Thoughts for the Day

Luke 2:51 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

I can imagine the sort of evidence that would have allowed Luke to describe Jesus as growing “in favour with men”, but I wonder what was the evidence that led him to say, “in favour with God”.  Ah well, we simply have to make do with the summary.  This fourfold description of wisdom, stature, favour with God and favour with men paints a hugely positive and rounded picture.  So before moving on, perhaps it is worth asking ourselves how we are faring in these areas, or indeed whether we consider these characteristics at all when asked (or asking) how a son, daughter, brother, sister, friend, acquaintance or colleague is getting on.  However, the key point I pick up here is that Jesus grew – not just physically (stature), but in every way.  Once again, as I consider the mystery of Jesus as both man and God, I find this hint that Jesus had no divine short-cuts in growing up through adolescence and into adulthood, no memories beyond his earthly experience, no learning outside his studies, no pre-programming.   Of course, at some point Mary and Joseph will surely have shared with him their treasured memories of his conception and birth, the angelic declarations, the prophecies, the gold, myrrh and frankincense.   Perhaps most difficult for us to imagine is the quality of his prayer-life, the openness of a conversation with God completely unimpaired by sin.  We will pick this up again later in the series.   Maybe today, however, we can meditate on the possibility that Jesus experienced nothing of his divinity to make it easier for him to live among us as one of us.