Advent Part 19: Feeling over your head as a father.
Luke 2:46-52 (NLT)
46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Dear God,
I want to look at the emotions used to describe Mary and Joseph in this passage:
● Astonished (verse 48)
● Anxious (verse 48)
● Confused (verse 50: “But they did not understand…”)
I know there were times when I was angry with my young children and ready to let them have it. So many times, however, I found that they had an explanation for what they had done that made perfect sense from their perspective. They were not rebellious. They were not defiant. They were just doing what they thought was right.
In this story I can only imagine the fear and anxiety both Mary and Joseph felt. Who would have guessed that the boy was in the temple, holding court? I wonder if a younger Caiaphas was there too. How about a younger Nicodemus? No matter. The people who were there were “astounded” (verse 47) by his questions. It probably does not get enough attention that Jesus is not portrayed as sitting there and giving a bunch of answers. He is portrayed as asking amazing and insightful questions. He obviously had a lot on his mind that he was figuring out. Now he had an opportunity to be in the temple in Jerusalem to access the people who were supposed to know the answers. Of course, it was necessary for him to be in his father’s house!
It is clear Mary and Joseph struggled to know how to raise this particular boy. His needs did not fit into any paradigm. I wonder how inadequate Joseph felt around him when it came to these types of questions. I am sure he asked them at home as well as in the temple. I wonder what kinds of conversations Mary and Joseph would have about Jesus when they were by themselves. Or even what kinds of conversations Joseph would have with his friends who knew Jesus.
Father, I know I have certainly felt over my head sometimes when parenting my children. I am sure Joseph felt that much more so. He must have continuously wondered, “Am I enough for this boy? Am I adequate to raise God’s son?” I am sure that this responsibility deepened his own prayer life and his own relationship with you. How could it not have? This is our last story of Joseph. I’m sure the following years were just as overwhelming from his perspective and the early years were. Help me to follow his example and sink deeper into you as I continue to pray for my children and that you will give them what you need them to have from me, my wife, and those around them.
I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Amen
