And when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You.”
This statement is natural from a human point of view: it seemed that Jesus should return to the place where there was great demand for Him. Yet here an important difference is revealed between people’s expectations and God’s purpose. In the words, “Everyone is looking for You,” there is both admiration and an indirect desire to keep the center of success in one place. But Christ’s ministry is subject not to the crowd’s desire, but to the Father’s will. This verse reminds us that even expectations that seem helpful must not direct ministry more than what God has intended.