John Thiel mp3
Beware Children Watching is the subject for divine service today, it’s very relevant for this church at this time in our midst. We have eight developing minds that need more than parental care. We, as a church, those that attend here together, have an influence over these lives. We all need to understand God’s way of child training, God’s principles, to assure that this church cooperates with the parents’ efforts to train their children.
But this divine service is even more specifically for our personal submission to our parents, which our Heavenly Father and the woman, His wife, the church.
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, 18 And will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
We all are children, children of God. He is our Father, and we are being trained by Him.
He promises to be a father unto you. Oh, what a relationship is this, higher and holier than any earthly tie. If you make the sacrifice, if you have to forsake father, mother, sisters, brothers, wife, and children for Christ’s sake, you will not be friendless. God adopts you into His family. You become members of the royal household, sons and daughters of the King who rules in the heaven of heavens. 1T 510
Can you desire a more exalted position than is He a promised? Younger members of the heavenly family, we are all together under the training of our Heavenly Father. Therefore, our scripture reading, which applies across the board to us all. Note carefully the connection of parental training with the Heavenly Father’s training.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
We are children. We are to obey our parents, our Heavenly Father.
Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The nurture and admonition of the Lord. Do we comprehend this statement?
God’s method of government is an example of how children are to be trained. AH 259.1
Can you see the connection? “You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Train them as God trains, the nurture and admonition of the Lord—not yours, not mine, but the Lord’s. In other words, the method of government that God exercises is the method of government which we must exercise in training our family.
Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority of God. PP 308.2
What a statement! Can you see the relationship that we have with God is inseparably connected with the parental training of our children? In God Himself has… what a high calling!
What conclusion are we to draw from this regarding the correct method of child training? What does it say? We are in the place of God to those children. In other words, if I’m in the place of God over my household, what does that mean? I have to do it as God does it. Very simple.
Has the truth taken possession of the souls of fathers and mothers who stand in the place of God to their children? Is the wisdom which cometh from above sought daily in the family? HS 286.4
He prepares us for heaven and then exercises exactly the same treatment to the children. This is a very important subject. How are we trained as we grow in grace from sin to righteousness? How does God do it? That’s our first point that I’d like us to pursue here, to examine how it is that God trains us.
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. 3 If so be, you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
How do we become trained? It says here, we are trained by becoming babes and drinking the word, and as we drink the word, we grow thereby. And then when we grow a little more in the word:
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
How does God train us? He imparts us His Word. In fact, we were born by the Word. Our adult minds in sin pick up the Word, and it changes us to newborn babes. Then as newborn babes, we are to drink the milk of the word, and then as we grow, we take the more solid meat and continue to exercise ourselves in the word, and as we do so, our mind develops.
And that’s what’s written in Romans 12:2, very powerfully portrayed there, that our training is under God’s tuition through His Word.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As we take hold of the word of God, we will be changed, and we will prove and understand God’s perfect will. This revelation of God to our minds is the manner by which we are growing as children do. We turn here, as we look at His word, what do we see as we read His word? As we drink the word and then as it becomes more solid and by reason of use, we have our senses exercised? What do we see in the word?
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
How are we changed? As we read the word, as we exercise ourselves in the word, something is made manifest to us—what is it? But the glory of God. His love, His character, His enormity, His majesty—everything is revealed to our minds. And as we gaze upon Him in His word, we are changing. That’s how we are trained. It is because it is a law of our mind, it is the law of every human being’s mind, that it gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is trained to dwell. We are changing into the image of that which we are trained to dwell upon. That’s how God is training us through His Word. Beholding Christ means what?
Beholding Christ means studying His life as given in His Word. We are to dig for truth as for hidden treasure. We are to fix our eyes upon Christ. When we take Him as our personal Saviour, this gives us boldness to approach the throne of grace. By beholding we become changed, morally assimilated to the One who is perfect in character. By receiving His imputed righteousness, through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, we become like Him. The image of Christ is cherished, and it captivates the whole being (Manuscript 148, 1897). 6BC 1098.1
That’s how we grow up under the training of God. We look at His beautiful character, and if we will look, if we will keep our eyes fixed upon that and gaze upon Him, this is what He chooses to train us.
It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, which Jesus said He would send into the world, that changes our character into the image of Christ; and when this is accomplished, we reflect, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord. That is, the character of the one who thus beholds Christ is so like His, that one looking at him sees Christ’s own character shining out as from a mirror. Imperceptibly to ourselves we are changed day by day from our own ways and will into the ways and will of Christ, into the loveliness of His character. Thus we grow up into Christ, and unconsciously reflect His image. 6BC 1097.5
This is how God trains us for heaven. This is precisely the way our children will learn from us. It is not by what we command them to do, but by what we are that they will learn. Parents, pick this up. It’s not what you command them, but by what you are that they will learn. Look very closely at these little infants. Watch them. Watch somebody else’s child; just observe that child with its eyes, its facial expressions, and the way it looks very intently upon another person, upon its parent, or upon another person in the church. That’s why I’m saying, beware, children are watching.
They are watching their parents; they are watching us. You look at their eyes; they are so deep when they’re looking. They are drinking in every movement, every function, and every mood that comes from the parent or from the person they’re watching. And as they are watching, they are picking up lessons continually. In the book Adventist Home, you see children become what you as parents are.
Everything leaves its impress upon the youthful mind. The countenance is studied, the voice has its influence, and the deportment is closely imitated by them. Fretful and peevish fathers and mothers are giving their children lessons which at some period in their lives they would give all the world, were it theirs, could they unlearn. AH 322.2
What’s Sister White saying here? What’s the Spirit of Prophecy saying? Our children, as they watch us during these formative years, are being impressed by the behaviour, deportment, and attitude streaming forth from adults. If they are peevish and fretful, and whatever else, it says everything leaves its impress. Then later on, those children will want to get rid of some of the things that they’ve picked up. They’ll give all the world if they had it to be able to get rid of it. Isn’t that true?
Children must see in the lives of their parents that consistency which is in accordance with their faith. By leading a consistent life and exercising self-control, parents may mold the characters of their children.24 AH 322.2
Isn’t that how God does it? By revealing His personality, His character in His word, we behold that with very fixed eyes and study closely like these infants do, and we will be imperceptibly changed into the same image.
The children will imperceptibly change. What you and I command them isn’t going to change them. It is what they’re seeing that is going to change them. They become what they see. Our parents and we as older brethren reflect to them the character of Jesus because that’s what they’re following, whether we have it or whether we don’t. They’re going to follow what we impart to them.
Every word, every action of the parent is to be an object lesson of the right kind. Volume 1 Notebook Leaflets, page 93.4
Every word, every action. The demeanour is to be an object lesson of God to them. We as a church are involved in this object lesson. Not only what parents are trying to do but what God’s church must be able to be conscious of in this subject, and that is in reference to reverence in the house of God. The children are being taught by parents to have reverence for the house of God. You can tell them to be quiet. You can tell them all sorts of things, but how will they learn? They are watching you, me. They are watching the atmosphere of this place. That’s how they will learn to be reverent.
Here we have the Word of God that we are to gaze upon as adults, so that by beholding this picture, by the insight of the Holy Spirit, we can communicate God to them as we train them to have reverence in the house of God.
Parents should teach their children to have reverence for the house of God and to understand that when they enter the Lord’s house, it should be with hearts that are softened and subdued by such thoughts as these. 5T 494.1
God is here. This is His house. I must have pure thoughts and the holiest motives. These are the thoughts that they should actually pick up.
I must have no pride, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, hatred, or deception in my heart, for I am coming into the presence of the holy God. This is the place where God meets with and blesses His people. The high and holy One who inhabiteth eternity looks upon me, searches my heart, and reads the most secret thoughts and acts of my life.” 5T 494.1
This is the thought pattern that should govern the children as we’re trying to train them into the reverence of God’s house. Can you pick up if the child is watching very closely? What do they see in you and me? If we’re trying to get this message across to them, let us read some more of the deportment that is going to affect the children as the parents come into the church and say, “We’re coming to God’s presence now. Be very quiet.”
As you tell them to do that, how do you do it? How do we do it when we come into the presence of God in the house of God? Let me read on here. It says, “The precincts of the church should be invested with a sacred reverence. It should not be a place for communicating with each other, talking together in the church.”
What are they learning? You see, they think they can talk to each other too because they’re watching you. And as we put the finger on the little child’s mouth as it wants to talk, the little child must see that we don’t talk either to each other, apart from what is going on in the exact procedure of that gathering.
When the word is spoken, you should remember, brethren, that you are listening to the voice of God through His delegated servant. Listen attentively. Sleep not for one instant because by your indifference, you may lose the precious seed that is being sown. 5T 493
Do you want to instil this into the child? What must we do? If the child starts looking around and sees somebody going, “Hmm,” what impression do they have in the child? When we’re trying to teach the child, “Yes.”
Satan and his angels are busy creating a paralyzed condition of the senses so that cautions, warnings, and reproofs shall not be heard. 5T 493
What’s actually coming from the pulpit is being distracted by the hearers and should not be heard, or if heard, that they shall not take effect upon the heart and reform the life. Have you suffered sometimes? You’ve been asked, “What was the sermon about? Oh, what was it about? Hmm, why?” Because we’ve only been half-listening.
Sometimes a little child may so attract the attention of the hearers that the precious seed does not fall into good ground and bring forth fruit. 5T 493.1
Aren’t these beautiful little children so cute? Yes? As you look at the little children in the Divine Service or in the prayer meeting or in the Sabbath school, you think, “Oh, isn’t she lovely?” I missed the message because your mind has just been centred on that little child.
Sometimes young men and women have so little reverence for the house and worship of God that they keep up a continual communication with each other during the sermon. Could these see the angels of God looking upon them and marking their doings, they would be filled with shame, with abhorrence of themselves. God wants attentive hearers. 5T 493.1
If the children are meant to be quiet and attentive, and we don’t behave like that, the children won’t learn. Very simple. Especially when your eye catches that little child and in the same message that you are hearing and in the songs you are singing, that child goes to you in return? What’s happening? Very simple. The word of God says we are not giving reverence to God speaking to us at that time, and the child does not learn as it gets older that divine service or the meetings in the church or the gatherings. Happy are those who have a sanctuary, and there should be rules and regards to the time, the place, and the manner of worshiping.
There should be rules in regard to the time, the place, and the manner of worshiping. Nothing that is sacred, nothing that pertains to the worship of God, should be treated with carelessness or indifference. 5T 491.3
Nothing. There should be absolutely everything with total reverence to the sacredness of God’s house.
Happy are those who have a sanctuary, be it high or low, in the city or among the rugged mountain caves, in the lowly cabin or in the wilderness. If it is the best they can secure for the Master, He will hallow the place with His presence, and it will be holy unto the Lord of hosts. 5T 491.3
When the worshipers enter the place of meeting, they should do so with decorum, passing quietly to their seats. If there is a stove in the room, it is not proper to crowd about it in an indolent, careless attitude. Common talking, whispering, and laughing should not be permitted in the house of worship, either before or after the service. Ardent, active piety should characterize the worshipers. 5T 492.1
If that is done by the adults, what do you think the children will do? They will feel it, and they will quietly move to their seats with the parents. They should remember that heavenly messengers are there. We all lose much sweet communion with God by our restlessness, by not encouraging moments of reflection and prayer.
Restlessness
We bring the children into the place, and I still remember having to teach our children this: When we go into the church, you don’t go in and out. You go to the toilet; that’s what we’ve got the break for. You have your drink so that everything is done before, and so that when you’re in the house of God, there is no restlessness. I pointed this out to the children, and then people in the church went in and out, in and out, and they said, “But Dad!” What the parents teach the children must be supported. How can you hear the gentle voice of Jesus with restlessness? It’s impossible.
Testimony Volume 5, right through, behaviour in the house of God from page 491. Read it carefully. That is what God wants us to do, and the children are to be taught the same.
Brethren, will you not devote a little thought to this subject? Notice how you conduct yourselves in the house of God and what efforts you are making by precept and example to cultivate reverence in your children. 5T 494.2
What I’ve just been sharing with you is actually the Holy Spirit trying to say to us, let us take some thought on the subject of how I conduct myself in the house of God and what efforts I am making by precept—that’s the parents teaching the children by word—and example to cultivate reverence in your children.
We have heard different people who have come from the mainline church saying, “Oh, what a noise there is in that church on the Sabbath day.” You know where it comes from? Way back in Sister White’s time when they were not listening to the counsel. And very slowly, the children grew up with a carelessness, and they started to talk, and then the next lot of children come along, and they talk, and then what happens in the church? What you see today. It can happen to us just the same.
I see it sneaking in every now and then; it gets a bit more and a bit more, and I’ve actually had to come to certain people and say, “Don’t talk in here; talk outside.” And they get a little bit upset that I’ve actually pulled them up.
When the leaders in the church, ministers and people, fathers and mothers, have not had elevated views of this matter, what could be expected of the inexperienced children? CG 542.1
What can be expected? The inexperienced children watch. By beholding, they will become because that’s how God understands training. We must be like God. Whatever a parent wants his child to be, the parent must be. Then when discipline is needed, it will have power.
1 Timothy 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
Having his children in subjection with all gravity. You have already experienced parents, haven’t you; you can be ever so nice and gentle and kind and give them a good example, but you have times when the child just doesn’t listen.
You feel like going, “Ugh!” But you’ve got to keep on giving the right atmosphere. You can’t be peevish; you can’t be out of control. You’ve got to keep on giving that influence, and you don’t know what to do anymore to control that child. Well, although good examples are needed, children need an item more. That item to have children in subjection is an item that needs to be correctly administered.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
When you meet this problem, you’ve been ever so Christlike, ever so Godly, but that little child just will not listen. Why? Because foolishness is bound in the child’s heart. What’s the next step? The rod of correction shall drive this foolishness out of the child. Bring the child into subjection, control the child, subjecting it by the rod of correction. That’s what God does with us. I’m not changing the subject at all. How does God treat us when we are not subject to Him?
Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Yes, I’m a foolish person by nature too. I’ve grown up with sinful nature like we all have. And we go astray until, no matter how much I love the Lord, I remember I love the Lord so much, but I was going astray. I saw Him in all His goodness, but it just didn’t sink in that I had to change.
The Lord afflicted me and until I was afflicted, then, only then, did I keep His Word. That happens with the children too. It actually says that the Lord has a people who are poor and afflicted. Yes, we are a poor and afflicted people because the Lord has had to train us. God exercises affliction combined with His example, and this is the important part: affliction combined with example.
If I don’t give the right example, what good will affliction do to me or to the child? We have heard some conversations here in the pre-meeting last Tuesday that there were some pretty rough treatments. It didn’t do the people any good. In fact, there are many who have run away from church because of the harshness of parental training in the churches without the example.
If we want to follow this through now, does God use punishment and affliction?
There is the perfect will that is mapped out for us as we are to bring up the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Scourges? Affliction.
Hebrews 12:7 If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons.
He loves you. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Hebrews 12:7 For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? 8 But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but He, for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.
He presents the picture of His holiness, of His glory, and by beholding that glory, we will be changed. But what is needed is chastening in partnership with that. But if His perfection isn’t there to be chastened, then the child won’t learn; then I won’t learn. Oh, I go through some hard times.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
When I’m trained by someone who is a wonderful holy person, it will be a sweet experience for me because I have an example. When I’m having a real hard time to follow that example, I’m going to say, “Oh, thank you for helping me,” when you gave me the punishment. But of course, it’s not a very nice thing, and God doesn’t willingly afflict the people either but He has to.
Lamentations 3:32 But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion, according to the multitude of His mercies; for He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
He gives them affliction, but not willingly. In other words, “I’m not doing this in a vindictive way, whack, here take that,” nothing like that. “I have to afflict you. I do not do it willingly to grieve the children of men, to crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth. I don’t want to do this.” How does He do it? This is so important to study about God. When foolishness must be driven out, what is God’s gravity that subdues us and brings us into subjection? What is the gravity?
What is meant by gravity? There’s no gravity in somebody becoming violent and hitting me. There’s no gravity in that. What is God’s gravity? When God afflicts, what is it?
Let’s discover God’s gravity.
Micah 6:2 Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel. 3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me.
What’s God saying here? Here are the people that are very unhappy, not happy to do God’s will. They’re ready to do exactly what our children do to us: “Ah! I don’t want to do this.” And they will even turn around and resist our will. That’s what the children of Israel did. That’s what we do. And God says, “Okay, come on. Come and give it to me. Come to the mountain.”
When you argue with a huge mountain, what happens? Can you conquer it? Can you conquer this immovable, huge object? People do, don’t they? They try to. How many have died on Mount Everest? When those that got up Mount Everest, what have they got? You come to Mount Everest and try to get around it. Well, argue with it. Come on. You can argue with God as much as you like. God just says very, he just stands there. Sorry, you can’t get through him. You can’t get around him. You can’t get over the top of him. God is a gigantic, impregnable, immovable mountain.
I want to measure my will against that mountain. If I do, there are consequences. There was a lady who climbed that Mount Everest several times, and the last time she climbed it, she was dead. I heard on the news about two years ago and everybody was upset. Oh, how terrible. There are consequences if you want to climb over God. Punishment, but different from how we punish. If you climb over it and go around it, do whatever you like to God, you will do damage to yourself. Parents, do we have our children ever so nice? But don’t give in to it. That’s what God does, doesn’t He? There is the gravity. The child butts and carries on, and you just firmly hold it in place, and it can’t have its way. Finish. The child finally says, “All right, you win.”
That’s happened to me as a child. I couldn’t get around my mother. I had to receive a stick or two. I couldn’t get around it. We are told to punish a child. That’s what it says, the rod of correction. But how? The perfect example and the immovability of anything different.
The lesson of parental discipline.
No doubt you will see faults and waywardness on the part of your children. Some parents will tell you that they talk to and punish their children, but they cannot see that it does them any real good. Let such parents try new methods. Let them mingle kindness and affection and love with their family government, and yet let them be as firm as a rock to right principle. CG 262.5
In other words, you’ve got to be like God to them. God is a rock, a big mountain. Can’t get around it. Parents, this is the method. This is the new way. Kindness, ever so loving and kind. when it comes to waywardness and deliberate resistance to your voice and your word, then you are as firm as a rock. She can’t get away with it. He can’t get away with it. That’s it. Sorry. the child will finally go, “I can’t anymore,” and it’ll give in. But if you give in, it’s got the power over you. Have you experienced that? You give in to it one little ounce, they’ll take you to the next ounce, and to the next, and to the next. Until finally, you are a servant to the child instead of the child obedient to you. This is reality. We must be like God to children, immovable, firm as a rock, no bending.
If I know I’ve got the principle right, it’s God’s principle. Sorry, child, this is it. Parental control, subjection as God does.
Parents, you should commence your first lesson of discipline when your children are babes in your arms. Teach them to yield their will to yours. CG 230.4
That’s what God does. He teaches us by His will mountain. I just can’t get around it, can I? I might as well make a decision. Instead of trying to get around it, I’ll hide in the bosom of the mountain and just be comforted there. As we read in that beautiful song, “The Lord’s arrow in Him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm.”
Parents who have handled their children this way find their children are wonderful children who come to their parents and ask them for protection and care. Yes, parents, you should commence your first lesson of discipline when your children are babes in your arms. Teach them to yield their will to yours. This can be done by bearing an even hand and manifesting firmness.
What do we call the mountains? Firm. Yes? Parents should have perfect control over their own spirits and with mildness and yet firmness. Bend the will of the child until it shall expect nothing else but to yield to their wishes. That the child will expect nothing else but to yield to their wishes.
Because when you have a child under your roof, that child has to live under the control of that government. If the child grows up later on and doesn’t want it anymore, that’s fine. Bye. But under the roof, parents govern, not children, but with mildness and love. Beautiful.
What is the actual work of discipline? What is it actually? What’s it for?
The object of discipline is the training of the child for self-government. He should be taught self-reliance and self-control. Therefore as soon as he is capable of understanding, his reason should be enlisted on the side of obedience. CG 223.1
The child has to learn to think for itself. When it comes to a mountain, it will learn to think for itself. This mountain is ever so solid, but ever so kind and nice, beautiful nature all around him. The child enjoys the birds, the beautiful flourishing things around it, and it realises it can’t get around it. That’s it. Let all dealing with him be such as to show obedience to be just and reasonable. The child’s mind has to understand that. Help him to see that all things are under law and that disobedience leads in the end to disaster and suffering. Lead them to see that, to understand that. They can’t understand it by just getting a beating.
The severe training of youth without properly directing them to think and act for themselves as their own capacity and turn of mind will allow, that by this means they may have growth of thought, feelings of self-respect and confidence in their own ability to perform, will ever produce a class who are weak in mental and moral power. And when they stand in the world to act for themselves, they will reveal the fact that they are trained like animals and not educated. CG 227
Their wills, instead of being governed by principle, will be controlled by impulse and passion. We have an example of the children of Israel with Elisha. You remember the story, don’t you? He came back from farewelling Elijah, and as he was walking along, there came these youth, these scoundrels, and he might have done anything, but he was so mild, he was so gentle, and he didn’t want to do anything.
Elisha evinced that he was not to be trifled with by old or young in his sacred calling. When they told him he had better go up, as Elijah had done before him, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. 5T 44
The idea that we must submit our ways to perverted children is a mistake. Elijah, at the very commencement of his work, was mocked and derided. He was a man of great mildness. He was much more gentle than Elijah, great mildness. But the Spirit of God impelled him to pronounce a curse. 5T 44
When they told him he had better go up, as Elijah had done before him, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. The awful judgment that came upon them was of God. After this, Elisha had no further trouble in his mission. For fifty years he passed in and out of the gate of Bethel, and went to and fro from city to city, passing through crowds of the worst and rudest of idle, dissolute youth, but no one ever mocked him or made light of his qualifications as the prophet of the Most High. This one instance of terrible severity in the commencement of his career was sufficient to command respect through his whole life. Had he allowed the mockery to pass unnoticed, he might have been ridiculed, reviled, and even murdered by the rabble, and his mission to instruct and save the nation in its great peril would have been defeated. 5T 44.2
This one instance of terrible severity in the commencement of his career was sufficient to command respect through his whole life. Elijah had peace. Parents, do you want peace in your home? Do we want peace in the church?
Even kindness must have its limits. Authority must be sustained by firm severity or it will be received by many with mockery and contempt. The so-called tenderness, the coaxing and the indulgence used towards youth by parents and guardians is the worst evil which can come upon them. Firmness, decision, positive requirements, are essential in every family. Parents, take up your neglected responsibilities; educate your children after God’s plan, showing “forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 5T 45.1
A good example and firmness as God does it with us. If you punish a child severely for things it does, that it sees you doing, what will happen to its mind? It’s bewildered. It can’t work through the anomaly. But you did it. And I still remember a particular child saying, “But, but,” and you got another smack, “Don’t you argue with me.” And the child was simply bewildered because you’re telling me to do something, not to do something that you’re doing. “Do as you’re told.” That’s all we hear in modern child training and even in the old days. No. A child, the object of discipline, is for the child to be able to pick up the correct understanding in its own mind. So discipline and example are inseparable as we see it with God.
And it is by this consistent procedure that the text which we know so well is reality: “Train up a child in the way it should go, and when it gets old, it will not depart from it.” In the way it should go. We get upset because children, we’ve trained them and they’ve done the opposite. Why? Because what they saw was different from what they were told. What they saw is what they can’t get rid of. Have you ever seen your own mistakes in your children? And those children wish they could get rid of that as they get adults. But they can’t. This day are born again and start under the tuition of God. Your privilege, mother, father, and church members is to be able to cooperate together with God in a relationship that will produce in those little children that are amongst us here today.
No other work can equal hers, the mother’s, in importance. She has not like the artist to paint a form of beauty upon canvas, nor like the sculptor to chisel it from marble. She has not like the author to embody a noble thought in words of power, nor like the musician to express a beautiful sentiment and melody. It is hers, with the help of God, to develop in a human soul the likeness of the divine. Ministry of Healing, page 378:
What a privilege! The mother who appreciates this will regard her opportunities as priceless. And does it include us? Our example? Yes. Our opportunities. You want to see these children behaving nicely, and you see children really misbehaving. You go, look at yourself. Are they watching you? She will keep her eyes fixed upon Christ. She will be like that little baby, looking at every activity of Jesus Christ. The image of Christ is cherished, and it is absorbed. That’s what she will do, that her own daily experience in the lowly round of care and her duty may be a true reflection of the divine.
