What IS human perfection?

In the kitchen this morning, Deanna told us a story.

Apparently, a friend of hers was getting a spanking. Her mother had her over her lap and, just before the first whack, the girl remembered the scripture reading from that morning.

"Mama," she yelled, "remember Jesus said, 'Whatever you do to one of these little ones, you do also to me'?"

She escaped a spanking. Her mother decided she wouldn't spank Jesus. I cracked up. Smart thinking on the part of the girl. Confusion on the part of the mother. One of those moments when you're just - not - sure.

"It wouldn't have stopped me," I told Deanna. "In fact, you probably would have gotten one more for trying such a devious trick."

"But you'd be spanking Jesus," Deanna pleaded. Not exactly, dear. You'd be disciplining, and I'm quite certain Jesus was disciplined, albeit without sin. Every human needs forming and I'm sure Mary and Joseph formed their son, too. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been half human.

I tried to explain this to Deanna. It was a recent topic of discussion in our Sunday School class. Did Jesus do the typical childish things most kids do? He took off from his parents and went to the Temple when they were trying to leave Jerusalem without telling anyone. At the very least, this was somewhat disrespectful of his parents.

Does the age of accountability have anything to do with Jesus' holiness and behavior? Surely he was a rough and tumble boy just like all the others in Nazareth. I can't imagine Jesus being meak and quiet ALL the time - he wasn't as an adult. He knew how to become angry righteously. He knew well how to quiet nay-sayers with a look or a gentle comment. He was well schooled in diplomacy but, also, as a carpenter, according to Bible scholars. He worked side-by-side with his father, learning everything Joseph had to teach - not just wood-working.

"STOP!" Deanna yelled. "You're boggling my mind. I can't think through that. I have a spelling test today."

As they walked out the door with Daddy to school, Daelyn looked at me with a gleam in his eye. "Whatever you do to one of these little ones, you do also to me!"

Uh-oh! Here comes trouble. And Trouble, thou name beith Daelyn.