Then I call upon you, my brethren, to practice working in lines in which Christ worked. You must never put on the cloak of severity and condemn and  denounce and drive away from the fold, poor, tempted mortals; but as  laborers together with God, heal the spiritually diseased. This you will  do if you have the mind of Christ. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” [Hebrews 4:15.]  “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God,  the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is  weary? There is no searching of his understanding.” [Isaiah 40:28.] {CE 161.1}

It should be written upon the conscience as with a pen of iron upon a  rock, that he who disregards mercy, compassion, and righteousness, he  who neglects the poor, who ignores the needs of suffering humanity, who  is not kind and courteous, is so conducting himself that God cannot  co-operate with him in the development of  character. The culture of the mind and heart is more easily  accomplished when we feel such tender sympathy for others that we bestow  our benefits and privileges to relieve their necessities. Getting and  holding all that we can for ourselves tends to poverty of soul. But all  the attributes of Christ await the reception of those who will do the very work that God has appointed them to do, working in Christ’s lines.525 {CCh 283.4}

The Lord sanctions the efforts of the consecrated worker, the true  shepherd. He may have little time to preach discourses, but he can act  sermons which will be far more powerful. The truth expressed in living, unselfish deeds is the strongest argument for Christianity. The  relieving of the sick, the helping of the distressed, is working in Christ’s lines and demonstrates most powerful gospel truths representing Christ’s  mission and work upon earth. The knowledge of the art of relieving  suffering humanity is the opening of doors without number, where the  truth can find a lodgment in the heart,  and souls be saved unto life—eternal life. Even the most hardhearted and  apparently sin-encased souls may be approached in this way and understand something of the mystery of godliness and  become so charmed that they will not rest until they have a knowledge of  Jesus Christ and His saving grace.... {CH 537.1}