The story of young Jesus teaching in the temple is special in many ways. It is the only story we have about the Savior beyond His infancy and before His adulthood. It helps us see that even when He was as young as 12, He had an understanding of His life’s mission.
Like Jesus, we all have a mission and are an important thread in the fabric of humanity. By going to our Heavenly Father in prayer, we can gain an understanding of what He would have us do with our lives. Always, our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would have us use our unique talents and abilities to serve and lift one another. We only need to ask Them how we should do it. When we discover what They would have us do, it has the potential to fill our lives with purpose and bring us happiness we haven’t known before.
Understanding Our Father’s Business
When Mary, after searching for Jesus for three days, found Him in the temple, she asked Him why He had left her and Joseph and caused them to worry about His whereabouts. His answer was simple and profound. He gently returned her question, asking her why she was looking for Him. He then explained that He had been about His Father’s business.