
Yesterday I started by talking about all that was said about Jesus either prior to, or right after his birth. As a reminder, Gabriel told Mary, “He will be great, and will be called the son of the Highest” and “that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:32 and 35) Joseph was told, “he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Elizabeth said that he was blessed and called Mary “the mother of my Lord.” (Luke 1:43)
Within hours of his birth the shepherds are told, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10)
As a former teacher, I can’t help but think about the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and the Pygmalion Effect when I read these quotes.
The APA Dictionary of Psychology defines self-fulfilling prophecy as “a belief or expectation that helps to bring about its own fulfillment, as, for example, when a teacher’s preconceptions about a student’s ability influence the child’s achievement for better or worse,” and Pygmalion Effect as “a consequence or reaction in which the expectations of a leader or superior engender behavior from followers or subordinates that is consistent with these expectations: a form of self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, raising manager expectations of the performance of subordinate employees has been found to enhance the performance of those employees.”
Now, I’m not saying Jesus became who he was because he was told these things. Honestly, it’s more evidence of the divine that he turned out the way he did after hearing these things. I’m pretty sure the average child would become insufferable if praised and worshiped the way Jesus undoubtedly was. But I do think it is worth contemplating the impact these early commendations may have had on him. I am sure growing up knowing you are the Son of God and that a whole people are relying on you impacts the way you carry yourself.
I invite you to use this as a jumping off point to think about self-fulfilling prophecies. What names or attributes have others given you in the past? How did they impact your development, both positively and negatively? What prophecies have you spoken on others? It is important to recognize the impact words and names can have, even the many names given to Jesus.
Dear Lord, thank you for sending your son. We thank you for the man that grew to fully embody those words spoken over him when he was so small. Help us to live up to the name you have given us, as your people who love our neighbors. And let those names we give others only serve to build them up. Amen.
Molly Means