Last night after the about the third time the principal said, "these teenagers begin their high school career" it hit me like I had thought about it for the first time. My baby girl is going to High School! Since she is officially a teenager she would cringe to hear me say it that way, but that is how I feel. I can still recall the moment she was born with vivid images. I can still feel how it felt to hold her with just one hand. Now she is taller then me and moves with such grace. She is beautiful and smart and witty and now I send her out into this crazy strange new world called High School.
I woke up this morning wanting to re-read the time Jesus got "lost" in the temple:
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Luke 2:41-52
There is a lot we could unpack in this scripture but my focus this morning is Mary and her discovery of her son as a teenager finding his way, his faith, his mission. He was probably taller than her too and we know He was filled with grace. Do you know that this is the last time we hear of Jesus and Mary until Jesus is 30 years old? The next time we encounter Jesus is at His baptism. Do you ever wonder what happened between ages 13-30? Do you think Mary locked him in his tent to keep him safe, a time out of sorts after his Jerusalem escapade?
Mary doesn't show us how to parent teenagers, how to make it through high school and the stress of tests and decisions about the future, broken hearts and lost sports games. But she does give us one key that we can hold close and work with as we raise our own high schoolers. "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
As each day goes by in my children's life I find myself just like Mary treasuring moments in my heart. Treasuring the glimpses of my children as Children of God. Treasuring the moments when they want a hug from me and even treasuring the moments when they declare I have to drop them off at the movies and I can't join them because it would be too embarrassing to be seen with me. No matter where they go or what they do, who they are or what they say, I have them in my heart. They are the treasure in my heart and nothing, nothing can ever change that!
Today I pray that our Loving God will protect these children He has given me to raise, to grow them in wisdom and in stature that they might find favor in His sight and forgiveness in his arms. May they stay true to their hearts and faith by serving their fellow man with compassion and understanding, always seeking justice and sharing the Truth. May I ever be astonished at the gifts God has given them as they use those gifts to glorify God. Amen!
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