172
Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 1
to meet your wife with pure, elevated love, the wants of her nature will
be met. Take her to your heart; esteem her highly.—
Testimonies for
the Church 2:415
(1870).
[215]
Love Finds Expression in Words and Deeds—L_____ needs to
cultivate love for his wife, love that will find expression in words and
deeds. He should cultivate tender affection. His wife has a sensitive,
clinging nature and needs to be cherished. Every word of tenderness,
every word of appreciation and affectionate encouragement, will be
remembered by her and will reflect back in blessings upon her husband.
His unsympathizing nature needs to be brought into close contact with
Christ, that that stiffness and cold reserve may be subdued and softened
by divine love.
It will not be weakness or a sacrifice of manhood and dignity to
give his wife expressions of tenderness and sympathy in words and
acts; and let it not end with the family circle, but extend to those
outside the family. L_____ has a work to do for himself that no one
can do for him. He may grow strong in the Lord by bearing burdens in
His cause. His affection and love should be centered upon Christ and
heavenly things, and he should be forming a character for everlasting
life.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:530, 531
(1875).
The Little Acts Which Reveal True Love—Love can no more
exist without revealing itself in outward acts than fire can be kept
alive without fuel. You, Brother C, have felt that it was beneath your
dignity to manifest tenderness by kindly acts and to watch for an
opportunity to evince affection for your wife by words of tenderness
and kind regard. You are changeable in your feelings and are very
much affected by surrounding circumstances.... Leave your business
cares and perplexities and annoyances when you leave your business.
Come to your family with a cheerful countenance, with sympathy,
tenderness, and love. This will be better than expending money for
medicines or physicians for your wife. It will be health to the body
and strength to the soul.—
Testimonies for the Church 1:695
(1868).
[216]
Let patience, gratitude, and love keep sunshine in the heart though
the day may be ever so cloudy.—
The Ministry of Healing, 393
(1905).
Power of Parents’ Example—The best way to educate children to
respect their father and mother is to give them the opportunity of seeing
the father offering kindly attentions to the mother and the mother
rendering respect and reverence to the father. It is by beholding love