A Place to Grow
by John Bishop, Director of Spiritual Formation
Luke chapter 2 is the chapter of scripture we tend to turn to every Christmas season to remember the story of Jesus’ birth.
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken…”
The familiar story goes on into the O Holy and Silent Night before Jesus is born Away in a Manger amid the Hallelujah chorus and We Three Kings. This passage of Scripture is the story of Jesus’ birth and Christmas is a special time of year set aside to celebrate it.
But, as Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights makes clear, Jesus does not remain our Lord Baby Jesus. The space between Christmas and Easter is only a few months by our calendar, but to Jesus it was 33 years. It’s helpful to remember occasionally that Jesus had to grow up too!
We get a tiny glimpse into Jesus’ childhood in the second half of Luke 2. Jesus is in the Temple sitting with teachers of the law at 12 years old. We find him there through the exasperated eyes of Mary and Joseph who had been searching for him for three days. They are understandably frustrated with him.
Jesus was sinless, but apparently, he still spent time frustrating his mom as a 12-year-old boy. The last verse of Luke 2 says, “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”
That song, 12 Days of Christmas, that if you’re like me, you skip anytime it comes on, illustrates one aspect of Christmas that we probably rarely ever think about…it keeps track of time. Christmas doesn’t just mark the days of nativity or the 12 days of Christmas, it ticks off the years too.
While you’re sitting around with friends and family in a couple weeks looking at old pictures and reminiscing on past Christmases, take stock of your growth. Maybe you’ve grown physically adding a few inches to your height (or waist). Maybe you’ve learned a lot and grown your mind. You might have grown in your ability to build relationships and navigate the emotional stress that comes with those relationships. You might even be able to see how your family has grown adding little stockings to the mantle.
Growth is part of life and Christmas serves as a time of reflection at the end of the year to help us take stock of how much we’ve grown.
This year, I would encourage you, while you think about buying Christmas gifts and preparing for your relatives to invade your home, to take stock in how much you’ve grown spiritually. Are you growing in the most important way? Have you put the time and energy required into attaining maturity in your salvation?
Jesus was born on Christmas, but he didn’t stay a baby – he “became strong…” and we need to too.
God sets an example for us in every aspect of our lives, even the process of growing in spiritual maturity. You may have made some mistakes this year and disappointed people you love – even Jesus did that. But falling short isn’t failing, that can be a part of the process of growth. Refusing to learn and move forward, however, may cause you to lose focus on His good purpose in your life.
Jesus provides a place to grow, we just need to surrender to the work He’s doing in us.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Philippians 2:12-13
Westminster Christian School, located in Palmetto Bay, Florida, is a private, college-preparatory school for children from preschool through twelfth grade.