A lost Jesus, like any lost child, is terrible. But we can help!
By Dean Collins
I’ve always been curious about Luke’s record of Mary and Joseph losing Jesus during their Passover pilgrimage. How did Mary and Joseph find Jesus when they didn’t have cell phones and social media?!
I can remember the rush of anxiety I felt when my kids were younger and you suddenly didn’t see them in the grocery store, on the playground, or, worse, at someplace like Disney World. Before Covid Walt Disney World had a max capacity of about 100,000. Imagine losing your child in such a crowd. The surveillance cameras everywhere would help you find your loved one. But until you did, you’d be in a panic.
Far worse
But the situation with Passover in ancient Jerusalem was far worse. Some Bible historians suggest that as many as 250,000 families would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the celebration. If that is accurate, then figure more than a million people in the area when Jesus and his parents got separated. There were no cameras and AMBER Alert systems. Mary and Joseph would have had to rely on family and friends to help trace back to where they found Jesus. Ultimately, I think the story of Jesus in the temple at 12 was more about Jesus doing his Father’s business than being separated from his parents.
Nowadays the storyline is reversed I think. We know the whereabouts of Jesus. According to the New Testament, Jesus ascended to Heaven. Jesus is with the Father, but a lot of folks down here have lost Jesus and can’t seem to find him. But many aren’t really looking for him. I assume if you’re reading this that you, like me, have found Jesus and are therefore committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus today. So how can we help others find Jesus?
Helping others
I’m thinking again about all those surveillance cameras at Disney. Those cameras are just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve all read enough to know that very little of our lives is hidden. Not to make you paranoid, but modern technology makes it possible for our lives to be monitored in many ways. And if we engage in any social media, then the sky is the limit on what others see and know about us. If that’s the case, then now more than ever we need to consider that our words and deeds will either help one find Jesus or may prevent him from being discovered at all.
How much of our time do we spend focused on our Father in Heaven’s business? Or are we simply consumed by the jobs that produce our paychecks and by our hobbies, our stuff, and our favorite sports teams? There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life, but I do think we need to remember that as believers we have been called to be extending God’s love far and wide.
Luke’s story of Jesus at age 12 in the temple ends this way: “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”
Maybe if we focus on growing in the same ways as Jesus did then we might just find ourselves helping another discover Jesus as well. He is not missing. He lives in us. Our job is to make him visible and attractive to those around us. Their future might depend on how well we live.
Your time with God’s Word
Luke 2:41-52 ESV
Photo by Joel Sutherland on Unsplash
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