Iron Sharpens Iron: Life-to-Life® Mentoring in the New TestamentSample

Day 2: Elizabeth and Mary 

Sometimes we can build one-to-one, Life-to-Life relationships in our own families. One New Testament example is the bond between cousins Elizabeth and Mary.

Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were an older couple who had long yearned to start a family. Just imagine what it was like for them to learn the amazing news that Elizabeth would conceive a child. What’s more, imagine learning this news through an angel who visited Zechariah when he was in the midst of ministry duties at the Temple!

The angel’s message was quite specific: The couple would have a son whose name would be John and whose mission would be life-changing for many, many people: “He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:16-17). 

Meanwhile, when Elizabeth was in her sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to deliver miraculous news to her cousin Mary in Nazareth. Though still a virgin, betrothed but not yet married to Joseph, she would bear not just any son, but Jesus the Lord, the Son of God and long-anticipated Messiah.

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God,” Gabriel said. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).

Days later, Mary traveled to Elizabeth and Zechariah’s home, where the two favored women of God shared their remarkable stories, supported each other, and encouraged one another. One child would minister with the power and spirit of Elijah, making way for the other, the Messiah, Savior of the whole world! Indeed, when the two greeted one another, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her. 

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth blessed Mary with these words: “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 1:42-45). 

Life-to-Life is mutual. None of us has “arrived.” Who doesn’t need encouragement? We all have different gifts, talents, abilities, and callings. We need someone who understands, who has our backs, who’s supportive rather than jealous! We need mutual support, especially during difficult, challenging, and uncertain times. Isn’t this a beautiful picture of what the author of Hebrews wrote about in terms of meeting together, continuing to “stir up one another to love and good works”?