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JESUS AS A BOY (LUKE 2:41-52)

REFLECTION

Jesus as a boy is the theme for our reflection. The gender of Jesus was already known therefore the theme does not merely refer to the sex of Jesus as male or a boy but the youthful age of Jesus as a teenage or an adolescent boy. The United Nations defines an adolescent as the phase of life between childhood and adulthood, from ages 10 to 19. Luke, the historian, gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ adolescent period as a young boy of 12 years old. We may rephrase the theme to read “Jesus as a youth.” We shall reflect on three lessons Jesus teaches us as a boy.

Firstly, Jesus as a boy understood the religious practices and customs of his time because his parents made a conscious effort to nurture Him according to the Jewish religious customs, therefore, Jesus followed His parents’ religious instruction and way of life. Luke informs us that Jesus’ “.. .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” (Luke 2:41-42) One of the greatest tragedies of our time is that many Christian parents of our time pay so much attention to the educational or cognitive development and extra-curricular activities of their children more than their spiritual and moral development. Some parents ensure that the basic necessities of life and money are provided for their children’s upkeep, these things are generic and must be done by all means, but how many parents consciously or intentionally live a practical and Biblically focused way of life with the purpose of influencing and leading their children in the way of the Lord? Have we made our children understand the importance of Bible study, prayer, family devotion, Fellowship and worship service attendance? Do our children understand the doctrines, liturgy, traditions, and customs of our Christian life? Unlike the parents of Jesus, many parents have failed their children by leaving them to their fate or allowing them to make decisions on their own thereby leading them to become wayward and difficult to handle during their teenage or adolescent years. It takes the grace of God for some to come to the realisation that they are indeed lost and must come back to Jesus to be saved. Proverbs 22: 6 admonishes to “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” In other words, nurture your children in the way of the Lord and when they become adolescents and adults they will not turn away from the way of the Lord but continually have a fulfilling relationship with Him which they will in turn transfer to the next generation. This was exactly what Timothy’s grandmother and mother did, and he became a beneficiary of it. Paul testified  “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5). Parents owe their children the duty to nurture them in the way of the Lord and in other Christian doctrines and practices. This cannot be left to the children alone to figure out in this sinful and lost world. It must be an intentional effort from parents. Joseph and Mary lived out their faith and Jesus followed them. Let us live by the standards of Scripture and have our children follow us even as they gradually gain an understanding of the rudiments or fundamentals of our faith. The church must also augment the effort of parents through a well-equipped, properly functioning and all-inclusive children’s ministry, catechumen and youth’s ministry. The morality of the next generation will be shaped and influenced by their spiritual foundation today, therefore, a proper, intentional and impactful Christian upbringing or nurturing cannot be compromised!

Secondly, when children and youth have become used to the way of the Lord they become obsessed with the house and the Word of God because of their strong spiritual bond with God during their early childhood nurturing. This must be the joy of every parent. It means apart from worrying about the security or safety of the child, we are certain and of the conviction that he or she has an unshakeable spiritual and moral foundation which cannot be compromised or influenced by the corrupt practices of this world. “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.” (Luke 2:46-50) Dear friend, where does your adolescent or teenage boy or girl love to spend his or her time? We must nurture them in such a way that they will always yearn to be in the house of the Lord to study under His feet and become impactful in their generation. Unfortunately, in our generation most Christian teenagers or youth will love to spend their time at the beach or clubhouse to drink, twerk, cuddle and get involved in senseless entertainments and orgies and dressed half naked or indecently. To them, the Church is just another social event centre where people congregate to while away the time on Sundays with their families. This is the reason why some youth in the aforementioned category come to church distracted already with their smartphones and mundane activities. They hardly sit down to listen and participate in worship services or have a sense of godliness. Unlike Jesus, the boy who sat in the place of worship to listen and interact with the teachers of Scripture, some of our young people today come to church to galavant or roam around at the church premise aimlessly without listening to the sermon. Some are only interested in the time of singing and dancing because it is another source of entertainment for them. When they are done singing and dancing, they go out of the chapel to chit-chat with their cohorts until the church service comes to an end. This kind of development has led to the masses of the undedicated and unsaved category of people we can only describe as Church attendees but not faithful disciples of Christ or Christians. Which category does your child belong to, a churchgoer or attendee or a faithful Christian? After observing yourself critically, which category do you belong to? Are you the type who goes to the house of God distracted by your phone, friends and other activities instead of focusing on listening to the Word of God and actively participating during the worship service? We must all be determined to follow the perfect example of Christ in pleasing the Lord.

Thirdly, Jesus as a boy lived a practical Scriptural and obedient life. There are many Christian youths who appear to be interested in spiritual and Church-related activities but do not obey their parents. They are disobedient and difficult to handle at home yet appear to be obedient and god-fearing at church and in society. They live a fashionable Christian life but not a functional Christian life. Our spirituality must be felt in our relationship with others, it must not be superficial. No matter how Jesus would have loved to spend more time in the house of God, “He went down to Nazareth with them (His parents) and was obedient to them (His parents). But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52) When children dedicate their lives to the Lord and are obedient, the favour and the glory of the Lord will rest upon them and they will grow in wisdom and stature overcoming the fleshly desires and the ways of this sinful world or generation. Shalom

PRAYER

Almighty God, strengthen Christian parents to nurture their children in Your ways. We commit our children and youth into your hands, may the Holy Spirit continually direct their paths so that they may live to please You even as they grow in wisdom, stature and in favour with God and the world. Amen