Focus

Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.

---

Read

Luke 2:39-52 (NRSV)

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended, and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

---

Reflect

I think this text is such a great snapshot of the struggles that Mary and Joseph had to go through, being the parents of the Christ. If Mary was anything like my mom, she was probably steaming from the ears when she finally went back to Jerusalem and found Jesus three days later. However, when she finds Jesus, he basically tells her that he doesn’t think he has done anything wrong. He replies to his angry mother and father that they should have known that he would be in his Father’s house. Jesus is in the middle of an internal conflict. He, a Jewish boy, is supposed to honor his father and mother but he is also the son of God.

There are two lessons that I think we can take from this verse. First, after thinking it over, Jesus was obedient to his father and mother. This might be considered the first instance of a servant mindset in Jesus’ life in Luke. So following Jesus’ servant example can begin very early in our lives. Secondly, sometimes God’s interests are counter-cultural. There are times that call us to do the opposite of what our upbringing suggests in order to do what God has suggested for us.

---

Pray

Loving God,
Sometimes you call us to be counter-cultural, and that can be hard for us. Help us to have the courage to be servants to you and to our neighbor.
Amen

Go with God!