After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. Luke 2:46
Jesus is our perfect Savior and Sacrifice. He is perfect God and perfect man. There are many aspects of his life that are not meant to be repeated. However, there are some that serve as an example for us.
In the verse above, Luke records a moment in Jesus’ life at 12 that should serve as an example for both adults and teens. In this well-known story, Jesus had been brought to Jerusalem for the Passover. But as his family left to travel home, Jesus stayed behind. After searching three days for him, his parents found him in the temple.
What was Jesus doing? Sitting among the teacher, listening to them, and asking them questions.
Jesus, as a young man, had to grow in knowledge (Luke 2:52). Without the sin nature to hinder him, we can see three heart attitudes that characterized him. We should pray that they characterize us and in our teens as well.
Jesus had a teachable heart. He had the desire to learn and took the initiative to be taught. He placed himself in the presence of the teacher who taught in the temple. He was not only willing to receive instruction, but he took action to obtain that instruction. We, too, want to cultivate a deliberately teachable heart. We want to seek out wisdom and instruction from others, whether by taking courses, listening to podcasts, or reading books. Unfortunately, there are too many Christians who have lost the desire to keep learning.
Jesus had an attentive heart. Luke is clear that Jesus was not only present but attentive. He was processing what the teachers were saying. In modern language, he was an active learner. We, too, want to think through what teachers are telling us. It is not enough that our bodies are sitting under teaching if we are not actively listening. Active listening means humbly evaluating what you are hearing, searching the Scriptures (Acts 17:11), and thinking about how this new information fits into your other knowledge.
Jesus had an inquisitive heart. Jesus was asking questions. All teachers are not equally clear. There can be gaps in their understanding or presentations. Asking questions may help in your understanding or the thinking of the teacher. There are many times in one of my Q and A times I have said, “I have never been asked that question before. Thank you for sharpening my thinking.” Jesus’ questions probably probed the depth of teachers understanding and caused them to see things in new ways.
In the next verse, Luke tells us that the child became the teacher. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers (v.47). Without the effects of sin and encrusted religiosity, Jesus was already providing a new perspective for his teachers. A teacher never outgrows his need to learn.
I want to keep growing until the day I die. Let’s seek to be active learners and encourage these same attitudes in our children.
