A Training for Eternity

These children are to be trained for eternity. Do not then occupy your time by endeavoring to follow all the foolish fashions in dress. Dress neatly and becomingly, but do not make yourself the subject of remarks either by being overdressed or by dressing in a lax, untidy manner. Act as though you know that the eye of heaven is upon you, and that you are living under the approbation or disapprobation of God.1NL 86.2

Before visitors, before every other consideration, your children should come first. This will teach them that they are worth being cared for. They will see that you value them above everything else.1NL 86.3

And what will you reap as a reward of your effort?—You will find your children right by your side, willing to take hold and co-operate with you in the lines that you suggest. You will find your work made easy. But if you give yourself up to visitors and to things that are unessential, while you let your children drift for want of proper instruction, when they go astray, remember that you must give account to God for their wrongdoing.1NL 86.4

The less attention we give to spiritual things, the more satisfied we are with our own righteousness. There are many who claim to be righteous, and who think that they are righteous. These souls need to study Christ's life of self-renunciation.1NL 86.5

When the Spirit of God dwells in our hearts and controls our actions, we shall not fail of giving our children and youth the training that will fit them for a place in the heavenly courts. But when parents are careless in regard to these things, what hope is there that the children will be converted? They are forming character of another kind—character that Christ cannot accept. Can we afford to have it so?1NL 86.6