“They found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening…asking….” Luke 2:46 NIV
School supply sales are happening. New lunch boxes and backpacks are finding new fans. Parents are ready for routines. Teachers are squeezing out the last of summer fun before their wake-up calls are set again! And let’s not forget college orientations and must haves for a dorm room!
Luke 2: 43- 49 reminds us that Jesus was also a student. You know it was the annual family journey to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. And more than just Jesus’ immediate family was in the entourage. Other relatives and perhaps neighbors from Nazareth were also part of the scene. Were Jesus’ half siblings also on the trip? Could that have been another reason why Mary and Joseph didn’t miss their oldest for a day. Maybe there were other little ones to pay attention to and they trusted their obedient pre-teen.
While Mary and Joseph were traveling back home, Jesus was enjoying class with some of the city’s best teachers. (My inner mother voice can’t help but wonder, did Jesus tell his folks he was “going to class” and they missed it? Did he tell a sibling to tell “mom and dad where I am?” No matter.)
Luke records that Jesus sat as a curious twelve-year-old student. Listening, asking questions, and even giving responses. Responses that impressed the scholars. But not his parents when they found him. Remember his question to them? “Why were you looking for me?” Yes, Jesus was not a typical child. This classroom was a place of holy curiosity. For Mary and Joseph, it was the scene of their exasperated relief.
Let’s consider these ‘classroom thoughts’:
Am I typically a curious learner?
Do I listen well, lean in to understand, speak with intention?
Do I encourage curiosity by asking good questions?
Am I looking for Jesus? Am I surprised by where I find Jesus?
Today, sit
and enjoy a conversation with Jesus, our Master Teacher
with a fellow follower or someone who hasn’t yet met The Teacher.
listen
with curiosity to a parent whose child starts school soon
to a senior adult who is still a lifelong learner.
ask
a student what they are excited about for the new year; listen for anxious thoughts or words
a teacher, school administrator, facilities team member for a specific way you can pray for them.
As Jesus did in his Temple class, may we look for the places and people who can help us explore the Truth. May we be people who invite others to sit, listen, and ask.