Which item will the infant pick? The pen, the money, or the ball? “Wow, look how fast she runs! I think she’s going to be sporty, like her mother.”
We are naturally curious about what children will grow up to be like. For Mary, it was pretty clear who Jesus would be before he was born. The angel Gabriel told her:
Mary’s child would be the long-awaited Messiah, eternal King, and “God’s salvation” (Luke 2:28-32). Talk about having high expectations as a parent! (Luke 2:33)
There would have been quite a difference in expectation raising Jesus compared with her other (at least) 6 children. He was sinless after all, and people took a liking to the young boy (Luke 2:52).