You Are My Son

Click Here: Read Luke 3

“...a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased"."  – Luke 3:22b

In Luke 3, we move forward to Jesus at 30 years old, at the beginning of His public ministry.  We find John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin, referred to in Chapter 1) baptizing Jewish men and women in the Jordan river, in preparation for the coming Messiah.  We also find in Chapter 3, the lineage of Jesus Christ through Mary (most would agree).  Indeed, the lineage of Jesus Christ is traced back to Judah, David, Jesse, Abraham, Noah and Adam.  It is also provided in Matthew 1:1-17. These two show slightly different paths and most agree that Matthew represents the lineage of Joseph through Solomon and Luke represents the lineage of Mary through Nathan. In God's perfect wisdom he was able to ensure the blood-right through Mary and the title through Joseph.  In those days, as it is today, the lineage of a child says so much about who they are and what they stand for.  But, regardless of this lineage, God, Himself, calls down from heaven to acknowledge is only begotten Son, after he is baptized in the river Jordan.

The call every parent dreads to hear is the one stating that something has happened to their child. A tragic accident, a sickness, an injury in sports or even something as small as a scraped knee from falling off their scooter send fear through the heart and mind of every parent. If you are a parent, you must agree, that there is something inside of you that will go to all means to ensure the safety of your child. Where-ever and whatever is necessary, you’re their protector, comforter and guide through their infant, adolescent and teen years. The hope is that, through the strength of the Lord, you are able to equip them to take on the world and leave the nest prepared for life's hardships and struggles. This includes harsh discipline at times when the situation calls for it, and loving embraces when their little hearts need to be mended.

There will always come those moments of disappointment though, moments when a situation has caused them to stumble and fall short of your expectations. In some cases it is peer pressure, and others, it’s simply the result of temptations in life getting the best of them. The life you held in your hands at birth, poured yourself into, bandaged scrapes and wiped their nose has gone against your guidance and created a potential wedge. You've sworn to yourself, to God and to the child, to nurture and take care of them forever. This includes the good with the bad. How you handle those situations must reflect the love and adoration of your Father in heaven and not the condemnation of the world. It is at these times that the worldly perspective is most likely to interject, through emotions and quick judgment, which can cause permanent damage.

I have had these situations in my life just like most of you that are parents. What I have learned is that when I allow my emotions to form my response, the result is much more hurtful then helpful. The times when I have taken a deep breath and allowed the Lord to speak through me with love and compassion, the outcomes have been strengthening and bonding of the love between my child and myself. The position we hold with our children is one of authority and respect. These are characteristics that must be earned though and are not given cart 'blanche just based on the position of parent. God has created an image of the perfect parent. One that I propose is impossible to follow from a worldly perspective. When we are walking in His will and loving guidance though, the ability to emulate His perspective in any given circumstance is exponentially improved upon.

I am reminded of a story I heard many years ago. A family was walking through a mall. They stopped into a restaurant for a quick bite to eat. During their time sitting there the youngest had the urge to go potty, but didn't quite make it to the bathroom on time. He ended up with a very large wet spot all the way down the front of his pants. In his humiliation and the teasing of his siblings, his father looked down at the boy. Rather than chastising him though he allowed his elbow to bump a full glass of water sitting on the table which proceeded to spill all over his own pants and the boy’s pants at the same time. With this he jumped up from the table wet trousers and all and began drying his and his sons pants off. Then he proceeded to proudly walk through the mall holding his boys hand, both with wet pants.

As God looked down from heaven at the moment Jesus rose up from being baptized in the Jordan river and exclaimed, "This is MY Son, in whom I am well pleased." we see the true love of a Father. Remember the next time something happens with your child, before you act or say anything, whisper to yourself: "This is MY child, whom I love and am well pleased." I'm sure your reaction to the situation will be very different after putting on the face of our Lord in that situation.

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