A reproach among men?

'After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” (Luke 1:24-25 (ESV))'

I came across these verses the other day in the narrative of the birth of John the Baptist and though I might have read them a hundred times, I never really stopped to consider their meaning.  They are of little significance in the annals of Christian theology, but as they are recorded in scripture, they are not without some value or meaning, thus I can mull over them at my leisure and perhaps write a thesis upon this brief passage when the chance presents itself.  The back story is that the parents of John the Baptist are rather old when an angel tells Zechariah that his elderly, barren wife will soon have a son.  This is the only glimpse we get of that miraculous conception and the expectant mother's reaction to it.  This isn't a new theme in scripture, but it is one of the few places we actually see how the lady takes the news.  And her response is rather puzzling to modern sensibilities.  Instead of getting immediately on social media (whatever the historical equivalent) and bragging about it to all and sundry, she literally withdraws from the public eye and keeps the news to herself until there is absolutely no hope of hiding it from the world at large.

Does she want to, like her cousin Mary, 'ponder all these things in her heart?'  Has she suffered enough under the bitter tongues and insinuating comments of her neighbors and relatives for her barrenness (quite a scandal in those days) that she is reluctant to bear their scorn and doubt until it is quite obvious that she isn't making it all up just to get attention?  Does she hardly believe it herself and wants to be sure?  Does she want to spend time alone praising God for His grace?  Does she want to settle her own thoughts, surprise, shock, and joy before dealing with the world's reaction?  I think it is some combination of all of these, especially the first two, which speak eloquently to her character, for how many of us would be out bemoaning our barrenness on social media or bragging in triumph the moment we saw that pink line on the pregnancy test (I'm intentionally putting her situation in a modern context)?

She was quiet, reserved, obviously thankful, humble, and I think overjoyed, but it was not a joy she could share just yet with just anybody.  I even get the sense that she gets quite a kick out of mystifying her neighbors, later in the passage, when the baby is born and they are discussing what to call him, she insists on John and everybody complains that nobody in their family is named that, where on earth did she come up with that?  How amusing to watch the neighbors struggling not only with the miraculous conception but then to not know for five months and then name the child something so utterly ridiculous (in their thinking)!  How hilarious to her own dear heart to think of their previous reproaches of herself and the utter astonishment with which they must accept her coming announcement and eat their cruel words!  Most of the commentary writers are men and they deal well with all the lofty issues of scripture and theology, but in this instance, I think it quite necessary to be a woman and have a woman's heart and insight, and perhaps even one with her own struggles with infertility, to truly understand Elizabeth's reaction.  And the more I ponder it, the more amused I become and the more gustily I can say, 'you go girl!'