If Christian parents lived in obedience to the requirements of the divine Teacher, they would preserve simplicity in eating and in dressing, and would live more in accordance with natural law. They would not then devote so much time to artificial life, in making for themselves cares and burdens that Christ has not laid upon them, but that He has positively bid them shun. If the kingdom of God and His righteousness were the first and all-important consideration with parents, but little precious time would be lost in needless outward ornamentation while the minds of their children are almost entirely neglected. The precious time devoted by many parents to dressing their children for display in their scenes of amusement would better, far better, be spent in cultivating their own minds in order that they may be competent to properly instruct their children. It is not essential to the salvation or happiness of these parents that they use the precious probationary time that God has lent them, in dressing, visiting, and gossiping. {3T 144.2}

Hvis kristne forældre levede i lydighed til den guddommelige Lærers krav, ville de bevare enkelhed i spise og klæder og vil leve mere i overensstemmelse med naturlig lov. Da vil de ikke bruge så megen tid til kunstighed, gøre sig bekymringer og byrder som Kristus ikke har lagt på dem, men som han udtrykkeligt har påbudt at afsky. Hvis Guds rige og hans retfærdighed var det første og altoverskyggende hos forældre, ville der kun bruges en lille del, af den kostbare tid til udvendige besmykkelser. Den dyrebare tid der bruges af mange forældre til at beklæde deres børn til fremvisning i deres fornøjelser ville bedre, langt bedre, bruges til at opdyrke sig selv så de kan være dygtige til at (145) belære deres børn ret. Det er ikke væsentligt for disse forældres frelse eller lykke at de bruger kostbar prøvetid som Gud har lånt dem, til klæder, besøg og sladder.