Guiding Principles in Administration
115
Maintain Self-control
The scholars in your class may be perverse and stubborn, inclined
to evil, they may severely test your patience, and yet their hearts are
soil into which you may sow heavenly seed that will bear a harvest
for good. If the teacher is not imbued with the Spirit of God, he will
become discouraged, lose his self-control, and, by an impatient word,
by a severe reprimand, may cut off all his influence, and make a failure
of his work.—
Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, 44
.
Reprimand, Accusation, Fretting, Useless
It will do no good to reprimand, and accuse, and fret at your
scholars when they manifest a spirit of unrest and mischievousness.
Remember you are to be a patient laborer together with God, and that
all heaven is interested in the work you are doing, and any part in the
work of God means toil and travail of soul. “Quit you like men, be
strong.” Ask of your Master, who submitted to humiliation, and who
endured the death of the cross, what He would have you to do. Take
all your entrusted talents with you into the work, and put them out to
the exchangers. Through the grace of Christ you will be able to do
a precious work for the Master. The wealth of divine resources is at
your command, and through prayer and faith you may lay hold on the
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promises of God, and appropriate them to your need.
Love a Subduing Power
Consecrate yourself and your all to the service of Him who hath
loved you, and hath given Himself for you. Jesus says, “Herein is My
Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.”
This means in the Sabbath school work as much as in the work of the
minister. Now is the golden opportunity to sow precious seed that will
spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life. Now you may be a savor of
life unto life; for when you can impart to others truth that you have
gained through a deep experience, it has a life-giving power that will
impress hearts and draw them to Jesus. When Jesus is drawing, and
His colaborers are working in harmony with Him, hard indeed must
be the heart that will not be impressed and subdued by the power of
divine love.—
Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, 69, 70
.