🤔 Ever wonder what Jesus was like as a teenager?

🏃‍♂️ There's actually only one story about teen Jesus in the Bible when He ditched his parents to hang at the temple, schooling all the religious leaders.

😅 When his worried parents finally found him, he hit them with the classic "didn't you know I'd be at my Father's house?" - the kind of response that would've gotten most of us grounded.

🙏 But here's what's interesting: despite being literally God, Jesus still submitted to his parents and grew up under their guidance.

👨‍👦 He even honored his stepdad Joseph, no "you're not my real dad, I don't have to listen to you" drama. This shows that family dynamics — even holy ones — are messy.

🤝 Think about your own relationship with your parents. You're probably dealing with the classic tension between honoring them and asserting independence.

✨ The good news? Even Jesus's family wasn't perfect (except for him). His parents didn't always get it right, and that's okay.

💭 Here's something you might not have considered: in Christian families, reconciliation isn't just about kids apologizing to parents. Both sides can admit when they've messed up.

💬 You can go to your parents and say, "Look, we're both God's children here. Can we work this out?"

(It's like a mini-version of what happens in church — forgiveness going both ways.)

❤️ Your parents aren't perfect, but God works through imperfect people.

🌱 When they're being annoying about homework, curfews, or making you eat vegetables, remember: they're trying to take care of you, even if they sometimes mess up.

🤗 The whole parent-child relationship isn't about being flawless — it's about learning to forgive and grow together.

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

Contributor Deaconess Emma Heinz serves as the Registrar of Higher Things.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #jesus