And Jesus Grew

Learning at School

(See Luke 2:52)

Why, Mother?. The little boy asked.

Mary smiled. Thet were so many questions to be answered these days. Sometimes Jesus asked, "What?". Sometimes he asked, "When?." Sometimes he asked, "How?". Sometimes he asked, "Why?". The "Why" questions were usually the hardest ones to answer.

"Why do birds make nests in the trees and why do the rabbits live in the ground?" asked Jesus.

Mary answered, "God planned for each little creature to have the kind of home that was best for it."

Mary looked at the tunic she was making. It was longer and wider than the last one she had made for Jesus. He was growing in many ways. She thought of the things he said sometimes after he had listened to a story about Moses or David. Jesus went on playing with the little blocks of wood from the carpenter shop.

He looked up."I love God," He said.

"Yes dear," His mother answered.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," Jesus repeated the verse that was written on a piece of parchment and placed in the little box by the doorway.

Jesus grew.He helped Joseph im the carpenter shop in many little ways. He helped Mary in the house and garden. He played with his friends.

One Mary said, "Tomorrow you must start to school."

How excited the little boy was! They were many things to learn at school. Some of his friends were older and they had told him about school. The schoolteacher was the rabbi, the minister of the church.

He sat on a low stool. The boys sat on mats on the floor.The teacher would tell the boys their lessons and they would repeat after him until they had learned them. What fun school was!

Jesus went to the market place. He saw the storekeepers try to sell their goods for as much money as they could get. He saw the buyers argue about the price of things. He saw the taxgatherers who were rich from taking more than the government asked the people to pay. He saw soldiers coming and going on the busy road which passed through Nazareth. Jesus thought about the things he saw.

Jesus grew taller and stronger. He learned many things from books and teachers and parents and friends. He made friends with many people. And God was pleased with him.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948

A Trip To Egypt

Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus Go on a Trip

(See Mathew 2:13-16, 19-23)

The night was still. The little house was quiet.Little Jesus was asleep. He sat up--wide awake.

"What a strange dream," he said quietly. "Mary, Mary, I want to tell you about my dream. An angel spoke to me in a dream. The angel said, "Arise and take the young child and is mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

Mary listened to Joseph. They talked about the dream. They talked about how the wise men had returned home by another way. They had heard many stories about how cruel King Herod was. They made plans to leave Bethlehem. Quickly Mary and Joseph gathered their things together. Mary wrapped the shawl carefully about the sleeping baby.

Joseph put the bridle on the donkey. He filled the water jar with water and tied it to the bundle of food so that the rope could lie across the donkey's shoulders. The water jar hung down on one side of the donkey and the bundle of food hung down on the others side.

Joseph led the donkey to the doorway. He helped Mary to sit on the donkey. She held little Jesus close in her arms.

"We will go by the farmer's gate," said Joseph. "King Herod's soldiers like the main city gate best".

Mary and Joseph were glad when they left Bethlehem: The stars in the night were bright. The road was not hard to follow. Somehow the shadows of night seemed friendly, for the travelers felt that God was with them, guiding them and protecting them.

Maty and Joseph made the trip to Egypt as quickly as possible. They were happy when they knew that they were no longer in the land of King Herod. They found a small home to live in. Joseph found work to do to buy food for his little familiy.

They heard of many cruel things which King Heros did. They wondered when it would be safe to go back to their own country.

One night as Joseph slept he dreamed again. In his dream an angel spoke to him. The angel said, "Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

Mary and Joseph again prepared for a trip. They were happy to be going back to their own country. They talked about their friends and their families. They came at last to Nazareth to their old home and lived there.

Story by Ethel M. Phillps, 1948