OUR CHILDREN by Aunt Rebecca

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 11, 1901

OUR CHILDREN.

By Aunt Rebecca

AUNT REBECCA.

“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord.” Ps. 127: 3. “Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.” Prov. 17: 6. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. . . . And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Eph. 6: 1-4.

God has blessed us richly in giving us children. Shall we do our part by giving them the education the Lord has commanded us to give them? Read Deut. 6: 6, 7. The true object of education is to restore the image of God in the soul.

God is calling for our children; He wishes them to be educated to carry forth the last warning message. Shall we help them to go forward? or shall we hinder their upward progress by our own slackness? Let the child know that you expect him to do a noble work for God. The Lord wants every child of tender age to be His child,—to be adopted into His family. Christ will make the children little missionaries. The whole current of their thoughts may be changed, so that sin will be a thing to be shunned.

It is surprising to see how little is done by parents to save their children. If parents realized their duty to their children, they would not scold nor fret at them. It is the especial work of the father and mother to teach their children with kindness and affection. God does not compel; you cannot compel the child to a better life.

I long to see parents imbued with love. I long to see the children doing their part because they love to do it, not because some angry word accompanies the command. Your own life will be the great power influencing their life, if you are true to principle,—in short, if your life is what it ought to be, your children will know it.

Look first to your own home for missionary work; make it a little heaven on earth. God has given you this opportunity to work for Him. Work as for your lives! Your work lies right at home—a fruitful field! God wants your children. In saving them, you save yourself. “Spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.”

Let us be true mothers and fathers in Israel, bringing the children into right paths, else the Lord will inquire, What have you done with my flock—my beautiful flock?