DISCOVERY OF PURPOSE IN CHILDHOOD

“And the CHILD grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” – Luke 2:40

There is no better grounding in life than the DISCOVERY of PURPOSE IN CHILDHOOD: “And the CHILD grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him” (v.40). The Child JESUS is our eternal Model of Purpose. He was born for a purpose – the salvation of humanity; and grew and lived for that. Luke’s gospel sets out a timeline that begins with His birth, circumcision and dedication, presentation in the Temple, and records of the prophecy of Simeon and the testimony of Anna. The second chapter provides the clearest insight into Christ's early years, His childhood and pre-ministry preparation, His extraordinary visit to the Temple at the age of twelve and the many silent years He spent as a young carpenter, when He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (v.52).

The account of Christ’s Childhood illustrates what it means to grow up God’s Way. Like every little Jewish child, Jesus had to learn to walk and talk, play and work, interact with others and learn about the Law and the prophets. Physically, the Child developed in strength, as He passed through childhood to maturity. Mentally, He increased in wisdom and understanding, while spiritually, the grace of God was upon Him. Having to experience the physical and emotional development that every child undergoes qualified Him to be well able to empathise with every stage of our development and every circumstance we meet. That’s why Jesus could caution that the children be not hindered from the Kingdom (Mt.19:13-14). He understands our infirmities for He was faced with the same temptations we face – yet without sin (Heb.4:15).

Luke, unlike many apocryphal writers, described the holy childhood of Jesus as a simple and natural growth on body and mind, in due subjection to the restraints of parenthood, and yet not without unique intuition (vv.46—51). There is great significance in the fact that Jesus was once a child, with childhood thoughts, feelings, temptations, joys, and challenges. The interval between His birth and ministry’s inception was filled up with years of normal human life. As a Child, no childhood experience was strange to Him. He became a child, that He might be the Saviour of children. He has sanctified childhood, as He has every other age and experience of humanity, by passing through it. And the light and sanctity of this Divine Childhood still linger around every human child, making it beautiful by the reflection of its pure and perfect beauty.

Not only in His adult ministry but throughout His childhood and youth, Jesus was the sinless Son of God, Who learned obedience by what He suffered. He learned to listen to His Father's voice and do only those things that He heard from His heavenly Father; His food was to do the will of the One Who sent Him and to accomplish His work (Jh.4:34). Jesus fulfilled every requirement of the Law. Not only did He honour His heavenly Father, but He respected Mary, His mother, and Joseph, His adoptive, earthly father. The Child Jesus lived in submission to them, even though He would be their Messiah and Lord. He submitted to their authority and was guided by their counsel. And both parents set the young Child a good example, for they also obeyed the Law of Moses by bringing Him up and training Him in the way that He should go (vv.41-42; Pro.22:6).

Jesus’ childhood, like His entire earth-life, is a shining example on how to live for God’s Glory. However, we see Purpose in Childhood displayed in the lives of other Bible characters, such as Samuel, Jeremiah, and Timothy. Samuel’s establishment as Israel’s prophetic epitome commenced from childhood (1Sam.3:1-21). God cautioned Jeremiah to not allow his childhood to hinder His calling (Jer.1:4-8). Paul testified of the productive childhood that Timothy enjoyed through the legacies of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2Tim.1:5). Let’s reflect on our own childhood and pray for the discovery and fulfilment of Purpose in the lives of upcoming generations of our children.