THE RIGHT MOTIVE OF OBEDIENCE.
By Luella B. Pridy
MRS. LUELLA B. PRIDY.
(Berlin, Wis.) The Bible recognizes the right of parents to exercise authority in the home. But the right is given for a specific purpose. That purpose is that the household “shall keep the way of the Lord.” Any form of government that comes short of that has missed the mark. In the choice of methods the object to be gained should be considered. It is not enough that the child simply does what he is bidden. He should do right because it is right, and because she loves the right. He should be taught what God’s law requires. He should be taught that God made him, and gave him all he has, and therefore He has a right to his obedience. He should be taught that there is a tempter who tries to lead him astray, but God is able to keep him in the right way if he will ask Him. The child does not need to be very old to understand these things. He may understand them before he is able to express them in language. “Even the babe in its mother’s arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their earliest moments. . . . As the mother teaches her children to obey her because they love her, she is teaching them the first lessons in the Christian life. The mother’s love represents to the child the love of Christ, and the little ones who trust and obey their mother are learning to trust and obey the Saviour.”—“The Desire of Ages,” pages 512, 515. Many make a serious mistake in not beginning soon enough. They allow evil traits to develop and become habits, thinking that when the child is old enough to reason will be soon enough to correct it. Thus the most favorable opportunity is lost. The baby should not be allowed to have his way because he kicks and screams. What may appear cute in the baby is not so interesting in an older child whose willfulness and stubbornness have grown by repeated indulgence. But how shall the desired results be obtained? The most finely planned theory will fail if unaccompanied by the grace of Christ. The Christian mother will many times be driven to her knees in prayer. We cannot fight the evil one in ourselves in our own strength; neither can we in our children. Many times the evil temper may be subdued by kneeling in the presence of the child, and praying with him. A child should not be frightened, flattered, nor hired into obedience. These various methods may have a temporary appearance of success, but in the end they are a failure. Outward rectitude of conduct is not enough. The Lord requires the heart. Besides, the motive worked upon is really being developed. The world is full of people who are afraid to serve God because of what people will think, or because they think it will result in financial loss to themselves. We do not want our children to obey us for any such reasons. We should not exercise authority simply to show that we have a right to do so, or to minister to our own convenience. But we do want our children to obey, because in doing so, they are learning to submit their wills to God. It will not do to deal with a slack hand, and allow the child to have his own way when his way is the wrong way. This was the sin of Eli, and it brought the curse of God upon his household. “In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will also judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” 1 Sam. 3:12, 13. The Lord said of Abraham: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.” Gen. 18:19. We see from this that the promises to Abraham were dependent upon the fact that the Lord knew him, that he would command his children and his household after him. The Lord requires no less of us. Neither are His promises any less. There is just as much power to help us in our families as there was in Abraham’s household.