by Molly Audiss
Thirty years on the Earth. Nothing. Not one detail is written about the life of Christ in the Gospels from His infancy until His 30th year…. Except for that one day.
There was one day, one event recorded about Jesus as a youth, and it is hugely encouraging to me. In fact, I share that story with as many teenagers as I can. On that one day, God pulled back the curtain and gave us one glimpse of His Son on Earth as a teenager, and it boiled down to this:
Jesus and His parents had a misunderstanding. There was miscommunication. They did not think the same, did not see things eye to eye. His parents confronted Him. He asked them why they didn’t see things the way He did; then He submitted Himself to their authority, and went home with them. The end.
Wow. That’s it. Nothing else is said of Jesus in Scripture until the day, 18 years later, when He is ready to step into His 3-year Earthly ministry, leading up to Cross.
Wasn’t it kind of the Lord to reveal that story to us? It is so relatable. Is it not universally true that teens and their parents will sometimes see things differently? Teens will feel misunderstood by their parents. Parents will scratch their heads at their teen’s decisions. God allowed us to know that this also happened with Jesus. He understands how it feels to be a teenager. He was there. Surely Jesus and Mary and Joseph had a close, loving relationship, and there is the added fact that Jesus was….well….perfect. Yet they still misunderstood Him. I love that. He gets us.
Teenager, Jesus understands you, even when your parents don’t. Parents, God realizes that teenagers will make you scratch your head sometimes. Sometimes, just like Joseph and Mary, your teen’s choices will scare you. They searched frantically for their teen son for 3 days, in a huge city filled with strangers! He about gave His Mom a heart attack!
What a comfort to know that God understands us. He spent enough time on the Earth to be sure to experience every human emotion, every trial, every disappointment, every misunderstanding that happens in human relationships. It was more than enough that God would humble Himself to come to Earth to save us. We definitely did not deserve it! Yet, in His love, He stayed and gained all the “experiences” of humanity, so that He could feel everything we feel. Oh How He loves you and me!
Child, teen, adult- He understands life from your perspective. He’s ready to listen, to take your burdens, to get in the yolk with you. Oh what a Savior! Feel loved today by the One Who is always with you, always there for you, always pulling for you. Jesus knows! Jesus Cares!
“And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Luke 2:46-52
