Testimony Treasures, Volume 1 - Ellen G. White

elevated. Evil communications are breathed into the ear, which, if not
decidedly resisted, find a lodgment in the heart, take root, and spring up to
bear fruit and corrupt good manners. Because of the evils now in the world,
and the restriction necessary to be placed upon the children, parents should
have double care to bind them to their hearts and let them see that they wish
to make them happy.
Understanding Parents
Parents should not forget their childhood years, how much they yearned
for sympathy and love, and how unhappy they felt when censured and
fretfully chided. They should be young again in their feelings and bring their
minds down to understand the wants of their children. Yet with firmness,
mixed with love, they should require obedience from their children. The
parents' word should be implicitly obeyed.
Angels of God are watching the children with the deepest interest to see
what characters they develop. If Christ dealt with us as we often deal with
one another and with our children, we would stumble and fall through utter
discouragement. I saw that Jesus knows our infirmities, and has Himself
shared our experience in all things but in sin; therefore He has prepared for
us a path suited to our strength and capacity, and, like Jacob, has marched
softly and in evenness with the children as they were able to endure, that He
might entertain us by the comfort of His company, and be to us a perpetual
guide. He does not despise, neglect, or leave behind the children of the flock.
He has not bidden us move forward and leave them. He has not traveled so
hastily as to leave us with our children behind. Oh, no; but He has evened the
path to life, even for children. And parents are required in His name to lead
them along the narrow way. God has appointed us a path suited to the
strength and capacity of children.
It will pay to manifest affection in your association with your children.
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