Luke 1:56
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Because travel was not easy, long visits were customary. So Mary must have stayed almost until the day of John’s birth.

Mary must have been a great help to Elizabeth, who was experiencing the discomforts of being pregnant in her old age. In addition, Elizabeth certainly helped Mary.

During these three months, Mary surely discussed with Elizabeth how to handle what would be an extremely difficult social predicament. She would have to return home and explain her pregnancy to her family and her fiancé.

Hopefully, when Mary went back to her own home, she was even more strengthened in her faith by Elizabeth’s faith (1:6), ready to face all the future would hold.

It was wise for Mary, in her condition, not to remain any longer with Elizabeth. Had she stayed any longer, Elizabeth’s house would have been crowded with neighbors, etc., people who did not always use discretion in their talk. Who knows what they might have said about Mary, or what they might have thought about her!

Besides, a disagreeable confrontation between Mary and some of Elizabeth’s neighbors might not have been pleasant for Elizabeth either.

Mary’s time with Elizabeth was good for both of the women.

They provided mutual encouragement and strength for each other.

Is there someone in your life you can encourage?