Luke 2:41-52 provides the only story we have into the life of Jesus as a boy. He and his family had traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and as the group made their way back home his mother realized that her preteen was nowhere to be found. After an unnerving search they find Jesus in the temple at the feet of the wise wowing them with his knowledge.I love the reply to his mother’s panic words of what he had been doing and where he had been. The twelve year old is a bit shocked by his parent’s anxiety. He responds, nonchalantly, “Didn’t you know that I would be here about my Father’s business?”
I can’t count the number of times I’ve gotten so wrapped up in the day to day details of my own worldly kingdom that I have forgotten to be about the business of God.
Our Father isn’t in the drama, despair, gossip, greed, pride, debating or arguing industry. But I find myself there sometimes. I allow these distractions to weigh me down and wear me out with worry and fatigue.
While the world is busy with its affairs, God is establishing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control and he’s doing it through his children. As ambassadors of Jesus, we should be people who specialize in grace, peace and mercy.
What we say, what we post on the Internet, how we act and react to those around us should show others what business we’re truly in. And because we’ve been called out of the darkness, we should be excited to proclaim the light.
Kingdom business is all about salvation. It’s leading others to the Christ. It’s lifting the fallen. It’s loving the unlovable. It’s forgiving when the world says not to. It’s doing what others refuse. It’s taking chances and building relationships so that others can come to know that hope is alive and available. It’s making a difference in the lives of others because Jesus made a difference in ours. It’s exhausting and at times, dangerous. Yet it is the only endeavor that really matters.
There are too many stressed out, defeated Christians walking around with their heads down crying out that the sky is falling. Maybe it’s time to resign from the business of the world and plug in to the business of our Lord.
God, give us eyes to see thebrokenness and wisdom to know that only you can heal it. Give us words to describe your goodness and courage to preach it. Make us people of action, changing this world by the way we love our neighbor and our enemy. Help us to realize that the lost can be found if we would only start minding our business.
Paula Harrington is the mother of five children and resides in Calvert City. She is compiler and editor of the books, Once Upon a Bible Class, A Common Bond and A Sunday Afternoon with the Preachers’ Wives. Her work has appeared in Christian Woman magazine, the Christian Chronicle newspaper and numerous other sites and websites. When she’s not teaching at one of Marshall County’s finest schools, she’s helping her family at the Calvert Drive-in Theater (and by helping, she means eating the cheeseburgers). She can be contacted at harringtonseven@yahoo.com