I’ve just had some new insight into how Jesus’ growing up in Nazareth impacted his life and ministry. That development time counted! Here’s the first of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness as recorded in Matthew. Here’s the text in the Passion Translation:

And after fasting for forty days, Jesus was extremely weak and famished. Then the tempter came to entice him to provide food by doing a miracle. So he said to Jesus, “How can you possibly be the Son of God and go hungry? Just order these stones to be turned into loaves of bread.” (Matthew 4.2, 3)

Of course, Jesus responds “It is written,” and goes on to quote from Deuteronomy that “Man shall not live by bread alone…” But here’s something new: Jesus grew up in obscurity in Nazareth. So the temptation: “How can you possibly be the Son of God and go hungry?” had no meaning. He wasn’t used to any trappings. Why shouldn’t he be hungry? He had probably been hungry before. Maybe not a 40-day fast hungry (hard to imagine!), but he had no doubt learned not to expect that every need or want would be met immediately.

We in America could use some of that perspective. Years ago, 6-year-old Calvin in the (retired) comic strip Calvin and Hobbes once lamented over the length of time a microwave recipe would take: “Six minutes!? Who’s got that kind of time?”

Jesus had no illusion that every need would be met instantly. He knew the Father would see to it that he would have food when he needed it.

The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs. (Matthew 4.11, MSG)

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. (Matthew 6.25, 26, MSG)