50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Jesus’ parents didn’t understand what their teenage son was saying! Doesn’t that make you feel better? Jesus seemed to be in a different world from his parents. He understood some things about himself that his parent’s had not yet fully understood. He knew his place was teaching and preaching, but his timing was off. Sometimes teenagers have a sense of what they are to be doing, but their timing is off. There are some additional lessons that need to be learned before their vision of the future is enacted. Jesus and his family have visited Jerusalem and his parents have started the journey home. Jesus stayed in the city and has been amazing people by his questions and answers in the intellectual and spiritual center of Judaism. I am sure after the first day word got around about this young man and his brilliance and all the brightest scholars showed up to test for themselves his power to answer their questions. And they all were amazed! This young man had it all figured out. But his parents had begun the journey to his hometown without him, gotten worried when they couldn’t find him, turned around and returned to Jerusalem. To their astonishment they find him in the temple area teaching, and the crowds are listening to him. They don’t completely understand what is happening and like any good parent they overreact. Jesus gives them his simple answer, and they don’t seem to understand. I wonder if like all parents, Jesus parents didn’t take time to try to understand their son more completely. Out of their concern and anguish they pull Jesus in tight, speaking but not really listening, and then they travel home again. They were stuck in a pattern of dealing with their teen like a preteen. As kids grow, the way we parent must change. Teens need more freedom and flexibility. Parents have to open their grip and allow teens to make some mistakes on their own. They are learning to make decisions based on the internal guidance system we instilled in them when they were younger. As parents, our influence is growing less and their peers are gaining. If we have instilled high values by living them out before our kids, then they will know what right looks like. If we have walked the walk, then they will probably make good choices. If, on the other hand, our talk and walk have not matched, then we can expect our kids to mirror that in their lives, especially when they are teens. If you have failed at this task, today is the day to start living your talk. Don’t say anything about it, and then in three months or so when you kids notice it, then tell them about your repentance and commitment to change. Talk about a powerful message that kids will listen to and follow. If you tell and then fall, the kids will just dismiss your talk as more talk. But if you walk it first, the small mistakes will disappear in their eyes. They will see the new you and the rest will be history.
The Arnold Journey 