I Want to Be Like a 12-Year Old

Reading this morning from Luke 2:39-52 was challenging since I've taken on the line of thinking that if we look at the characteristics of Jesus we can discover ways to be like Him. I believe this, since Christ asked us to follow and to become His disciples, and it has led to some incredibly powerful moments over the last few months.

I just didn't expect 12 year old Jesus to challenge me so much. 

In this passage in Luke, there are roughly 7 characteristics of Jesus as a boy that if they were to characterize us we would find ourselves radically and incisively transformed into the people God had in mind in the beginning. I'm putting the list her to challenge you to think through each characteristic in light of this question: Does this characteristic describe me right now? If not, what is missing in my life that is present in His?

-Wisdom: the passage says that Jesus was growing in wisdom, progressively.-Understanding: Jesus comprehends the deeper things of the law from the teachers in the temple.-Focused on the Kingdom: Jesus' only reply to his anxious parents is that there's no where else He was meant to be than in His Father's house-Favored: Jesus was looked at highly  by people and by God. This is probably the foggier characteristic. Need to think on this one a bit.-Open to Dialogue: Interesting that Jesus was willing to have a discussion with the men who would eventually lead to His crucifixion. We'd do well to learn how to talk about God with people we don't agree with.-Obedient: Jesus submitted to the will of His parents after they came to retrieve Him from the temple.

May the life and qualities of the pre-teen Jesus captivate us and become the vision for our life today.