“Destined to Shake Things Up”

Luke 2:39-­52 / Chapter Nineteen of We Make the Road By Walking by Brian McLaren)

THIS SUNDAY WE RECOGNIZE TWO IMPORTANT DAYS:

Human Relations Sunday and Human-Trafficking Awareness Sunday

January has been declared Human Trafficking Awareness month by President Obama for the past several years. In recognition of this, the Anti­Trafficking Task Force of Boulder will be hosting fellowship time after church on Sunday, January 18, 2015 with informational posters and books to peruse. Thanks to Linda Thompson for organizing this time of awareness. We hope to do more in the coming year to support this work.

What were you like at age 12? Are you much the same as you were then or VERY different?  Sadly, this week's scripture is the only glimpse we get into the childhood of one Jesus of Nazareth. Plenty of fictional accounts have been written of Jesus' growing up years, but this is the only biblical account we have.

The family of Mary, Joseph and young 12-year old Jesus (and likely some other children) was on the annual pilgrimage to Passover at the Temple in Jerusalem. It seems to be a large group traveling together, relatives, neighbors, friends, fellow villagers, traveling from Nazareth for the High Holy Days. This is a journey of some distance---over 60 miles-- not a short or quick trip, but a trip that likely took nearly a week each way. The large group all traveled together, though, so at first Mary and Joseph did not notice he wasn't with them. When they looked among the crowd and realized he wasn't there they did what any of us would do in the same situation. They panicked and began to frantically search everywhere for him.

Which brings to mind the fact that this is a real emotion happening right now with many families. A child has gone missing and they don't know where the child has gone.  Unfortunately, a very real problem in our society is often not talked about or only whispered about, but it is becoming more prevalent all the time.  That is the problem of human-trafficking... young girls and also young boys kidnapped or lured away and sold into human-trafficking enterprises, as slaves or prostitutes.  This day we are recognizing this very real concern and I ask that we pray for ways we can possibly help.  Denver is a hot spot for such crimes because it has intersecting interstates in I-25 and I-70 that crisscross the country. Children are lost each day in this horrible criminal way.  Churches can be voices for those who have none, offering to seek justice and change through whatever means we can.

Today is also Human Relations Sunday in the church. We recognize the work on behalf of marginalized and minority populations that goes on each day.  We recognize the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and others that led to the Civil Rights Act in this country and continued the slow crawl toward equality for all people. Recent events have perhaps led us to believe that we are headed backward instead of forward, but on this day we celebrate the legacy of those who have worked for human relations by vowing to do all we can to continue moving forward to a day when all people are treated equally and with the same dignity.

Mary and Joseph were terrorized, of course, when they couldn't find the boy Jesus on the road with the others. After three long days of searching, they found him in the Temple sitting among the leaders... They scold him the way any of us would "Why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick. We've been looking everywhere for you." Jesus very calmly replies "Didn't you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father's house?"  People often marvel here at this point in the scripture about the maturity of Jesus, sitting among the scholars, growing in wisdom by listening, learning, asking questions, seeking more information and new understandings.  I see it in a theoretical way, but the parent in me still wants to ground him for a month.... "LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, young man," I want to shout! We Of course, we know NOW that Jesus was destined to shake things up, and I suppose this is his first foray into consciously doing that.

At least Jesus is safe. And growing and learning in all the ways we want a child to be safe and grow and learn. At least he is protected here and was protected earlier when his family fled to Egypt to avoid Herod's wrath.  This is the kind of protection we want for all our kids.  And why we are called to protect and reach out to those who aren't in a safe place where they can grow in wisdom.  We want to create the kind of world where kids aren't picked out of crowd and criminalized, where kids aren't profiled for the color of their skin, where everyone feels safe and secure.

Lofty dream, perhaps. But we who are called Christian have signed on for being people who dream big. Like MLK, Jr and all those in the Civil Rights movement, like those who still fight battles for freedom from oppression today, we are called to make the world a Peaceable Kingdom. We are the people, followers of Jesus, who are destined to shake things up, just like those who came before us.

Jesus the boy was in the temple learning. In a sanctuary. Safe. Thank God. I still hope he got in some trouble for it, even if he felt called to be there. :)  But sometimes those destined to shake things up begin by coloring outside the lines or doing the unexpected. And that is a good thing. Even when it's hard to recognize. 

What are your impressions of the boy Jesus?  How can you grow in wisdom in the days ahead? To whom or about what do you need to listen, learn, ask questions and seek more information and new understandings? Email me or comment below.