For he grew up before him like a young plant. Isaiah 53:2
You hardly notice a young plant. You put it in a pot and leave it. It does not attract much attention. This is how Jesus grew up.
We live in a world of celebrity. A celebrity is a person who attracts a great deal of attention. There is nothing like that in Jesus. Apart from a story about Jesus asking questions in the Temple when He was twelve, the Bible records nothing remarkable about His early life. Jesus did not grow up like a shooting star; He grew up like a young plant.
Today, there is intense pressure to stand out from the crowd. How are you going to make your mark? The good news is that you don’t have to. No one has had a greater impact on the world than Jesus, and He grew up like a young plant.
The Bible tells us that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52, italics added). He applied Himself to learning and grew intellectually. He grew strong physically. He grew spiritually. He made friends and grew socially.
You can pursue the same things. Develop the capacity of your mind by studying hard. Eat healthy food and get plenty of exercise. Get to know God and live in a way that honors Him. Make good friends by being a good friend to others. This is what God calls you to do.
Notice, Isaiah says that “he grew up before him…” Even if others did not notice Him, Jesus grew up knowing that the eye of God was on Him in everything He said and did.
The eye of God is on you too. He knows everything about you—what you say, think, feel, and do. If you give weight to this, then you will soon see you are a sinner who needs a Savior. And when you see this, you will be well on your way to believing in Jesus.
How does this inspire you to live for God? How does it challenge you?
