Many parents plead that they have so much to do that they have no time to improve their minds, to educate their children for practical life, or to teach them how they may become lambs of Christ’s fold. Not until the final settlement, when the cases of all will be decided, and the acts of our entire lives will be laid open to our view in the presence of God and the Lamb and all the holy angels, will parents realize the almost infinite value of their misspent time. Very many will then see that their wrong course has determined the destiny of their children. Not only have they failed to secure for themselves the words of commendation from the King of glory, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” but they hear pronounced upon their children the terrible denunciation, “Depart!” This separates their children forever from the joys and glories of heaven, and from the presence of Christ. And they themselves also receive the denunciation: Depart, “thou wicked and slothful servant.” Jesus will never say “Well done” to those who have not earned the “Well done” by their faithful lives of self-denial and self-sacrifice to do others good and to promote His glory. Those who live principally to please themselves instead of to do others good will meet with infinite loss. {3T 145.1}

[Mange forældre undskylder sig med, at de har så meget at gøre, at de ikke har tid til at udvikle deres sjæleliv, at oplære deres børn i det praktiske liv eller at undervise dem om, hvordan de kan komme til at tilhøre Kristi fold.] Ikke før den endelige afgørelse, hvor alles sager vil afgøres og hele vort livs handlinger vil lægges åbent frem for vort åsyn i Guds og Lammets nærhed og alle de hellige engles nærhed, vil forældre erkende den næsten uvurderlige værdi af deres spildte tid. Rigtig mange vil da se at deres fejlagtige kurs har afgjort deres børns værdighed. De har ikke kun mistet herlighedens konges dømmende ord, »Vel, du gode og tro tjener,... gå ind til din herres glæde,« men de hører den frygtelige anklage udtalt, »vig bort!« Dette adskiller deres børn for evigt fra himlens glæder og herligheder og fra Kristi nærhed. Og de selv får anklagen, »Du dårlige og dovne tjener.« Jesus vil aldrig sige »Vel, du gode og tro tjener.« til dem som ikke har fortjent det »Vel, du gode og tro tjener« ved deres trofaste selvfornægtende og selvopofrende liv over for andre og til hans sags fremme. Dem som hovedsagelig lever for at behage sig selv i stedet for at gøre godt mod andre vil få et ubegrænset tab. [Barnet i hjemmet side 70]