Think of Yourself as a Temple Rabbi

Communication is tricky business. We can think we’re being clear, but that doesn’t mean we are. We can believe the other person understands us, but that doesn’t mean he or she does. Saying things very clearly in no way guarantees that the other person is connecting all the dots . . . and in the right order. When we think about Jesus being human, many immediately think of Him with a halo, looking oh so meek and mild. We have a hard time imagining Him learning how to walk and talk or wiping sweat from His forehead after a long day in the carpenter’s shop. No one thinks about how He had to work through tangled relationships with His six younger siblings. So could you imagine what it was like to be a rabbi in the temple when this 12-year-old boy began questioning you? Talk about not connecting the dots.