When Christ was yet a child, He was found by Joseph and His mother in the temple among the doctors, listening to them and asking them questions. By His questions He threw great light into their minds. On this visit to Jerusalem He had a realization that He was indeed the Son of God, and that a special work lay before Him.
When His mother said to Him, "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing," He answered, "How is it that ye sought me?" Then with the light of divinity shining forth from His countenance, He said in a most solemn manner, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:48, 49). And although after this He returned to Nazareth, and was subject to His parents, yet He did not lose the realization of His future work--the knowledge that He must labor to save the lost. He knew that He must keep faithful watch over every faculty, that Satan might not obtain one jot of advantage.
In all His actions He must be the Son of God, that He might dwell among men as the representative of the Father. His work was to make others the sons of God, and He must lose no opportunity for casting the leaven into the meal, that other youth, and those of mature age might see that it is not safe to neglect to become intellectually qualified to be coworkers with God. He must teach His fellow men to labor to the full extent of their ability to become what they would one day wish they had made themselves.
Christ was misunderstood by His brothers; for He was not like them. He worked to relieve every case of suffering that He saw, and He was always successful. He had little money to give, but He often gave His own humble food to those whom He thought more needy than Himself. His brothers felt that His influence went far to counteract theirs; for when they spoke harshly to poor, degraded souls with whom they came in contact, Christ sought these very ones, and spoke words of encouragement to them. If when in the family circle, He could do no more, He would as quietly and secretly as possible, give the wretched beings He was trying to help, the cup of cold water, and then place His own meal in their hands.--Manuscript 22, Feb. 20, 1898, "Christ, the Great Missionary." TDG 59
Jesus, seeing that to antagonize was but to harden, refrained from direct conflict. The narrowing selfishness of Judas' life, Christ sought to heal through contact with His own self-sacrificing love. Ed 92
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. Proverbs 20:11 (King James Version)