Part 1 of 7 in Jesus Christ, The Man Who Walked Toward Us
Picture a small workshop in Nazareth before sunrise. The smell of cedar hangs in the air. A young man’s hands are rough from the plane and the saw. Neighbors walk past and nod. Nobody knows the One shaping that table leg is the One who shaped the stars.
Thirty Years of Ordinary
When the town finally spoke about Him, they didn’t say prophet or king. They said, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?” (Mark 6:3). That was His reputation. Luke tells us He went down to Nazareth with His parents and “was subject unto them” (Luke 2:51). Then comes the line that should settle every restless man: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52).
Thirty years. No crowd, no stage, no miracle. Just work, family, and a Father who was watching.
The Father Spoke Before the Miracles
When Jesus came up from the water at the Jordan, the heavens opened and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Notice the order. He hadn’t healed a single person. He hadn’t preached a single sermon. The Father’s pleasure came first, and the work flowed from it.
Many of us men live the opposite way. We think approval is something we earn by producing. Jesus shows us it’s something we receive and then live from.
He Knows the Weight on Your Shoulders
After Adam’s fall, God told man he would eat bread “in the sweat of thy face” (Genesis 3:19). Jesus took on that sweat. He knew early mornings, tight budgets, tired shoulders and the pressure of a household. Hebrews 4:15 says we don’t have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses. He gets it, because He lived it.
So when you drag yourself to work, when the school fees are due, when you wonder if anyone sees the sacrifice, remember who else once stood at a workbench and trusted His Father.
No Hidden Year Is Wasted
Isaiah 49:2 speaks of a polished arrow hidden in the quiver until the right time. Galatians 4:4 says Jesus came “when the fulness of the time was come.” God was preparing Him in Nazareth, not delaying Him. The same God is shaping you in seasons that feel small.
Paul gives us a way to carry ordinary days: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23). Your work can be worship when it’s offered to Him.
Take It With You This Week
Each morning, before you start the day, say out loud, “Lord, this work is Yours.” Then do it well. Let the Carpenter’s Son teach you that faithfulness in quiet places is never forgotten.
Prayer: Father, thank You that Jesus walked through ordinary days like mine. Teach me to find You in my work, my home and my waiting. Remind me that I’m Your son before I’m ever useful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.