Each child is a gift. They are to be prized and protected. They should never be mistreated or neglected. (Did a tear just shed? I was going for a tear...)
If we're up on our Bible-reading, then we'll be familiar with Bible verses that say "with painful labor you will give birth to children" and "he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating." Wait, not those verses.
These verses. "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing" (Psalm 37:25-26). Oh, and "And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:16).
It would seem that children are, in fact, the future and should be valued as such. All of them. (Any tears yet? Dang, you are a tough crowd.)
Given all this, it makes this one little story seem a bit odd. We're told about parents who were told they'd be receiving a very special child. This child was not like other children. He was to be given a special mission in life. They should take special care of this child.
Oh, did I mention this child was the Son of God?
I'm not saying I'm the best parent, but I would think the neurotic make-sure-my-child-is-alive meter would be at an all-time high if I was told I was about to play the role of dad for the Son of God! If each child is really just on loan to us, you might think that having God's Son on loan would make you extra careful.
So why do we have this story in Luke?
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ~Luke 2:41-46
If I take my kids to the grocery store, we're holding hands in the parking lot, I'm constantly making sure they don't drop sugar cereals and candy bars in the cart and I'm counting heads as we return to the vehicle.
Joe and Mary were an entire day away when they realized they left Jesus behind in Jerusalem!!! Are you kidding me? I suppose, if nothing else, it tells me I should give myself a pass when I'm not the perfect parent.
If we're up on our Bible-reading, then we'll be familiar with Bible verses that say "with painful labor you will give birth to children" and "he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating." Wait, not those verses.
These verses. "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing" (Psalm 37:25-26). Oh, and "And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:16).
It would seem that children are, in fact, the future and should be valued as such. All of them. (Any tears yet? Dang, you are a tough crowd.)
Given all this, it makes this one little story seem a bit odd. We're told about parents who were told they'd be receiving a very special child. This child was not like other children. He was to be given a special mission in life. They should take special care of this child.
Oh, did I mention this child was the Son of God?
I'm not saying I'm the best parent, but I would think the neurotic make-sure-my-child-is-alive meter would be at an all-time high if I was told I was about to play the role of dad for the Son of God! If each child is really just on loan to us, you might think that having God's Son on loan would make you extra careful.
So why do we have this story in Luke?
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ~Luke 2:41-46
If I take my kids to the grocery store, we're holding hands in the parking lot, I'm constantly making sure they don't drop sugar cereals and candy bars in the cart and I'm counting heads as we return to the vehicle.
Joe and Mary were an entire day away when they realized they left Jesus behind in Jerusalem!!! Are you kidding me? I suppose, if nothing else, it tells me I should give myself a pass when I'm not the perfect parent.
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