When I was a young child, I remember seeing this picture and wondering about this young man, Jesus.  He was only a child, but had so much wisdom and knowledge to share with the elders of the church and the most learned amongst them.  This is really the only reference to the child, Jesus until he turns 30 and sets out on His mission to change the world.

As a mother, I remember the highlights of my children’s early lives.  The funny things they said and did.  The unexpected questions and experiences which come out of nowhere.  The dependence they have on us until those early teen years, when they seek their own path.  We tuck the memories into the recesses of our hearts and cling to them forever.

As our kids grow up, we’re right there with them.  We’re proud of their accomplishments; we delight in their growth and ability to learn and absorb the world around them.  We cringe when they make mistakes and hope they learn from them.  We give them tools for living and pray that God will continue to direct them.

Jesus was the result of a wondrous conception.  He was born in humble surroundings, followed in his step dad’s footsteps as a carpenter, lived a life of poverty and grew into a young man.  Then we have nothing but silence until he begins his ministry. It is then that the story begins to unfold.  We see him leave his home town and venture out into the world, following His cousin, John, the Baptist.

Curiosity often gets the best of me as a writer and I want to know more details, but I think that all the important information is written about his early life in Luke 2:52.  We are told that He grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with all people.  That is really all we need to know about this God/man/king who came to save the world.

From the day of His conception, Jesus was destined to do one thing and He did it without complaint.  He was born as a human being, but was God.  He grew up like any other young man, with a voice that changed – human emotion – a body that ached, grew tired and got hungry – but He never gave way to sin.  He followed God’s commands perfectly.  He went willingly through great suffering and death because He knew it was the only way to get the job done.

He was the unblemished lamb required to take away the sin of the world.  That’s really all we need to know about Him.  What greater love is this?