264
Child Guidance
mountain steeps, going to and from His humble work. Angels were
not sent to bear Him on their pinions up the tiresome ascent, or to lend
their strength in performing His lowly task. Yet when He went forth to
contribute to the support of the family by His daily toil, He possessed
the same power as when He wrought the miracle of feeding the five
thousand hungry souls on the shore of Galilee.
But He did not employ His divine power to lessen His burdens or
lighten His toil. He had taken upon Himself the form of humanity
with all its attendant ills, and He flinched not from its severest trials.
He lived in a peasant’s home, He was clothed in coarse garments,
He mingled with the lowly, He toiled daily with patient hands. His
example shows us that it is man’s duty to be industrious, that labor is
honorable
For a long time Jesus dwelt at Nazareth, unhonored or unknown,
that He might teach men how to live near God while discharging the
humble duties of life. It was a mystery to angels that Christ, the
Majesty of heaven, should condescend, not only to take upon Himself
humanity, but to assume its heaviest burdens and most humiliating
offices. This He did in order to become like one of us, that He might
be acquainted with the toil, the sorrows, and fatigue of the children of
men
Awaken Ambition for Useful Accomplishments—In the chil-
dren and youth an ambition should be awakened to take their exercise
in doing something that will be beneficial to themselves and helpful
[347]
to others. The exercise that develops mind and character, that teaches
the hands to be useful, that trains the youth to bear their share of life’s
burdens, is that which gives physical strength and quickens every fac-
ulty. And there is a reward in virtuous industry, in the cultivation of
the habit of living to do good
The youth need to be taught that life means earnest work, re-
sponsibility, caretaking. They need a training that will make them
practical—men and women who can cope with emergencies. They
should be taught that the discipline of systematic, well-regulated labor
5
Health Reformer, October 1, 1876 par. 6
.
6
Ibid
.
7
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 147
.