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Grow: In Wisdom and Stature,
and in Favor with God and Men
By Jeff Reed
Luke 2 records an interesting incident when Jesus was only twelve years old. This is the only place in scripture that gives an account during His childhood. He went with His parents and family to observe the feast of Passover. Afterward, everyone went home but Jesus remained behind. On the journey home they realized He was missing and went back after Him. Three days later they found Him in the temple in deep conversation with the teachers. He displayed great maturity and understanding with His ability to discuss with them and answer their questions. When Joseph and Mary found Him they were distressed but Jesus gave them an interesting explanation, “’Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’”(Luke 2:49).
This account seems to be the beginning of Jesus’ preparation for His eventual ministry and inevitable crucifixion and resurrection. After this Luke 2:52 states, “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” So at the age of only twelve, Jesus began a process of becoming physically and spiritually ready for His mission. It was the greatest mission anyone would ever undertake.
Jesus is our example and we should follow in His footsteps (I Peter 2:21). Christ has a mission for each of us and an eventual place in His Kingdom if we put our faith in and live our life serving Him. We should each strive to grow in the four areas listed in Luke 2:52; Wisdom, Stature, Favor with God, and Favor with Men.
Wisdom
Wisdom is the ability to use our experiences and the knowledge we have gained to make righteous decisions and perform the right actions. True wisdom can only come from God. “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6). God gives us wisdom through different sources.
We can gain incredible wisdom from daily Bible reading. The Bible gives us direct access into the mind of God. We shouldn’t take this source of wisdom for granted but daily ask God to open our hearts and minds to the rich storehouse of knowledge that He created for us.
God will give us wisdom if we ask Him. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). He gives us wisdom through the presence of His Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
Wisdom is also given by the experiences God allows us to go through. Sometimes we may not understand at the time why we have to experience certain trials, but God is molding us for what he has designed. The apostle Paul put it this way, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” I know personally from when I suffered with cancer a few years ago the amount of wisdom I received from living through that affliction. I praise God that He is willing to teach me through hardships.
Stature
Stature is synonymous with maturity. We must become mature in our walk with Christ. I Corinthians 13:11 states, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” Just as Jesus was demonstrating to His parents that He was no longer a child by His actions in the temple, so we must begin our maturing after we are baptized. Paul stated this idea clearly to the Ephesians.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4: 11-15).
Favor with God
God’s favor is given to us when we turn to Him in repentance and are baptized. He removes all the penalties for any wrong thing we have ever done. That’s an amazing amount of favor. To grow in this favor we must strive daily to obey God and live according to His commandments. “As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). Now that we have God’s favor we must live our lives in service to Him so that it grows. The only way to lose it would be to turn away and we certainly don’t want to do that!
Favor with Men
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4). By simply being good Christians we will earn favor with men. If we show love and are faithful to God’s instructions those characteristics will excel us in our dealings with everyone. We will surely stand out and be noticed by our actions.
God has a tremendous mission for each of us. He is preparing us now for what He has ultimately designed us. By growing in Wisdom, Stature, Favor with God, and Favor with Men, we are being equipped for our final use in His plan. i
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