Rightly directed benevolence draws upon the mental and moral energies of men, and excites them to most healthful action in blessing the needy and in advancing the cause of God. If those who have means should realize that they are accountable to God for every dollar that they expend, their supposed wants would be much less. If conscience were alive, she would testify of needless appropriations to the gratification of appetite, of pride, vanity, and love of amusements, and would report the squandering of the Lord’s money, which should have been devoted to His cause. Those who waste their Lord’s goods will by and by have to give an account of their course to the Master. {3T 401.1}

Rigtig udøvet vil godgørenhed stille krav til menneskenes åndelige og moralske kræfter og anspore dem til en meget sund virksomhed til velsignelse for de trængende og til fremme af Guds sag. Hvis de, der har midler, forstod, at de er ansvarlige over for Gud for hver krone, de giver ud, ville deres formodede fornødenheder være langt mindre. Dersom samvittigheden var levende, ville den vidne om unødige udgifter til tilfredsstillelse af appetitten, af stolthed, forfængelighed og lyst til fornøjelse og den ville påtale bortødselen af Herrens penge, der skulle have været helliget til hans sag. De, som forøder deres herres gods, vil en gang komme til at aflægge deres mester regnskab for deres handlemåde.