You are not uniform in your treatment of your children. At times you indulge them to their injury, while at other times you refuse them some innocent gratification that would make them very happy. You turn from them with impatience and scorn their simple requests, forgetting that they can enjoy pleasures that to you seem foolish and childish. You do not stoop from the dignity of your age and station to understand and minister to the wants of your children. In this you fail to imitate Christ. He identified Himself with the lowly, the needy, and the afflicted. He took little children in His arms, and descended to the level of the young. His large heart of love could comprehend their trials and necessities, and He enjoyed their happiness. His spirit, wearied with the bustle and confusion of the crowded city, tired of association with crafty and hypocritical men, found rest and peace in the society of innocent children. His presence never repulsed them. The Majesty of heaven condescended to answer their questions and simplified His important lessons to meet their childish understanding. He planted in their young, expanding minds the seeds of truth that would spring up and produce a plentiful harvest in their riper years. {4T 141.1}

Du behandler ikke dine børn ens. Nogen gange føjer du dem til deres skade, medens du andre gange nægter dem underordnede fornøjelser som ville gøre dem meget glade. Du vender dig irriteret bort fra dem og forhåner deres enkle bønner og glemmer at de kan skabe glæder, som du synes er tåbelige og barnlige. Du nedlader dig ikke fra dit aldersstade til at forstå og opvarte dine børns ønsker. Heri efterligner du ikke Kristus. [Han gjorde sig til ét med de ringe, de trængende og de hårdt ramte. Han tog små børn på sine arme og steg ned på børnenes niveau. Hans store kærlige hjerte kunne forstå deres prøvelser og behov og kunne tage del i deres glæder. Når han var træt i sin ånd af uroen og røret i den overbefolkede by og forbindelsen med rænkefulde og skinhellige mænd, fandt han hvile og fred i de uskyldige børns selskab. Hans tilstedeværelse virkede aldrig frastødende på dem. Himmelens majestæt nedlod sig til at besvare deres spørgsmål og forenklede sin betydningsfulde undervisning for at imødekomme deres barnlige forståelse. I deres unge modtagelige sind såede han sandhedens sæd, som ville spire og give en rig høst i deres modne alder. Barnet i hjemmet side 257]