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Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students
In His law, God has given us the pattern. Our character building is
to be after “the pattern showed to thee in the mount.” The law is the
great standard of righteousness. It represents the character of God,
and is the test of our loyalty to His government. And it is revealed
to us, in all its beauty and excellence, in the life of Christ....
Thoroughness is necessary to success in the work of character
building. There must be an earnest purpose to carry out the plan
of the Master Builder. The timbers must be solid. No careless,
unreliable work can be accepted, for this would ruin the building.
The powers of the whole being are to be put into the work. It
demands the strength and energy of manhood; there is no reserve to
be wasted in unimportant matters. ... There must be earnest, careful,
persevering effort to break away from the customs, maxims, and
associations of the world. Deep thought, earnest purpose, steadfast
integrity, are essential.
There must be no idleness. Life is an important thing, a sacred
trust; and every moment should be wisely improved, for its results
will be seen in eternity. God requires each one to do all the good
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possible. The talents which He has entrusted to our keeping are to
be made the most of. He has placed them in our hands to be used to
His name’s honor and glory, and for the good of our fellow men....
The Lord has precious promises in this life for those who keep
His law. He says, “My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart
keep My commandments: for length of days, and long life, and
peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:
bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God
and man.”
Proverbs 3:1-4
.
But a better than earthly reward awaits those who, basing their
work on the solid Rock, build up symmetrical characters, in accor-
dance with the living word. For them is prepared “a city which hath
foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
Hebrews 11:10
. Its
streets are paved with gold. In it is the Paradise of God, watered by
the river of life, which proceeds from the throne. In the midst of the
street, and on either side of the river, is the tree of life, which yields
its fruit every month; “and the leaves of the tree were for the healing
of the nations.”