Parents should keep ever before their minds the object to be gained—the perfection of the characters of their children. Those parents who educate their children aright, weeding from their lives every unruly trait, are fitting them to become missionaries for Christ in truth, in righteousness, in holiness. He who in his childhood does service for God, adding to his “faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:5-7), is fitting himself to hear and to respond to the call, “Child, come up higher; enter the higher school.” {CT 162.1}

Forældre bør altid have i sinde at målet skal nås - udvikle deres børns karakter. De forældre som opdrager deres børn rigtigt, luer alle uregerlige karaktertræk ud af deres liv, udruster dem til at blive missionærer for Kristus i sandhed, i retfærdighed, i hellighed. Han som i sin barndom gør tjeneste for Gud, tillægger sin »tro at vise dyd, i dyden indsigt, i indsigten afholdenhed, i afholdenheden udholdenhed, i udholdenheden gudsfrygt, i gudsfrygten broderkærlighed« (2 Peter 1,5-7), udruster sig til at høre og besvare kaldet: »Barn, kom højere op; gå ind i den højere skole.«