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For A New Year
Reluctantly, we must now let Christmas go, but that sweet, peaceful, neighborly spirit that made the holidays so wonderful: that we can keep. How? Do as Jesus did after His first Christmas.
You’ll remember that when it was safe, Joseph brought Mary and Jesus out of Egypt and settled them in Nazareth in Galilee. Christmas, angels, wise men, shepherds; all of that was over now and the mortal probation of God’s Son was underway.
Mortality is indeed a probation. Each of us is given a body, a mind, and a heart, and the time, means, commandments and covenants to improve all three. With these gifts we live life to love God and our fellow men, serve, and learn to become more like God. It was the same for Jesus and more so. Why? “Where much is given much is required.”
Will the progress be slow and take time? Yes, of course. It will take a while before we’re ready. Afterall, it was 30 years before Jesus began His ministry and was ready according to the will of the Father.
During that time, the record says that Jesus “served under His father”. In some sense, Joseph was a carpenter, or a construction man, maybe a fine craftsman, I don’t know. In that vocation, Jesus would have grown not only physically, but the record says He “waxed strong”. Jesus was a physically strong, well-developed man. There is indescribable joy in working, mastering and strengthening the physical body.
Jesus not only grew physically, He also grew spiritually. Luke says that He “waxed strong in Spirit…and the grace of God was upon Him.” That he “increased in favor with God.” Jesus lived His life close to His Father. What should we do now after Christmas? Study, obey, pray, live close to the Lord and His Spirit. And as it was with Him it will be with us. That Spirit can be with us always and bring us joy.
Luke also says Jesus “increased in wisdom,” “being filled with wisdom.” What’s wisdom? It’s knowledge rightly applied. Wisdom is vision and power to use your knowledge. The Savior developed His mind to an astonishing degree. How He did that, I don’t know. But He became wiser than any man in His generation, even Solomon himself. It is for us as it was for Him: pray, study, improve.
It is fascinating that in His youth, Jesus “spake not as other men, neither could He be taught; for He needed not that any man should teach Him.” Jesus was intellectually so far above every man in His day in every way, yet, He increased in favor with God and man. People liked Him, in stark contrast to His life later, at the end. Jesus loved and learned to love and was loved as I hope it happens with you.
Again, my dear friends, Christmas is over. A new year is just around the corner. I hope we do as Jesus did after His first Christmas: grow in mind, body, and spirit; open our hearts and love God and love our fellowman.
I hope that our new years resolutions will move in that direction, and be centered on those objectives. My friends, as we let God in, the Father will take us from grace to grace just as He took Jesus higher and higher in power, perfection of mind, body and spirit until that perfect day, when as Jesus was raised to sit on the right hand of God, so will we be drawn into the presence of God; just men and women made perfect.
I hope that you are inspired through your New Year’s resolutions to bring the plan of happiness to a greater fruition in your lives. God bless you.
Sources:
Matthew 2:22-23 KJV
Matthew 2:23 JST
Luke 2:40, 52; 11:31 KJV
John 7:15 KJV
Alma 12:24; 34:33 Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants 82:3
