Lately, I've been thinking about how hard it (life) must have been for Jesus' siblings since he was perfect. Literally. The Christmas season put this thought in my mind, but as Scott and I contemplate when we'll try for another child, I can't help but wonder what that child will be like. After all, Leah's such a good baby that I often think she's spoiled us. Which brings me back to Jesus.
Perfect. In absolutely every way. Can you imagine? Even as an infant he was without sin. I can't even picture what he must have been like as a baby. And then think about him as a toddler. No terrible twos or threes there. Can you imagine a little one who was always obedient, who never threw a tantrum?
On the flip side, imagine the stress that Mary and Joseph must have experienced. There they were, imperfect, sinful people raising God's perfect Son. Need I say more?
And what about Jesus' siblings? Did they experience jealousy or envy? After all, their older brother was perfect, so doesn't that imply he was the apple of his parents' eyes? Wouldn't he be considered the favored one? Imagine how difficult life must have been for them knowing that their brother was the Promised One, the Saviour. Talk about sibling rivalry!
I'd like to expound on this idea, but I'm speechless; how can I fully understand Christ's perfection when we humans are so far from it?
Big Sister
One of her fave rides.
Little Brother
"Look at me, Mommy!"
About Me
- Heather
- Funny how we define people by what they do or by their relationships. Yes, I am a wife, a friend, a daughter, a teacher, and a sister, but I'm also so much more. Shouldn't we all be identified as simply "more"?
2 comments:
My first thought after reading this was "is she comparing Leah to Jesus?" I laughed a little and moved on.
However, the concept stuck with me a bit so I got out my Bible and took it a step further. We never here one word about Jesus' sibling in Scripture that I can find but in other historical documents it is believed that Mary and Joseph did have some. We do hear great things about his cousin John the Baptist though who he dearly loved and grieved after his death. Also, when Jesus dies on the cross and sees His mother He doesn't assume she will be taken care of by his other siblings. He assures his beloved disciple John that he is charged with taking her in and caring for her which suggest Joseph was no longer living and there was nowhere else for her to go??? It seems like if there were other siblings she would have gone to them.
I know this is a bit of a rabbit trail from your initial thought but it's what I started thinking about and thought I would share for discussions sake.
It would be challenging to be a sibling to someone perfect. You think about Joseph, in the Old Testament, and how difficult it was for him to be favored and he wasn't even perfect. Lends itself that though there may be jealousy, maybe there was enough Holiness surrounding him that the rivalry was replaced with a protective love? I don't know.
~Ali
I also thought that it sounded like Leah was being compared to Jesus, though I was 99% sure that's not how it was meant. It made me laugh. Interesting post though. : )
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