Numbers 26:1-51 / Luke 2:36-52 / Psalm 60 / Proverbs 11:15
Never mind that I’m a woman, I think it would be fun to name a clan after myself as they did in Numbers. If I go based on my reading, since my name is Maria, my clan name would be Mariaite. What is your clan name? The only difference I noticed where they didn’t simply add “ite” was if the name ended in “ah”. In this case, the “ah” is dropped and “ite” is added. After a little fun, let’s explore today’s revelation from the reading!
Of Jesus as a child, it is said – <he> grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on Him. Then later in Luke, when Jesus was twelve it is said – Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and all the people.
For those of you with children, can you imagine having raised a child who did not sin? Scripture clearly teaches in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that Jesus knew no sin. What would it have been like to teach a child who was filled with God’s wisdom and had God’s favor? (grace, of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.)
You talk – they listen. You teach – they quickly learn. You instruct – they obey. Compare that to Mary and Joseph’s other children. They had to have noticed a massive difference when raising the One who knew no sin, and the others who were born with a sin nature.
I can imagine that even though Mary had been visited by the angel who told her who Jesus was, that she didn’t fully understand what that meant. After all, she was a mother who had a baby boy that she loved very much. This had never happened before (a virgin conception and birth) and would never happen again. I bet Mary’s mind was reeling, trying to understand what all this meant. Mine would have been!
But remember what is soon to come. Jesus will grow into a man who will never marry. He will have a short life (33 years), then he will be murdered. Mary’s perfect baby boy will be killed though he is innocent. I wonder how Mary reconciled that injustice in her heart? She would have to forgive, and I’m sure she remembered her son’s teachings on forgiveness. But how hard that would have been.
When you read scripture, do you ever put yourself in the place of those about whom you read? Do you remind yourself that they were just like us? Sometimes we separate those in scripture as better than ourselves, but they were not. They simply lived in a different time. As we remember, we’re able to learn from their example.
So, though you may wish at times that your children were perfect like Jesus was, don’t forget the things He and His mother suffered – and that for our sake, He gave His life willingly. Hug and kiss your beautiful, yet imperfect children, and thank Jesus today for His gift of eternal life.
