How Shall Our Youth Be Trained?
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His mother was His first human teacher. From her lips, and from
the scrolls of the prophets, He learned of heavenly things. He lived
in a peasant’s home, and faithfully and cheerfully He acted His part
in bearing the household burdens. He had been the Commander of
heaven, and angels had delighted to fulfill His word; now He was a
willing servant, a loving, obedient son. He learned a trade and with
His own hands worked in the carpenter’s shop with Joseph. In the
simple garb of a common laborer He walked the streets of the little
town, going to and returning from His humble work.
With the people of that age the value of things was determined by
outward show. As religion had declined in power, it had increased
in pomp. The educators of the time sought to command respect by
display and ostentation. To all this the life of Jesus presented a marked
contrast. His life demonstrated the worthlessness of those things that
men regarded as life’s great essentials. The schools of His time, with
their magnifying of things small and their belittling of things great,
He did not seek. His education was gained from heaven-appointed
sources, from useful work, from the study of the Scriptures and of
nature, and from the experiences of life—God’s lessonbooks, full of
instruction to all who bring to them the willing heart, the seeing eye,
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and the understanding heart.
“The Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom:
and the grace of God was upon Him.”
Luke 2:40
.
Thus prepared, He went forth to His mission, in every moment
of His contact with men exerting upon them an influence to bless, a
power to transform, such as the world had never witnessed.
Words of Warning
We are living in a time of special peril to the youth. Satan knows
that the end of the world is soon to come, and he is determined to
improve every opportunity for pressing young men and young women
into his service. He will devise many specious deceptions to lead them
astray. We need to consider carefully the words of warning written by
the apostle Paul:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what com-
munion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with