be fun if our attitudes naturally defaulted to joy for others regularly? I know sometimes we respond to invitations out of duty rather than devotion. Or we enviously compare our normal life to others’ exceptional life, but that’s not what God intends for us. What if we are genuinely happy for others’ good news? Their joy, plus our own—that could make life doubly happy!
Let’s go for it and share their joy!
And if you’re expecting a baby, don’t worry, I’ll try not to name him for you!
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15 NIV).”
Wendy Thayer is a Biblical counselor and writer. She enjoys offering women support for life’s challenges through her ministry “Hope's Rising.” She's the author of I Wish for You Hope, Inspirational Christian quotes for grief, loss, and healing a broken heart. For more encouragement and hope, visit www.wendythayerministries.com.
Here is a hyperlink to her book on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Wish-You-Hope-Inspirational-Christian/dp/0990769429/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZU4SCCMREXTU&keywords=i+wish+for+you+hope+wendy+thayer&qid=1692733102&sprefix=i+wish+for+you+hope+wen%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-1