Mary agreed to God’s plan while young, engaged and sure to face gossip. Obedience rarely waits for good PR.

Saying yes to something right usually costs you the story people tell about you. A teenage girl agreeing to a plan that will make her the subject of village talk is not a tidy inspirational moment; it is a decision made with the cost in full view. Nobody gets to do the brave thing and keep their reputation intact at the same time. The approval arrives later, if it arrives.

If you are waiting for a decision to look good before you make it, you are probably waiting forever. Ask yourself what you would choose if nobody found out, then choose it even though they will.