Do you ever picture Jesus playing? That may be an image of him that you have never considered. The Bible does not give us many details about his experiences as a young child, teenager or the years leading to the beginning of his ministry.
I am absolutely certain that he explored his surroundings and discovered the wonder of the Father’s creation. Smelling flowers, touching rocks of every kind, watching the animals, gazing at the stars and sitting in the sun were surely part of his free play.
As a toddler he probably crawled on dirt floors, pulled himself up to Joseph’s carpenter’s bench and even manipulated the tools. With Joseph’s help he gradually learned the trade, but not before he had many chances to discover through play. As a little boy, he may have mimicked Mary in her housekeeping chores or tried to help with the cooking.
Can you see him playing tag or hide and seek with friends ? Shoveling sand and squishing clay? Climbing trees or diving into a pool of water? Running and jumping ? Humming a tune or singing with others? He surely must have created designs in the sand or looked at the clouds for funny animal images. Did he laugh at the silly antics of friends? Or have some of his own?
The point is that Jesus played because that is how children learn. In the awesomeness of his being, he was human. He totally enjoyed life. He must have had opportunities to be curious, use his imagination, develop relationships and grow in the way that was pleasing to his Father. Play was part of that process. Make it essential for your family!
