9th July 2026

We know little about Jesus’s early years, from his childhood growing up in Nazareth to the time he started his ministry, but he did learn what it was like to be a young child, a teenager and a young adult in our world. He would have experienced the temptations that come our way growing up, which he rejected. His childhood tears may have frequently been directed to his Father for help to stay faithful to his way. 

Temptations can come early to our young ones. A team from Bristol University conducted a study of children under four years to find out about their understanding of deception, and especially to see if they were already lying. Some parents reported that their children seemed to have cottoned on to this by eight months and by ten months a quarter were engaging in some form of deceit. From the age of three they could tell outright lies. The lead author of the study wrote that the findings might offer reassurance to parents that deception is part of development and knowing this might help parents to stay one step ahead.

This may make us sad, knowing that our ‘little angels’ are nothing of the sort at times, but should we be surprised? Jesus made it clear, using the blunt Message version: “It’s from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing” (Matthew 15:19). That may sound a bit adult but Jeremiah recorded: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 ESVUK). As far as I know, the Bible nowhere records that this way of being is for grown-ups only – although we may be farther away from God’s way of living and going our own way when we are older.

However, when our children want to follow Jesus, they can have the assurance that Jesus knows all about being a child, and all about being a teenager. He understands and knows how to navigate the temptations and the pressures of growing up. He is there for them, to help them and be at their side through all that life throws at them.

Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS

Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am 

Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email:  lewes@gracecom.church
Like us on www.facebook.com/Grace Communion Lewes 

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church