I once worked in a city nestled between Los Angeles and San Diego. The bustling 405 Freeway, a major artery connecting these cities, bisected Fountain Valley. Travelers frequently pulled into gas stations situated alongside the highway for a quick pit stop. On more than one occasion, absent-minded parents, caught up in their travels, inadvertently left their children behind, only to realize their mistake miles down the road. We would then receive frantic calls from gas station attendants, followed by even more frantic calls from the parents themselves, desperately trying to arrange a reunion with their child.
The apostle Luke recounts a similar incident in the second chapter of his Gospel. Mary and Joseph, engrossed in their journey home after the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem, unknowingly left Jesus behind in the temple. This story, found in Luke 2:41-52, offers some profound lessons.
One key takeaway is that pursuing God may “astonish” others (v. 48), even those who are devout. Despite their astonishment, and Mary’s poignant question, “Why have you treated us so?” (v. 48), Jesus’ parents eventually understood that their “distress” (v. 48) did not signify any wrongdoing on Jesus’ part. He remained “submissive” (v. 51) to them, and Mary “treasured all these things in her heart” (v. 51).
God desires to be the central focus of our lives, superseding even family or worldly ambitions. However, we often find ourselves prioritizing self-interests. Jesus exemplified perfect balance, submitting to the authority of his parents without compromising his unwavering submission to God. This reminds me of the importance of pleasing an audience of One—God the Father.
As Galatians 1:10 states, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
In Luke 2:49, Jesus declares that he must be “in my Father’s house.” Can we interpret these words more broadly? While we often equate “Father’s House” with the church, Jesus’ words held a novel meaning within Jewish culture. They had not previously referred to the temple in this manner. While viewing the “Father’s House” as the church is accurate, I believe Jesus was already conveying that acts of obedience to God extend beyond the confines of a place of worship. He later reinforced this concept when he said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26).
– Jim