Section 8—Guiding Principles in Education
Chapter 38—Balance in Education (Part 2)
Ignorance Does Not Increase Spirituality—Young men should not enter upon the work of explaining the Scriptures and lecturing upon the prophecies when they do not have a knowledge of the important Bible truths they try to explain to others. They may be deficient in the common branches of education and therefore fail to do the amount of good they could do if they had had the advantages of a good school. Ignorance will not increase the humility or spirituality of any professed follower of Christ. The truths of the Divine Word can be best appreciated by an intellectual Christian. Christ can be best glorified by those who serve Him intelligently. The great object of education is to enable us to use the powers which God has given us in such a manner as will best represent the religion of the Bible and promote the glory of God.—Testimonies for the Church 3:160 (1872).
Education Requires Painstaking Efforts—Teachers should lead students to think and clearly to understand the truth for themselves. It is not enough for the teacher to explain or for the student to believe; inquiry must be awakened, and the student must be drawn out to state the truth in his own language, thus making it evident that he sees its force and makes the application. By painstaking effort the vital truths should thus be impressed upon the mind. This may be a slow process, but it is of more value than rushing over important subjects without due consideration. God expects His institutions to excel those of the world, for they are His representatives. Men truly connected with God will show to the world that a more than human agent is standing at the helm.—Testimonies for the Church 6:154 (1900).
Set Up Well-defined Landmarks—Let the youth set up well-defined landmarks by which they may be guided in emergencies. When a crisis comes that demands active, well-developed physical powers and a clear, strong, practical working mind; when difficult work is to be done where every stroke must tell, and perplexities can be met only through seeking wisdom from God, then the youth who have learned to overcome difficulties by earnest labor can respond to the call for workers, “Here am I, send me.” Let the hearts of young men and young women be as clear as crystal. Let not their thoughts be trivial, but sanctified by virtue and holiness. They need not be otherwise. With purity of thought through sanctification of the Spirit, their lives may be refined, elevated, ennobled.—Special Testimonies, Series B 1:31, 32, July 1900.
Formation of Right Habits Important—It should be the fixed purpose of every youth to aim high in all his plans for lifework. Adopt for your government in all things the standard that God’s Word presents. This is the Christian’s positive duty, and it should be also his positive pleasure. Cultivate respect for yourself because you are Christ’s purchased possession.
Success in the formation of right habits, advancement in that that is noble and just, will give you an influence that all will value. Live for something besides self.
If your motives are pure and unselfish, if you are ever looking for work which somebody must do, if you are always on the alert to show kindly attentions and do courteous deeds, you are unconsciously building your own monument. This is the work that God calls upon all children and youth to do.—Special Testimonies, Series B 1:32, July 1900.
Self-support an Important Part of Education—In acquiring an education many students would gain a most valuable training if they would become self-sustaining. Instead of incurring debts or depending on the self-denial of their parents, let young men and young women depend on themselves. They will thus learn the value of money, the value of time, strength, and opportunities, and will be under far less temptation to indulge idle and spendthrift habits. The lessons of economy, industry, self-denial, practical business management, and steadfastness of purpose, thus mastered, would prove a most important part of their equipment for the battle of life. And the lesson of self-help learned by the student would go far toward preserving institutions of learning from the burden of debt under which so many schools have struggled and which has done so much toward crippling their usefulness.—Education, 221 (1903).
Education Molds Social Fabric—Throughout the world, society is in disorder, and a thorough transformation is needed. The education given to the youth is to mold the whole social fabric.—The Ministry of Healing, 406 (1905).
Need for Schools to Teach Agriculture—Our schools could aid effectively in the disposition of the unemployed masses. Thousands of helpless and starving beings, whose numbers are daily swelling the ranks of the criminal classes, might achieve self-support in a happy, healthy, independent life if they could be directed in skillful, diligent labor in the tilling of the soil.—Education, 220 (1903).
Education Continues Through Life—In the school of Christ, students are never graduated. Among the pupils are both old and young. Those who give heed to the instructions of the Divine Teacher constantly advance in wisdom, refinement, and nobility of soul, and thus they are prepared to enter that higher school where advancement will continue throughout eternity.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 51 (1913).
True Ambition—Dear youth, what is the aim and purpose of your life? Are you ambitious for education that you may have a name and position in the world? Have you thoughts that you dare not express, that you may one day stand upon the summit of intellectual greatness; that you may sit in deliberative and legislative councils and help to enact laws for the nation? There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim high and spare no pains to reach the standard.—The Review and Herald, August 19, 1884. (Fundamentals of Christian Education, 82.)
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/77.1858#1887
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You that we can be truly transformed to share Your love to those around us. With the right motives, we can be used of Your Holy Spirit to be a blessing. Thank You for the privilege of prayer and for knowing that through the name of Your Son we may expect what we ask, because we ask according to Your will to be in communion with Jesus. Please bless us to commit to doing right with the motive of divine love: overcoming every tendency to sin against You. Please grant to us a pure, wholesome, consistent Christian life, which is obtained by daily studying Your Word, the Holy Bible, under the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, to behold and reflect the character of Jesus to each other first and to the world. Like Jesus, please bless us to not be conformed to this world, but to be truly transformed into the persons You would have us be, working fully in the service of the King: Jesus. Please bless us truly to contemplate the life of Christ and to allow Your Word to develop within us that true religion, borne of love, which ennobles the mind, refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and makes us patient partakers of the vibrant health, purity, and holiness of Heaven. Because we ask all these in the Awesome name of Your Son, Almighty Jesus the Christ, our Savior, we say Thank You and Amen.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;—1 Peter 1:13 KJV —[The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
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where devotionals are first posted daily (almost without fail). From there devotionals are publicly shared to my page on FB, LinkedIn, and Signal (in My Story), and to a response-restricted group on WhatsApp (once again when I am able to find the time to successfully rebuild it).
NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
If you agree to continue receiving them, then this is my personal gift to you; and in this way, I not only honor God but the memory of a very dear friend whom I desperately miss.
My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
It is a prayerful process that leads me to share from my personal study.
So please feel free to forward to your loved ones or to anyone, as God leads you. I’m calling them Barb’s Devotionals.