Thurs.'s Devo - Jesus in Cairo

I'm in Cairo and I've been thinking about Jesus' ministry. He was born with a lot of huppla: angels, heavenly hosts, kings, etc. Then you don't hear about him for 12 years. The next time he appears he is 12 and on his way to Jerusalem. He is going for his bar mitzva. He will be a man and once that happens he can follow his father in the business. So Jesus goes to the temple to God's house, doing God's business because God is his father. When Mary and Joseph can't find him they search for 3 days. Finally they find him in the temple. When they ask him what in the world he is doing he replies: "Didn't you know I would be about my father's business?" They ponder this and make him come home with them. He grows up in wisdom. It doesn't say that he works in the shop with his father. I think he must have gone back to school to study to be a rabbi. Only the best students could go on to be rabbis. There must have been a distinquishing mark: earrings, ringlets, head piece; something that distinquished him from the everyday Jew. The people knew he was a rabbi because they called him that.
When a rabbi got finished with his studies, around 30 years of age, he would select 10-12 men to disciple. He ususally chose the best students in his class that didn't make rabbi. This was a great priviledge. Jesus went to the sea and chose measley fishermen, much-hated tax collectors, the ones he knew were humble and hungry and teachable. Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.

With these 12 men he spread the greatest news of all. "God has come to earth to save the world. God chose each of us strategically to be his disciples and help in the great privaledge of spreadingthe good news. In a very dark corner of the world, He still shines bright. Go let your light shine.