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Our Example
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The life of Christ established a religion in which there is no caste,
a religion by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked in
a common brotherhood, equal before God. No question of policy
influenced His movements. He made no difference between neigh-
bors and strangers, friends and enemies. That which appealed to His
heart was a soul thirsting for the waters of life.
He passed by no human being as worthless, but sought to apply
the healing remedy to every soul. In whatever company He found
Himself He presented a lesson appropriate to the time and the cir-
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cumstances. Every neglect or insult shown by men to their fellow
men only made Him more conscious of their need of His divine-
human sympathy. He sought to inspire with hope the roughest and
most unpromising, setting before them the assurance that they might
become blameless and harmless, attaining such a character as would
make them manifest as the children of God.
Often He met those who had drifted under Satan’s control, and
who had no power to break from his snare. To such a one, discour-
aged, sick, tempted, fallen, Jesus would speak words of tenderest
pity, words that were needed and could be understood. Others He
met who were fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the adversary of
souls. These He encouraged to persevere, assuring them that they
would win; for angels of God were on their side and would give
them the victory.
At the table of the publicans He sat as an honored guest, by
His sympathy and social kindliness showing that He recognized
the dignity of humanity; and men longed to become worthy of His
confidence. Upon their thirsty hearts His words fell with blessed,
life-giving power. New impulses were awakened, and to these out-
casts of society there opened the possibility of a new life.
Though He was a Jew, Jesus mingled freely with the Samaritans,
setting at nought the Pharisaic customs of His nation. In face of
their prejudices He accepted the hospitality of this despised people.
He slept with them under their roofs, ate with them at their tables,—
partaking of the food prepared and served by their hands,—taught
in their streets, and treated them with the utmost kindness and cour-
tesy. And while He drew their hearts to Him by the tie of human
sympathy, His divine grace brought to them the salvation which the
Jews rejected.
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