There is a beautiful difference between honoring God's servants and centering our devotion on them:

The Bible honors Mary as the virgin chosen by God's grace to bear the promised Messiah. She is called blessed among women because she believed God's promise (Luke 1:42–45). She is a humble servant, an obedient disciple, and a faithful witness of Jesus Christ.

Yet every page of Scripture gently leads our eyes beyond Mary—and beyond every prophet, apostle, pastor, missionary, or saint—to Jesus Christ Himself.

Mary rejoiced in "God my Saviour" (Luke 1:47). John the Baptist declared, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The apostles preached Christ, not themselves. Even the angels refused misplaced honor, directing worship to God alone (Revelation 22:8–9).

The pattern is clear: every faithful servant points away from themselves and toward the Son of God.

This is not a call to dishonor Mary or any believer whom God used mightily. Rather, it is an invitation to honor them biblically—by following their example of faith while reserving our worship, trust, prayer, and ultimate devotion for Jesus Christ alone.

Practical ways to gently turn from misplaced devotion and grow in Christ:

- Immerse yourself in daily, deep meditation on Scripture. Read entire books of the Bible in context, not only familiar verses. Ask, "What does this passage reveal about Jesus Christ?" (John 5:39; Luke 24:27).

- Cultivate a serious and consistent prayer life. Bring every part of life before God—your family, work, neighbors, church, your nation, times of typhoons and other disasters, government leaders and local government offices, those serving the public, the poor, the sick, and those who are searching for truth. As Scripture teaches, pray "for all people... for kings and all who are in high positions" (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

- Speak directly to the Father through Jesus Christ. Give thanks, confess your sins, ask for wisdom, and present your needs with confidence because Christ is our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14–16).

- Search the Scriptures daily. Follow the example of the Bereans, who examined the Scriptures to test what they heard (Acts 17:11). Let God's Word be the final authority over every tradition, teacher, and personal opinion.

- Learn from faithful believers without placing them on a pedestal. Thank God for those whose lives point to Christ, but remember that every servant is a fellow disciple in need of God's grace.

- Fill your mind with the Gospel every day. Remember that Jesus alone lived without sin, died for our sins, rose again, intercedes for His people, and will return in glory.

In a world fascinated by spiritual celebrities, beloved saints, gifted leaders, and influential teachers, let us be people who search the Scriptures daily, testing everything by God's Word. Let every sermon, testimony, tradition, and devotion lead us back to Christ.

For the Father's eternal purpose is not that we become captivated by even His greatest servants, but that we behold His beloved Son.

May our hearts echo Mary's own testimony:

"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." (Luke 1:46–47)

And may our lives echo her faithful instruction:

"Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." (John 2:5)

Let every honor given to God's servants become another reason to glorify the One they served—Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the one mediator between God and mankind (1 Timothy 2:5). May all our devotion, worship, hope, and confidence ultimately rest in Him alone.