Luke 2:40

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

 Why does it sound like Jesus was the perfect child?  No temper tantrums, no “terrible two’s”, nothing about him giving Mary and Joseph sleepless nights.

That just doesn’t sound like children to me, although it is how I wish they were.  My little one is awake with a tummy upset, and no amount of rocking is settleing him down.  Only a few weeks ago we were singing carols, and the words of Once in Royal Davids City come to mind, “Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as He”, and I sit here thinking , If only.  But as you carry on, you realise that maybe he was a ‘normal’ child after all “He was little, weak and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew”. It’s just the bible doesn’t really think we are going to be that interested in the fact that when Mary and Joseph took little Jesus down to the local market he through a tantrum next to the carved toys, it doesn’t fit in really with the image we have of this perfect person he became.  But for me, those two lines make him more real than anything else, knowing that his parents had all the fun and games parents do now, and makes me thank God for the little bundle of joy who is screaming his head off whilst I rub his tummy.