Balance
| And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and people. (Luke2:52) |
One needs balance... Luke recalls how Jesus grew up from the 12 year old boy who conversed with the teachers in the temple. In a single verse he captures the importance of an all round development as he notes the four dimensions of Jesus' growth:
Wisdom: The development of mind and experience, not merely knowledge, but the application of knowledge in the fear of the Lord and love of fellow human being. Jesus learned to think and express His knowledge in constructive ways. This is wisdom.
- Stature: This has to do with one's physical development. Medical doctors tell us that Jesus would have been physically tough and resilient to endure a scourging, carry a cross and then be crucified and maintain a sound mind. Being a carpenter's son meant He probably chopped trees, dragged them out of the wild and sawed them into planks. He obviously did not shy away from hard work.
- Favour with God: This is Jesus' spiritual life. We know He got up early to pray and loved being in the Father's House. He was attentive to the Spirit and sought to honour the Father. His words and actions were congruent to His message and on three occasions the Father spoke from heaven to express how pleased He was with His Son.
- Favour with People: This indicates emotional stability and social integration. Jesus not only loved God, but He loved people. He was even invited to a wedding with all His disciples. He was liked and loved by many and also had special friends like Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
We should pursue this balance in our own lives when we renovate. I often liken these four dimensions as the four legs of a table or chair. We need to keep them proportionate and balanced. If any of these areas is deficient, our lives will wobble.
