This practical instruction in religious experience is what Christian parents should be prepared to give their children. God requires this of you, and you neglect your duty if you fail to perform this work. Instruct your children in regard to God’s chosen methods of discipline and the conditions of success in the Christian life. Teach them that they cannot serve God and have their minds absorbed in overcareful provision for this life; but do not let them cherish the thought that they have no need to toil, and may spend their leisure moments in idleness. God’s word is plain on this point. Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, has left an example for the youth. He toiled in the workshop at Nazareth for His daily bread. He was subject to His parents, and sought not to control His own time or to follow His own will. By a life of easy indulgence a youth can never attain to real excellence as a man or as a Christian. God does not promise us ease, honor, or wealth in His service; but He assures us that all needed blessings will be ours, with “persecutions,” and in the world to come “life everlasting.” Nothing less than entire consecration to His service will Christ accept. This is the lesson which every one of us must learn. {5T 42.1}

Denne praktiske belæring i religiøs erfaring, er hvad kristne forældre burde være rede til at give deres børn. Dette forlanger Gud af jer og I forsømmer jeres pligt hvis I ikke gør dette arbejde. Belær jeres børn om Guds måder at disciplinere sig på at betingelserne for et vellykket kristenliv. Lær dem at de ikke både kan tjene Gud og have deres tanker optaget i overpåpasselig forsørgelse for dette liv; men lad dem ikke nære den tanke, at de ikke behøver at slide og bruge deres fritid til dovneri. På dette punkt er Guds ord tydeligt. [Jesus, himmelens majestæt, har givet de unge et eksempel. Han sled for det daglige brød i værkstedet i Nazaret, Han var sine forældre underdanig og søgte ikke at være herre over sin egen tid eller at følge sin egen vilje. Ved et liv i behagelig nydelse kan den unge aldrig rigtig opnå at udmærke sig som mand eller som kristen. Gud lover os ikke behagelighed, ære eller rigdom i tjenesten for ham, men han forsikrer os om, at vi vil få alle de velsignelser, vi har brug for, "tillige med forfølgelser og i den kommende verden evigt liv". Kristus godkender intet mindre end en fuldstændig overgivelse til at tjene ham. Det er den lektie, som hver eneste af os må lære.