Two things stick out to me from this chapter today. First, Joseph and Mary were very faithful to raise Jesus in the context of Judaism. From his first days they executed the requirements of the law for their son. And Secondly, the first recorded words from Jesus' mouth in this gospel are totally misunderstood.
I am convicted that I need to be faithful as a parent to make God and the believing community a priority for my children. I will not give an account to God for their athleticism, but I will give an account for their knowledge and training spiritually. One of Joseph and Mary's first acts was to "present Jesus back to the Lord" publicly. Joseph and Mary made worship a priority in their family. As a result, Jesus was exposed to godly men and women like Anna and Simeon. Under His parents leadership Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people. Joseph and Mary took parenting seriously. They "taught" Jesus the ways of God!
But even Joseph and Mary did "not" understand the clear words of Jesus! They were confused about His true purpose. By the time he was twelve, it was almost as though they had forgotten who he really was. Watching Jesus grow and mature as a boy was their job. Now submitting to Him as God would be a difficult task!
Something to think about.
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