This week in New Testament class we covered Christ's childhood and the beginning of His ministry. And as we discussed, there was one scripture that really stood out to me. One that I've probably read quite a few times and haven't even noticed. As we talked about this verse it just amazed me how much there is to learn from the scriptures. They truly are a map or guidebook for our lives and teach us the way to return to our Heavenly Father. So the verse I'm talking about is in Luke chapter 2, verse 52. It says: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." So that's cool. But really, in 14 simple words this scripture gives us the recipe for how to have a perfect balance in our lives. I guess this was super meaningful to me because, coming home from a mission recently, it's been a bit difficult to refocus and rebalance and remember how to live normal life. So this scripture is awesome! It tells us the four areas that we should always be striving to increase in to become like Christ.
The first is intellectually ("increased in wisdom"). Hey, I've got that part down! I'm at school, trying to gain more knowledge that I'll use to benefit the rest of my life. But it's important not to let the other things fall by the wayside. We have been taught that the knowledge we gain in this life will help us here and will come with us to the next life, and Christ is a perfect example of that.
The next area is physically ("increased in stature"). Our spirits and our bodies are connected, and when we are taking care of our bodies... things just go better. All around. Christ was a carpenter. He was active. He was always walking around finding people to help. It's important for us to take care of our physical temples and show our Heavenly Father our appreciation for the marvelous gift that our bodies are.
Third is spiritually ("increased in favour with God"). Christ showed us that having a relationship with our Heavenly Father is essential for us to be happy and to succeed and progress in this life. We grow that relationship through sincere prayer, scripture study, church and temple attendance, service, and missionary work, among other things. Striving to better ourselves spiritually is a life long pursuit, marked by covenants that lead us on the path to eternal life. It's easy to slack on the little things, but not worth it. I think this area is the foundation for a balanced life.
Fourth is socially ("increased in favour with man"). We are all children of God, which means we all have something to learn from each other. The relationships we form and cultivate here on earth can bring us so much joy and help us through the trials and struggles we will inevitably face. Christ was friendly with everyone He met and focused completely on the individually. His ministry wasn't about being popular or having lots of followers, it was about showing His Father's love and showing people their potential. We can be His hands here by showing kindness and love to our fellowmen and being a light.
I'm so grateful for the insight I gained this week from this scripture. Finding a balance is difficult, but the principles here lay it out so simply, and I hope we can all implement it, and keep going on our way to becoming like Christ.
cheers
Tamsyn
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