The parents of Jesus either had a very easy time or a difficult one raising their Child.
Easy, because do you really need to do anything for Someone who is omnipotent. Or it was very difficult for them as it indeed was. Both knew from day one, like many of us, that their Child would be the cause of both grief and joy. There being neither books nor experts on child care they had to depend on their own traditional wisdom or innovation.
Fully aware of His Divinity and their tremendous responsibility not only to Jesus but to mankind they raised Him to fulfill his mission on Earth. Here are ten probable ways with which they went about their awesome task.
- Protection. God choose when He came to earth to be as helpless as us humans, His parents had to go great lengths, as we know, to protect Him. They had to flee their native land and cross borders to keep him safe. It took ten fearful days to walk to Egypt. To keep their Son alive and safe, no doubt they prayed frequently during this journey.
- Useful. Joseph his father taught Him how to be a skilled carpenter. He was indeed good enough to be recognized in His community as “the carpenter”. He made things of great use, furniture, ploughs, wheels and carts. He had great affinity to people who worked with their hands.
- Observation. Unlike us parents, Joseph and Mary didn't forget to encourage their Child to appreciate the sounds, sights of life. The natural ways in which life is planned. The different pursuits and ambitions of men and women. Jesus kept referring to these observations during His ministry.
- Wisdom. No doubt He learned to read and write early. Studied His “letters”. In all probability He was proficient in both Aramaic and Greek. When He was twelve He had acquired so much learning that He amazed the “doctors” at the Temple. Simple, poor folk as they were His parents role was obviously that of support, encouragement and prayer.
- Grace. As we know the Child of Mary and Joseph grew to be generous, sympathetic, forgiving, humble, obliging and available to all. He had fine role models in His parents.
- Obedience. After being admonished by His mother for going missing in Jerusalem, Jesus remained subject to them till embarking on His ministry.
- Power. They surely prayed for the mission He was entrusted with. They also prayed for His friends, an unlikely lot of fishermen, and others from lowly or suspicious professions. They could never have dreamed that two thousand years later every one of three people on earth would be a follower of Jesus.
- Courage. As parents they must have prayed awfully lot that He would have an enormous capital of courage to bear and overcome the obstacles destined for Him.
- Acceptance. From the beginning of their parenthood, Joseph and Mary subjected themselves to God's will and care. A quality that must have braced their Son for his destiny.
- Pray. This the First Family, in the history of mankind, had absolute faith in the
power of prayer and believed that the Angels would come to their rescue.
