For the rest of my life
Our Bible story today comes from Luke Chapter 2.
Now His parents were going every year to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. When He became twelve years old, they were going up according to festival custom. As they headed home after completing the days, the boy Yeshua remained in Jerusalem, but His parents didn’t know. Supposing He was in the caravan, they went a day’s journey, then began looking for Him among relatives and friends. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.
After three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the center of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all those hearing Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers. When His parents saw Yeshua, they were overwhelmed. And His mother said to Him, “Child, why did you do this to us? Look! Your father and I were searching for You frantically!”
He said to them, “Why were you searching for Me? Didn’t you know that I must be about the things of My Father?” But they did not grasp the message He was telling them.
—Luke 2:41-52
Every year, all the Jewish people traveled by caravan to Jerusalem for Passover. Kind of like a camping trip with the whole family. After a few days, the festival’s over. People pack up their donkeys and travel home.
So some of you were parents, right? Give excuses You don’t know where your kids are—— half the time. There’s like a lot of families traveling together.
After a while, Mary asks Joseph, “Where’s our kid?”
Joseph is like, “I thought he was with you.”
Mary’s like, “I thought he was with you.”
Then they look at each other and it’s like, “Oh…”
That’s right— for 700 years it was prophesied… Unto you Mary and Joseph.. a savior is born… AND— you lost him!
So they turn around and go back. Then they find him and they’re like… relief, HIGH FIVE! They find him and he’s like 12 years old talking with the religious scholars and rabbis in the temple. They’re like, “Dude! Where were you?”
Jesus is like, “I’m… right here!”
All the rabbis were like, “You don’t know where you kid is?”
And Jesus’ parents were like, “Like, are you parents— like, of a savior— I don’t need this— you know what—?”
They turn to Jesus and they were like, “This is serious. Like, these dudes are Pharisees. They are elite, educated, prolific, like they write religious laws— and and… And like, and if they find out who you are they might have you killed.”
Then Jesus’s parents kind of look side-eye to the group of rabbis “What were you guys talking about?”
The rabbis replied, “You son was asking many questions. About the law. About why. Why do we have to do things this way, why this, why that, questioning everything.”
Okay. Like, Jesus’s parents since he was born taught him, “Never. Ask. Questions. Like when the po-po come, the police — you are a young male, with dark skin, nappy hair. Do not say anything.”
It was a very violent society that they lived in.
Jesus’s parents were like, “These guys are really high-level, politically connected, and wealthy. We’re poor. We can’t help you if you get arrested. We’re your parents, it’s our job since you were born to hide who you are to protect you from the authorities.”
Jesus, 7th grade, says, “But mom, dad, I was just being me.”
They ask him, “You’re just being you? Well, how long is this going to last?”
He looked at his parents with his 12 year old face and said, “For the rest of my life.”
I know that people don’t want to deal with your choice to be happy. Their response to your happiness is fear or shock or horror. How dare you? Do you know what that means for your mother and I? Or for your own future? Do you really want to take everyone down with you— just because you choose your own happiness, we have to suffer.
Where did the lie come from that people have to suffer, in order for you to be happy?
Write down in your journal, the moment in your life— this lie showed up in your life.
I know that for many of you, this does not sound like a lie. People actually suffered because you were gay. Your parents had to work really hard to put you through college. Jesus’ disciples suffered when he chose to be the Christ.
But this suffering was not because you chose your happiness. This suffering was the transfiguration that needed to happen, in order for something old to die and something new to be born. It’s the suffering that comes from holding onto their unhappiness, and refusing anything that will make them happy.
“Look at Mochi!”
Ugh! I’m allergic. Please.
“Do you want to meet my son?”
No thank you. I don’t like to change diapers.
Here is the ocean. What you think?
It smells like salt. And it’s too windy. Can we go back inside?
These people will claim that they were happy before, and now your happiness is making them suffer.
I am fine being all alone by myself in my house. I hate babies. I don’t need fresh air. I’m okay with indoor air.
Jesus’ father was like, “I’m fine with having a regular Jewish kid. I don’t need a son who wants be the savior.”
But they’re not really happy. They’re afraid.
Happy people enjoy other happy people being happy, and sharing their happiness with them— and above all, they like anything— that is even more extreme in the happiness department. They want even more happiness.
Happy people are always trying to UP the game and spread happiness everywhere. They don’t have limits to their happiness.
People who have a limit or a cap to their happiness, are not happy. They are afraid. Because your happiness means change.
I swear to you, your happiness means — that you will change the world.
And that scares them. But it means, that you will change the world. Not through your suffering or through their suffering. But through your happiness.
Please write that in your journal:
My happiness means— that I am changing the world.
