READ: Luke 2:41-52 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

REFLECT: This is the only story we have of Jesus as a child. It’s a story that gives us insight into Jesus’ growing awareness of his unique relationship with his heavenly father. So when his parents complained that he had not gone with them when they returned home, he said, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” With this, Jesus let his parents know that he was under a higher authority than them. Staying behind in the temple was a matter of obedience to his heavenly father. Ultimately he was answerable to God.

But then, just so we know that Jesus didn’t use this reality as an excuse to disobey and be disrespectful to his parents, Luke tells us this: “He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” An old translation says he “was subject unto them.” This means that Jesus remained obedient to his parents, even if his ultimate allegiance was to his heavenly father.

The same is true for us. Our ultimate allegiance is to God. There are times, rare for sure, when we need to follow God, not an authority figure asking us to do something we know to be wrong; or to resist following the norms of the culture around us when we know God asks us to do otherwise.

But we also must be respectful of those placed in authority over us. For children, this is their parents. (Eph. 6:1) For employees, their employers. (Eph. 6:3) And for citizens, the political authority. (1 Peter 2:13-14) Many of us resist submitting to any authority, God or human. But Jesus, the very Son of God, was willing to submit to the will of his heavenly father, obedience than led to his death on a Roman cross. And, as a child, he submitted to the authority of his parents, even, it’s likely, when he disagreed.

RESPOND: So what does this have to do with us? Ask yourself, is there an area in your life that you need to submit to God in? An area where you need to obey our higher power, the God of the universe. Or is there a human authority you know you need to submit to, even if you believe you know better? Pray God gives you the humility and willingness to obey those placed in authority over you.