October 25

With us in ordinary days

Ellen G. White

"And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart." — Luke 2:51 · KJV

From these peaceful hours He would return to His home to take up His duties again, and to give an example of patient toil. Wherever He was, His presence seemed to bring the angels near. The influence of His pure, holy life was felt by all classes of people.

Harmless and undefiled, He walked among the thoughtless, the rude, the uncourteous; amid the unjust taxgatherers, the reckless prodigals, the unrighteous Samaritans, the heathen soldiers, and the rough peasants.

He spoke a word of sympathy here, and a word there, as He saw men weary, yet compelled to bear heavy burdens. He shared their burdens, and repeated to them the lessons He had learned from nature, of the love, the kindness, the goodness of God.

He taught them to look upon themselves as having precious talents, which if rightly used would gain for them eternal riches. By His own example He taught that every moment of time is of value, and should be put to some good use.

He passed by no human being as worthless, but tried to encourage the roughest and most unpromising. He told them that God loved them as His children, and that they might become like Him in character.

So in a quiet way Jesus from His very childhood worked for others. This work none of the learned teachers, nor even His own brothers, could make Him give up. With an earnest purpose He carried out the design of His life, for He was to be the light of the world.