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54
Humble Hero
to change His habits of thinking on the works of God and trying
to ease suffering. When the priests and teachers sought her aid in
controlling Jesus, she was greatly troubled; but peace came to her
heart as He presented Scripture upholding His practices.
[36]
At times she wavered between Jesus and His brothers, who did
not believe that He was the One sent by God, but she had abundant
evidence that He had a divine character. His life was like yeast
working amid the elements of society. Undefiled, He walked among
the thoughtless, the rude, the uncourteous, amid unjust tax collectors,
reckless spenders, unrighteous Samaritans, heathen soldiers, rough
peasants, and the mixed multitude. He spoke a word of sympathy
as He saw people weary yet forced to carry heavy burdens. He
repeated to them lessons He had learned from nature about the love
and goodness of God.
He taught all to see themselves as blessed with precious talents.
By His own example, He taught that we are to cherish every moment
of time as a treasure and to use it for holy purposes. He passed by
no human being as worthless but tried to inspire hope in the most
rough and unpromising, assuring them that they could develop such
a character as would make it clear to everyone that they were the
children of God. Often He met those who had no power to break
from Satan’s trap. To such people, discouraged, sick, tempted, and
fallen, Jesus would speak words of tenderest pity.
Others He met were fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the
enemy of souls. These He encouraged to keep on, for angels of God
were on their side and would give them victory. Those whom He
helped were convinced that here was Someone in whom they could
trust with perfect confidence.
Jesus was interested in every phase of suffering, and to every
sufferer He brought relief. His kind words were like a soothing
ointment. No one could say that He had worked a miracle, but
virtue—the healing power of love—went out from Him. So in
an unobtrusive way, He worked for people, starting in His very
childhood.
Yet through childhood, youth, and manhood, Jesus walked alone.
There was no one like Him in such purity and faithfulness. See
Isaiah 63:3
. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the
principles and purposes of the human race, all would be lost. Filled