And the common people heard Him gladly. Mark 12:37.

Christ passed no human being by as worthless and hopeless, but sought to apply the saving remedy to every soul who needed help. Wherever He was found, He had a lesson to present that was the right one for the time and circumstance. He sought to inspire with hope the most rough and unpromising, setting before them the idea that they might become blameless and harmless and attain a character that would be Christlike. They could be the children of God and shine as lights in the world, even though they lived among evil people. This was the reason that so many heard Him gladly. From His very childhood He worked for others, letting His light shine amid the moral darkness of the world. In bearing burdens in His home life and in laboring in more public fields, He showed everyone what the character of God is. He encouraged everything that had a bearing on the real interests of life, but He did not encourage the youth in dreaming of what would be in the future. He taught them by His words and by His example that the future would be decided by the way in which they spent the present. Our destiny is marked out by our own course of action. Those who cherish that which is right, who work out God’s plan though it be in a narrow sphere of action, and who do right because it is right will find wider fields of usefulness….

It is our privilege now to act a part in the work and mission of Christ. We may be laborers together with Him. In whatever work we are called to engage, we may work with Christ. He is doing all that He can to set us free, to make our lives that seem so cramped and narrow reach out to bless and help others. He would have us understand that we are held responsible to do good, and have us realize that in shunning our work we are bringing loss upon ourselves….

Jesus carried the burden of the salvation of the human family upon His heart. He knew that unless men and women would receive Him and become changed in purpose and life, they would be eternally lost. This was the burden of His soul, and He was alone in carrying this load. No one knew how heavy was the weight that rested upon His heart; but from His youth He was filled with a deep longing to be a lamp in the world, and He purposed that His life should be “the light of the world.” This He was, and that light still shines to all who are in darkness. Let us walk in the light which He has given.—Youth’s Instructor, January 2, 1896.

From From the Heart

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? John 1:46.

The first thirty years of the life of Christ were passed in the obscure village of Nazareth. The inhabitants of this village were proverbial for their wickedness, hence the inquiry of Nathanael, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” The evangelists say but very little in regard to the early life of Christ. With the exception of a brief account of His accompanying His parents to Jerusalem, we have the simple statement only, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” …

Children and youth are frequently situated where their surroundings are not favorable to a Christian life, and they quite readily yield to temptations and plead as an excuse for pursuing a course of sin that their surroundings are unfavorable….

Christ placed His feet in the most uneven path that children and youth will ever be called to travel. He did not have allotted to Him a life of affluence and indolence. His parents were poor and dependent upon their daily toil for sustenance; therefore the life of Christ was one of poverty, self-denial, and privation. He shared with His parents their life of diligent industry.

None will ever be called to perfect Christian character under more unfavorable circumstances than that of our Savior. The fact that Christ lived thirty years in Nazareth, from which many thought it a wonder if any good thing could come, is a rebuke to the youth who consider that their religious character must conform to circumstances. If the surroundings of youth are unpleasant and positively bad, many make this an excuse for not perfecting Christian character. The example of Christ would rebuke the idea that His followers are dependent upon place, fortune, or prosperity in order to live blameless lives. Christ would teach them that their faithfulness would make any place, or position, where the providence of God called them, honorable, however humble….

The trials and privations of which so many youth complain, Christ endured without murmuring. And this discipline is the very experience the youth need, which will give firmness to their character and make them like Christ, strong in spirit to resist temptation…. Through daily prayer to God they will have wisdom and grace from Him to bear the conflicts and stern realities of life and come off victorious.—Youth’s Instructor, March 1872.

From From the Heart

And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. Luke 2:47.

They [the rabbis] knew that He was far in advance of them in spiritual understanding and that He lived a blameless life, yet they were angry with Him because He would not violate His conscience by obeying their dictates. Failing to convince Him that He ought to look upon human tradition as sacred, they came to Joseph and Mary and complained that Jesus was taking a wrong course in regard to their customs and traditions. Jesus knew what it was to have His family divided against Him on account of His religious faith. He loved peace; He craved the love and confidence of the members of His family; but He knew what it was to have them withdraw their affection from Him. He suffered rebuke and censure because He took a straightforward course and would not do evil because others did evil, but was true to the commandments of Jehovah. His brethren rebuked Him because He stood aloof from the ceremonies that were taught by the rabbis, for they regarded the word of human beings more highly than the word of God because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Jesus made the Scriptures His constant study; and when the scribes and Pharisees tried to make Him accept their doctrines, they found Him ready to meet them with the Word of God, and they could do nothing to convince Him that they were right. He seemed to know the Scriptures from beginning to end and repeated them in such a way that their true meaning shone out…. They were angry that this child should dare to question their word, when it was their calling to study and explain the Scriptures….

His brethren threatened Him and sought to compel Him to take a wrong course, but He passed on, making the Scriptures His guide. From the time His parents found Him in the temple asking and answering questions among the doctors, they could not understand His course of action. Quiet and gentle, He seemed as one who was set apart. Whenever He could, He went out alone into the fields and on the mountainsides to commune with the God of nature. When His work was done, He wandered by the lakeside, among the trees of the forest, and in the green valleys where He could think about God and lift His soul to heaven in prayer. After a season thus spent, He would return to His home to take up again the humble duties of His life and to give to all an example of patient labor.—Youth’s Instructor, December 5, 1895.

From From the Heart

The grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40.

Even in His childhood Jesus saw that the people did not live in the way that the Bible pointed out as the way for them to live. He studied the Bible and followed the simple habits and ways that the Word of God directs; and when people found fault with Him because He was so lowly and simple, He pointed them to the Word of God. His brothers told Him that He thought Himself much better than they were, and reproved Him for setting Himself up above the priests and rulers of the people. Jesus knew that if He obeyed the Word of God, He would not find rest and peace in the home circle.

As He grew in knowledge, He knew that great errors were increasing among His people and that because they followed human commands instead of obeying the commands of God, simplicity and truth and true piety were becoming lost in the earth. He saw the people going through forms and ceremonies in their worship of God and passing by the sacred truths that made their service of value. He knew that their faithless services could not do them any good and would not bring them peace or rest. They could not know what it was to have freedom of spirit when they did not serve God in truth.

Jesus did not always silently look upon these worthless services but sometimes told the people where they were going wrong. Because He was so quick to see what was false and what was true, His brethren were greatly annoyed at Him, for they said that whatever the priest taught ought to be considered as sacred as a command of God. But Jesus taught both by His words and by His example that men and women ought to worship God just as He has directed them to worship Him and not follow the ceremonies that human teachers have said ought to be followed….

The priests and the Pharisees also were annoyed because this child would not accept their human inventions, maxims, and traditions. They thought that He showed great disrespect to their religion and to the rabbis who had commanded these services. He told them that He would heed every word that came from the mouth of God and that they must show Him from the Bible where He was in error. He pointed out to them the fact that they were placing the word of human beings above the Word of God and causing people to show disrespect to God through obeying these human commandments.—Youth’s Instructor, December 5, 1895.

From From the Heart

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom. Luke 2:40.

The Jewish people had wrong ideas about the Messiah and His work…. They were looking for the glory that will be seen when Christ comes the second time, and did not study the Bible so that they could know that He was to come the first time in a very lowly way. But Jesus asked questions about the scriptures that pointed to His first appearing, that flashed light into the minds of those who were willing to receive the truth. Before He had come to the earth, He had given these prophecies to His servants who had written them down, and now as He studied the Bible, the Holy Spirit brought these things to His mind and showed Him the great work that He was to do in the earth. As He grew in knowledge, He imparted knowledge to others. But though He was wiser than the learned men, He did not become proud or feel that He was above doing the most humble toil. He took His share of the burden, with His father, mother, and brethren, and toiled to help support the family. Though the doctors had been amazed at His wisdom, He obeyed His parents and worked with His own hands as any toiler would work. It is stated of Jesus that as He grew older He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

The understanding that He obtained from day to day, that showed Him how wonderful should be His mission in the world, did not lead Him to neglect the humblest duties. He cheerfully took up the work that children and youth who dwell in humble households are called upon to do, for He knew what it was to be pressed by poverty. He understands the temptations of children, for He bore their sorrows and trials. Firm and steadfast was His purpose to do the right; though others tried to lead Him to do evil, He yet never did wrong and would not turn away in the least from the path of truth and right. He always obeyed His parents and did every duty that lay in His path. But His childhood and youth were anything but smooth and joyous. His spotless life aroused the envy and jealousy of His brethren, for they did not believe on Him. They were annoyed because He did not act in all things as they did and would not become one with them in doing evil. In His home life He was cheerful but never boisterous. He ever seemed like one who was seeking to learn. He took great delight in nature, and God was His teacher.—Youth’s Instuctor, November 28, 1895.

From From the Heart