Jesus doesn’t just understand young-adult life, he has lived it—perfectly.
When we imagine the Savior, we typically visualize him as an adult––full beard, broad shoulders, and traces of wrinkles showing the joys and sorrows of 33 years. Kent F. Richards instead paints us a portrait of Jesus during his young-adult years.
Elder Richards outlines four steps the young Savior took to “navigate his own path”:
He learned from experience
The Savior was exposed to all the realities of adolescent life: family struggles, misunderstandings, rejections, even illness—yet he remained faithful (see Mark 6:4). Jesus also “developed through a multitude of small choices rather than just through a few monumental decisions.”
He increased
Like our growth, the Savior’s progression was both gradual and personal. The scriptures tell us that he “received grace for grace” rather than a fulness from the start.
He waited upon the Lord
Though Jesus exercised his spirituality from a young age, he had to wait until adulthood to begin his formal ministry. The patience he exhibited is an example to any who feel unable to progress. While we wait for guidance, we should be aware that “[waiting] upon the Lord meant for Jesus Christ exactly what it means for [us]—doing what still needs to be done to wax strong, to increase, to grow, and to prepare every day to be ready for the next choice.”
He made covenants and received ordinances
The Savior’s perfect example teaches us that we need covenants and ordinances to direct our life’s path.
Because he was mortal, Jesus understands every choice we make and every temptation we face. As we model our lives after his perfect example, we will be better equipped to face challenges and to enjoy the blessings of young-adult life.
Read the full transcript of Elder Richards’ speech or watch the devotional.
Source: BYU Speeches
—Abby Pace, Mormon Insights
I love this! We know that Jesus Christ understands us perfectly and He has experienced all we experience, but I had never applied that to His own life. Not only has he experienced our lives, He experienced His own young life. That makes Him even more real and relatable.
I loved to read this! Sometimes we forget that Jesus Christ came to Earth and therefore was a person that had to learn gradually and that had to go through the trials of life just as we do. I think that remembering this would help us feel closer to him.
Pingback: How Do I Know This Is God’s Plan for Me? - Latter-day Saint Insights