The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have a Bible Edge
Luke 2:51
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
This series of “Life lessons learned from Great people” started with a lesson from Mary. Perhaps it is appropriate to end this series with another lesson from the Lord’s mother. She …kept all these sayings in her heart. Not in her head, but in her heart. All the sayings that she heard from the Lord Jesus on this occasion, she kept in her heart.
What was the occasion? He was misplaced. Well, not actually He was exactly where He should have been doing that which He should do. He was in the Temple in Jerusalem asking the learned doctors of the law questions. However, His parents supposed He was with the company travelling back to Nazareth. After about a day they began to miss Him and returned to Jerusalem to find Him. Upon finding Him they asked Him …why hast thou thus dealt with us? To which He replied with a famous statement. A statement that frankly sums up His entire ministry. He said this: How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
In this succinct assertion our Lord set forth the boundaries for His life’s work. Mary took note and kept these things in her heart. Of Jesus’ childhood we know very little. Really the most we know is found in today’s verse …he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. Amazing, the God of the universe, that created all things, willingly put himself in subjection to His earthly mom and dad. The brilliance of children does not absolve them from subjecting themselves to their parents while they are children. That’s an extra life lesson from a great person.
But Mary. She was there when Jesus was born, she was there when He died upon the cross, and she was there to see Him in His resurrected body. Oh, the stories she could share. For all who want to know more about Jesus as a child, maybe Mary will have time to answer all our questions and tell us wonderful stories about her perfect son. How wonderful to visit with her and learn all that which she kept in her heart about His earthly life.
But the lesson for today. Keep those things that you have learned about the Lord Jesus in your heart. You never know when someone will ask you about Him. Now, that’s an edge, a Bible Edge for being a faithful witness of Him.
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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