This morning before my live radio program here in Gaylord, Michigan on The Eagle, 101.5 FM, Mike (the morning radio announcer) and I were having a good time talking about how tough it must have been to be the parent of the perfect Son of God like Mary and Joseph were. For example:
Most parents have kids who think they know more than their parents do. Mary and Joseph had a kid who really did know more than they did!
Jesus would have known every time Mary or Joseph tried to lie to him. Now that would have taken all the fun out of parenting right there!
Jesus would have known every single time Mary and Joseph were wrong or had made a mistake. OUCH!
Can you imagine being Joseph in the workshop, hitting your thumb with a hammer and cussing, then looking over and seeing Jesus standing there? That would have been awkward!
I wonder how many times Mary or Joseph made the critical mistake of looking at one of Jesus' half-brothers or sisters and saying to them, "Why can't you be more like Jesus! He gets all "A's"!
If you were Mary or Joseph, you could never ever really look at Jesus and answer His inquiry with the age old parental words of wisdom, "Because I said so, that's why!"
If Jesus ever did leave the front door open, Mary or Joseph could never look at Him and say, "Close that door! What do you think you were, born in a barn or something?"
OK, I admit it - those are pretty silly thoughts! But seriously, as awesome of a privilege that it must have been to be the mother and earthly father of the perfect Son of God, it must have also had some real challenges to it, don't you think?
Remember when Mary and Joseph were returning to Nazareth from Jerusalem and didn't realize that they had left Jesus behind in Jerusalem? I wonder what feeling goes through your mind when you realize that you accidentally misplaced the Son of God?
I love the part of the motion picture, The Nativity, where Mary and Joseph are on their way to Bethlehem for the census and they are talking about what it will be like to be the parents of the Son of God. Joseph makes this statement, "I wonder if I will be able to teach Him anything!"
Makes you think, doesn't it?
Always enjoy reading your blogs! Your comments about Joseph as the father of a "perfect child" raises some interesting questions. when did Jesus become aware of His deity? Since he had limited Himself in the incarnation (Phil. 2), he had to learn as any child. Luke says He grew in wisdom, stature, etc. Is it possible He didn't exercise His divine attributes while on earth, thus having to learn and experience human life. (His subsequent miracles were the result of His dependence upon the Holy Spirit, not the exercise of His divine abilities,from which He had limited Himself.
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Jesse Deloe
Very worthy thoughts and always good to hear from you! Blessings to you!
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