Growing Up

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching 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. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52 ESV).

I have heard it said that our lives can be summed up with the phrase “the cradle to the grave.” Certainly those words bring to mind the progression of growth; however, they don’t really tell the story of growing up. Our reading today describes some of the growth of Jesus. We don’t have many references to any of his experiences as a child. So, what Luke says here is very revealing. Mary says, “Child, why have you treated us like this?” (v. 48). Believe me, that’s a lot more polite than I would have been if my twelve-year-old son had left me for three days without telling me where he was going. This passage is the only glimpse we have of Jesus’ boyhood, and Luke concludes it with the observation that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in years.” He grew up. When our boys were in their growth years Mary and I would measure them standing with their back against the door jamb. We would put a pencil mark on the jamb to measure their progress. Over the years they could look at the door and see the marks, showing how they had grown. All of us, young and old, should be growing in our Christian faith. “We must no longer be children…” says Ephesians, “… but speaking the truth in love we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (cf. Ephesians 4:14-15). Are you growing up as a Christian? Can you see the pencil marks moving higher? Are you becoming more forgiving? Is your prayer life becoming deeper, richer? If you’re like me, there’s much growing still to do. Let’s start today.