Family Exclusiveness K, poor child, like many others, has a work to do that she has never dreamed of. She has backslidden from God. Her thoughts are too much upon herself, and she seeks to please the world, not by disinterested love for souls and by seeking to turn them to Christ, but by her lack of spirituality, and her conformity to the world in spirit and works. She should die to self and obtain an experience in well-doing. She is cold and unsympathizing. She needs to have all this icy, unapproachable spirit subdued, melted away by the sunshine of Christ’s love. She is very much shut up to herself. God saw that she was a poor dwarfed plant, bearing no fruit, nothing but leaves. Her thoughts were almost exclusively occupied with “me and mine.” In mercy He has been pruning this plant of His love, lopping off the branches, that the roots might strike down deeper. He has been seeking to draw this child to Himself. Her religious life has been almost entirely without fruit. She is accountable for the talent God has given her. She may be useful; she may be a co-worker with Christ if she will break down the wall of selfishness which has shut her away from God’s light and love. {3T 534.1}

Tilbageholdenhed i familier
K, det stakkels barn ligesom mange andre, har et arbejde at gøre som hun aldrig har drømt om. Hun er faldet bort fra Gud. Hendes tanker er for meget over sig selv og hun forsøger at behage verden, ikke ved uhildet kærlighed for sjæle og forsøge at vende dem til Kristus, med ved hendes mangel på åndelighed og hendes verdslig påvirkede ånd og gerninger. Hun burde dø i selvet og få erfaringer i gode gerninger. Hun er kold og usympatisk. Hun behøver at få den isende, utilgængelige ånd undertrykt, smeltet væk af Kristi kærligheds solskin. Hun er lukket meget inde i sig selv. Gud så at hun var en stakkels lille plante, der ikke bar frugter og havde intet andet end blade. Hendes tanker var næsten udelukkende optaget af "mig og mine." Han har i nåde beskåret denne elskede plante, hugget grenene af, så rødderne kan gå dybere. Han har forsøgt at drage dette barn til sig selv. Hendes religiøse liv har næste været helt uden frugter. Hun er ansvarlig for det talent Gud har givet hende. Hun kan være nyttig; hun kan være en medarbejder sammen med Kristus hvis hun vil nedbryde selviskhedens mur som har lukket hunde væk fra Guds lys og kærlighed.