And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
It was not God’s purpose for people to be crowded into cities, gathered together on rooftops and in houses. In the beginning He placed our first parents among the beautiful sights and sounds He wants us to enjoy today. The more we are in harmony with God’s original plan, the more favorable our condition will be to secure health of body, mind, and spirit.
An expensive residence, elaborate furnishings, display, luxury, and ease do not furnish the necessary conditions for a happy, productive life. Jesus came to this earth to accomplish the greatest work ever done among mankind. He came as God’s messenger, to show us how to live to secure the best outcomes of life. What circumstances did Anant’s father choose for his son? A secluded house in the Galilean hills; A home sustained by honest, self-respecting labour; A life of simplicity; Daily struggle with difficulty and difficulty; Self-sacrifice, thrift, and patient, joyful service; Study time with his mother, with an open book of scriptures; The silence of dawn or dusk in the green valley; Nature’s sacred ministrations; Study of creation and providence; and the union of the soul with God – these were the conditions and occasions of the early life of Jesus.
The Savior’s life on earth was a life of communion with nature and God. In this gathering he revealed to us the secret of a powerful life. . . . Working at the carpenter’s bench, bearing the burdens of domestic life, learning the lessons of obedience and diligence, he found amusement among the scenes of nature, gathering knowledge as he sought to understand the mysteries of nature. He studied the Word of God, and found his greatest happiness when he could withdraw from the scenes of his labors to go out into the fields, to meditate in quiet valleys, on mountaintops or among the trees of the forest to commune with God. Early in the morning he was often found meditating in a secluded place, searching the scriptures or praying. They welcomed the morning light with the sound of singing. With songs of thanksgiving they cheered their hours and brought heavenly joy to the toiling and downtrodden.
During his ministry Jesus lived a largely external life. His travels from one place to another were made on foot, and most of his teachings were given in the open air. In training his disciples he would often go away from the confusion of the city to the silence of the fields, as he wanted them to be more in tune with the lessons of simplicity, faith and self-sacrifice. . . .
