I have often thought about Mary’s mom and dad.

What were they like? Did they believe their daughter? Were they happy for her and Joseph? Were they doting grandparents who ask no questions?

The Bible tells us nothing about Mary’s family background. We have no descriptions of her mother and father to help us draw conclusions about their thinking. We can assume that Mary was raised in a home built on faith. They trained Mary in the teachings of the Old Testament and attempted to live it out, since Mary is so willing to serve God when she is called upon. Any speculation about their life is built on nothing but pure imagination.

Yet this silence itself speaks volumes about God’s story. He chose an ordinary girl from an ordinary family to carry out His most extraordinary plan. Mary’s parents weren’t kings, priests, or prophets whose names needed to be recorded for posterity. They were faithful people who raised their daughter to know and trust God.

Perhaps that’s precisely the point. The Christmas story reminds us that God works through everyday families. He uses parents who teach their children Scripture around the dinner table, who model faithfulness in small moments, who pray ordinary prayers. Mary’s willingness to say “let it be to me according to your word” didn’t spring from nowhere. It was cultivated in a home where faith mattered.

This Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, maybe we should pause to thank God for the grandparents and parents whose names we’ll never know. Those faithful men and women who quietly shaped the people God used to change the world. They remind us that our most important legacy isn’t fame or recognition, but raising the next generation to recognize God’s voice when He calls.