A husband and wife are returning home from an annual religious feast in first-century Jerusalem. At the end of the first day of the long, slow trek homeward to the town of Nazareth with their friends and relatives, they realize they're missing something. It's their 12-year-old son. They think he has been with them the whole time in the company of their traveling caravan. But when they can't find him, they have no choice but to turn back to Jerusalem.
After three days, which must feel like a month to the worried parents, they find him mingling with teachers in the local temple. The boy astounds the teachers with his astuteness as he answers their theological questions. Less impressed, though, are Mom and Dad. They question their son, probably the way any distraught parent would. He surprises them with questions of his own: "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?" See Luke 2:41-50 (Scripture taken from The Message, Copyright © 1993. 1995. 1996. 2000. 2001. 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group).
This story isn't supposed to be a lesson in how to be an obedient child or a more responsible parent. It's a childhood experience in the life of Jesus. Specifically, the story of how he stayed behind at the temple to talk about God, even though it meant temporary separation from his parents. This early experience provides a revealing glimpse into Jesus' attitude on the subject of family as a whole. What it is, who it should include, what keeps a family together, what sacrifices are necessary. Above all, it's a lesson in putting God first.
