December 31, 2013

Luke 2:46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

This little story is the only comment made in the Bible concerning Jesus when he was neither an adult nor a baby. It talks about the twelve year old Jesus going to Jerusalem with his family as they always did to celebrate the Passover. This year he stayed behind unknown to his parents. The above verse explains what he was doing; sitting among teachers, listening, and asking questions. I think these have significance for us too. Even in this virtual age, where we chose to place our bodies will make a big difference in what our lives become. I think regular attendance at church is important even though today we can connect to others without being physically present and many of the things we do in church can be done independently. Where we place our bodies our minds and spirits will often follow. He was listening. We all know when someone is really listening to us and when they are just nodding agreement without significantly considering what we are saying. He was asking questions. When we truly listen and try to understand we often find this is not as easy as it appears. Understanding can require questioning. So, maybe these are three possibilities for New Year’s resolutions as they pertain to God. When I think about my spiritual life in 2013 I will put my body where it needs to be on a regular basis, I will try to be present and hear what God is saying there, and I will consider it deeply enough to raise questions. This passage seems to indicate that these things were important to Jesus. If they were important to him shouldn’t they be important to us? Happy New Year!