Love cannot live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it. Love will gain the victory when argument and authority are powerless. Love works not for profit nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain result of every labor of love. It is diffusive in its nature and quiet in its operation, yet strong and mighty in its purpose to overcome great evils. It is melting and transforming in its influence, and will take hold of the lives of the sinful and affect their hearts when every other means has proved unsuccessful. Wherever the power of intellect, of authority, or of force is employed, and love is not manifestly present, the affections and will of those whom we seek to reach assume a defensive, repelling position, and their strength of resistance is increased. Jesus was the Prince of Peace. He came into the world to bring resistance and authority into subjection to Himself. Wisdom and strength He could command, but the means He employed with which to overcome evil were the wisdom and strength of love. Suffer nothing to divide your interest from your present work until God shall see fit to give you another piece of work in the same field. Seek not for happiness, for it is never to be found by seeking for it. Go about your duty. Let faithfulness mark all your doings, and be clothed with humility. {2T 135.2}

Kærligheden kan ikke leve uden handling, den som forøger kærlighedshandlingen, styrker og udvider den. Kærligheden vil opnå sejr, hvor argumenter og autoritet er magteløs. Kærligheden virker ikke for at opnå fordel eller belønning; dog har Gud forordnet det således, at stor vinding vil blive den sikre følge af enhver kærlighedsgerning. Den er opofrende i sit væsen og stille i sin virkning, men stærk og mægtig i sit forsæt om at overvinde store onder. Den er smeltende og forvandlende i sin indflydelse og vil gribe syndere og påvirke deres hjerter, når ethvert middel har vist sig at vær unyttigt. Overalt, hvor forstand, myndighed eller tvang anvendes alene og kærligheden ikke er åbenbaret til stede, vil følelserne og viljen hos dem, vi søger at påvirke, indtage en forsvarsstilling og sætte sig til modværge og deres modstandsevne forøges. Jesus var fredsfyrsten. Han kom til verden for at underlægge sig magt og myndighed. Han rådede over visdom og styrke; (136) men det middel, han benyttede for at overvinde det onde, var kærlighedens visdom og styrke. Tillad ikke noget at aflede dine interesse fra din nuværende gerning, for det behager Gud at give dig en anden opgave på det samme virkefelt. Søg ikke efter lykken, for den findes aldrig ved, at man søger efter den. udfør din pligt! Lad troskab kendetegne alle dine handlinger og vær iført ydmyghed!