STUDENTS of the Bible are familiar with the beautiful words uttered by Jesus the Christ, recorded in the nineteenth verse of the seventeenth chapter of John: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." In this divinely inspired expression of the Love that is God, we find the keynote to the entire ministry of him who completely demonstrated his ability to subjugate matter and ascend to the native state portrayed by him in the fifth verse of the same chapter in these words: "O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." It seemed natural for Christ Jesus to understand his preexistence with God in heavenly harmony.
In order to gain the right perspective of this life that has meant so much to the world, we must go back to its first appearing in the flesh as the son of Mary. The wee babe, Jesus, born on that first Christmas night nearly two thousand years ago, seemed to the material senses much as other babes of all times, before and since. His early years were spent, apparently, much as those of the boys with whom he associated in the little town of Nazareth. There are many traditions of that early period of his life, but, in and of themselves, they amount to little; all we need to know has been preserved throughout the centuries, and is given us in the King James Version of the Bible. Of his obedience to his parents and faithfulness to the round of human duties in his simple home and in the profession of carpentry, we can have no doubt. According to his own later teaching, he could never have been rewarded with the rulership of "much" until he had proved himself faithful over the few things.
What a lesson the Christian Scientist may learn from the humility evidenced in this wonderful life! Does it not point out to us the fact that exactly where Christian Science finds us, however humble may seem our occupation, right there is the place in which we need to begin working out the problem of being? Although this is a scientific truth, to nearly every mortal comes at some time the suggestion from the evil one that if he had different surroundings, could be in some other place, he could work out his problem with far greater ease. Jesus evidently complied with all legitimate demands; and right where he found himself he proved himself to be master of the situation and ready for higher trusts.
