READY:
“After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house? But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.” – Luke 2:46-50
SET:
We don’t have many details about Jesus’ life from before the start of His ministry, but we do know details of His birth, His infancy and His life as a 12-year-old boy. There’s a moment in Scripture that shows us a look into Jesus’ teenage heart as His family was leaving a special annual feast in Jerusalem. His parents began the trek back home, but Jesus decided to stay at the temple. After a few frantic days of searching, they found Him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to their teaching and asking them questions. Although He dealt with the same temptations most teenagers deal with, those desires weren’t the ones that ruled His life and made decisions for Him. When all the other teenage boys were up to their eyeballs in mischief and getting into trouble, Jesus played up.
Jesus, a teenage boy, was the youngest at the table and He did three things: sat among the teachers, listened, and asked questions. Jesus even in His young age knew that there was great value in sitting at tables with those we can learn from. He sat, He listened and He asked questions.
He was playing up. In Judaism of that day, boys began to learn their father’s trade at 12 years of age. So, Jesus staying behind in the temple was Him taking His Father’s trade seriously. How seriously are you taking your trade? What tables are you sitting at? And what are you doing while you’re at those tables? Are you doing all the talking, trying to be the funniest or the loudest person there? Or are you listening and asking questions, taking in all the wisdom and learning everything you can?
As a teenager, the people closest to Jesus didn’t completely understand the plan God had for His life but Jesus didn’t allow that to distract Him. He submitted to His parent’s authority and continued to play up.
GO:
What would playing up look like for you in your life right now?
What tables are you the youngest at? At those tables, what is your heart posture?
What tables are you the oldest at? How are you influencing those who are younger than you?
WORKOUT:
OVERTIME:
“Dear Heavenly Father, as I remember the tables Jesus sat at throughout His life, He always took the time to sit with the lonely, the broken, the sick and the sinful. He took the time to sit with them for their good and their growth. He always played up and He was always helping others to play up as well. I want to be like Jesus in the way that He was always looking for ways to grow. Please help me to seek and find opportunities for personal growth as well as opportunities to help others grow. In Jesus’ name, amen.”