Luke 2:39 – 52 . . . and the Child grew in wisdom and grace . . .

Luke 2:39 – 52 . . . and the Child grew in wisdom and grace . . .

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of 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. Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." And he said to them, "Why were you looking 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. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

This passage begins and ends with bookend passages relating how “Jesus grew in age and wisdom and grace before God”, until he reached the age of 12. How many 12 year olds do I know who are children of grace and wisdom? By wisdom, do they mean maturity? I think it is more – judgment and patience and tolerance and more. It comes from being taught by the adults around him, Mary, Joseph, other adults, neighbors, teachers, priests, etc. By them being invested in him and in his growing up. How much more can our 12 year olds be if raised that same way, with love and time and conversation and instruction and debate and discussion? What about grace? Grace is God’s doing, his part. But Mary and Joseph had a role to play. Jesus thrived in that atmosphere and found his own way to a real, deep relationship with God. Of course, Jesus is unlike any other child. But what child could fail to thrive in an atmosphere where he or she is raised as though they have an important role to play, a bright future of potential for good, grounded in faith in and love for God and secure in his love. Both are needed – with human love and relationships, and divine love and relationship. Then we will have children filled with wisdom and grace before both God and man.