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Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 2
form, while in the very personal presence of Christ, he appropriated to
himself means that belonged to the Lord’s treasury.—MS 28, 1897.
Habits Decide the Future—It must be remembered that the youth
are forming habits which will, in nine cases out of ten, decide their
future. The influence of the company they keep, the associations they
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form, and the principles they adopt will be carried with them through
life.—
Testimonies for the Church 4:426
(1880).
Bad Habits More Easily Formed Than Good Ones—Children
are peculiarly susceptible to impressions; and the lessons which they
receive in the early years they will carry with them through life. All
the learning they may acquire will never undo the evil resulting from
lax discipline in childhood. One neglect, often repeated, forms habit.
One wrong act prepares the way for another. That act, repeated, forms
habit.
Bad habits are more easily formed than good ones, and are given
up with more difficulty. It takes far less time and pains to spoil the
disposition of a child than it does to imprint principles and habits of
righteousness upon the tablets of the soul. It is only by constantly
watching and counterworking the wrong that we can hope to make the
disposition right.
The Lord will be with you, mothers, as you try to form right habits
in your children. But you must begin the training process early, or your
future work will be very difficult. Teach them line upon line, precept
upon precept, here a little, and there a little. Bear in mind that your
children belong to God and are to become His sons and daughters.
He designs that the families on earth shall be samples of the family in
heaven.—
The Review and Herald, December 5, 1899
.
Habits Seldom Changed—Repeated acts in a given course be-
come habits. These may be modified by severe training, in afterlife,
but are seldom changed. Once formed, habits become more and more
firmly impressed upon the character.—
The Gospel Herald, January,
1880
. (
Child Guidance, 199, 200
.)
Attacking Wrong Habits Does Little Good—It is of little use to
try to reform others by attacking what we may regard as wrong habits.
Such effort often results in more harm than good.
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In His talk with the Samaritan woman, instead of disparaging
Jacob’s well, Christ presented something better. “If thou knewest the
gift of God,” He said, “and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to