By His wonderful power, God created all plants and living beings and then crowned His creation by forming from the dust of the earth the being that was to bear His own image. Man was in full accord with the will of God and his mind was capable of understanding God’s mysteries. He had pure ideals and his passions were under the power of reason. Upon man’s creation, God then offered him a most wonderful gift—the woman, thus establishing the family, so that man’s joy should be complete.

From one end of the Bible to the other, God has manifested a special interest towards the education of the family and its salvation. Why is God interested in the family? What could be the reasons for the existence of this institution? From the record of inspiration it can readily be seen that God’s intention was to populate the earth so wonderfully created, with intelligent beings. Also, it was His plan to perpetuate His knowledge from parents to children, from generation to generation. Another reason for the formation of this small social group was to fulfill man’s desire for companionship, and finally, it was here in the family that the noblest traits of character were to be developed. While parents would work towards the development of their children’s characters, at the same time, their own characters would likewise be further developed. Within the family, God’s love can be understood by the husband’s sacrificing love for his wife and children. The mysterious intimacy between Christ and the church would be understood by the wife’s fidelity towards her spouse. The trust of the children was also a lesson systematically taught, from which the adults could learn to trust more fully in the protecting care of their Creator. In Paradise the basis of education was laid for the formation of a character based on sacrifice, an essential attribute of heaven and the founding principle for the plan of redemption.

All created things were entrusted to man and his descendants, all things having been created for their happiness. “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” Psalm 8:6–8. In these inspired words the Lord declares Himself as absolute Proprietor, and men must recognize this as His divine right, and to see themselves as His loyal stewards. “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:8. “Ye are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19. Here are two statements that prove man’s dependence on his Creator.

Adam and Eve had the freedom to be happy, to work, and to eat everything that was permitted from the trees of Paradise. They were happy enjoying the beauty of the flowers and were delighted by the singing of the birds and the musical babbling of the crystal-like waters.

In order to realize that everything that comprised their happiness was a gift from God, our first parents were to obey Him and continually acknowledge Him as Proprietor and Master. Whenever they came to the tree in the midst of the garden, they stopped to remember what God had said (Genesis 2:16, 17). This was a test for them. God did not need such a token for His own sake, since all things were already His. But for their sake, “this tree God reserved as a constant reminder of His ownership of all. Thus He gave them opportunity to demonstrate their faith and trust in Him by their perfect obedience to His requirements.” 1

“And God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28.

The Most High never renounced His right and title of absolute Proprietor, but He gave man dominion over all His goods on this planet. Man was to be a “master” as long as he would remain faithful and obedient to God. We are not told that Adam and Eve ever worked on the Sabbath, or that they ever reacted in a negative way to the divine interdiction. They were finally deceived into believing Satan rather than God and into disregarding the right of God as Proprietor by eating from the tree reserved for Him. Here is a sin that brought as its consequences their expulsion from Paradise and an inheritance of suffering and death. They had usurped a right that was not theirs, and in this they were robbing God of His right. Thus, their love and loyalty had been tested. They seemed to have forgotten that they were designed to act only as stewards, administrators of the Creator’s goods.

From the painful experience of our first parents, God’s people have always had something to learn. As God’s representative on earth—His steward—man was to be always vigilant, always on guard. He does not really own any of the things he has. Whether they be lands, money, health, influence, all these have been entrusted to us to be administered to the glory of God, in His service and for the advancement of His cause.

“A steward identifies himself with his master. He accepts the responsibilities of a steward, and he must act in his master’s stead, doing as his master would do were he presiding. His master’s interests become his. The position of a steward is one of dignity because his master trusts him.” 2

Therefore, “having” actually means “being indebted,” and all our business should ever be accompanied by the thought that we have a responsibility before God and that the day for rendering our account with Him is rapidly approaching. We will not escape being held accountable as stewards as surely as we will not escape death. There is but a short time for us to examine our estate and acknowledge today more than ever our dependence upon our Master in the administration of our life, health, physical powers, money, and properties. Every gift from God and every blessing requires wise administration. To ignore the responsibilities which this job of steward involves, actually means to reject the teachings and the authority of God’s Word. It also means to despise the privileges of God’s children and to deny the right of Christ as Redeemer.

To be able to understand the temptations endangering those who await His coming, Jesus instructed His disciples through the parable of the talents. Ministers and lay members, fathers and mothers, youth and children of today should all learn the lesson presented here by the world’s Redeemer. Each moment, each penny or any other gift received should be used diligently for the proclamation of the message all over the world. It is time we all understood that the law of service is the link that connects us to God and to our fellowmen. Jesus has entrusted us with His wealth that must be used wisely so that we may be sure of a place in the eternal mansions of light.

To every one of us, goods have been entrusted according to our powers, according to our capacity to use what we have received. No one should ever complain for not having received better or richer gifts. We should be concerned not with how much we have received but instead, with “what am I doing with the goods entrusted to my stewardship?”

The true education of the members of the family should be understood as the preparation of all the powers of the body, mind and soul to serve God. Many of us, members of the Reform Movement, are behaving today as if we had no duty towards God and our fellowmen. How are we using our gifts and talents?

One great gift which God extends to us is very much valued by many only after they have already lost it.

“Health is a great treasure. It is the greatest possession mortals can have. Wealth, honor or learning is dearly purchased, if it be at the loss of the vigor of health. None of these attainments can secure happiness, if health is wanting. It is a terrible sin to abuse the health that God has given us; for every abuse of health enfeebles us for life and makes us losers, even if we gain any amount of education.” 3

There are parents who leave their sons and daughters with nothing special to do, and let them choose whatever they like as work by just picking what is easiest for them. The experiences of life have proven that there is nothing that could bring worse consequences to the spiritual and physical health of our children than by lifting the necessary burdens from off their shoulders. Exercise with their feet and arms will strengthen their muscles. They can be weary, but the sweet rest will refresh their bodies, they will have good digestion and will be strengthened for the duties of life.

Dear parents, do not exempt your children from the efforts of intense physical work. By your letting them do nothing or doing yourselves the things that could be done by them, you lay a foundation for their physical and mental debility. Who will suffer then?

The example set forth by Daniel and his companions at the court of the Babylonian king is a testimony for us both as parents and children. Many of us seem to think that Daniel and his companions were some kind of extremists. There is many a parent today among the professed people of God who would erroneously mold the tastes of their children in a wrong way, buying them sweets (candies, chocolate, ice cream) from a young age, allowing them to eat between meals or offering them Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola, or other harmful delicacies.

By indulging the appetite, the stomach becomes diseased from early youth. Self-indulgence and intemperance in eating grow and are strengthened with age. The intellectual powers and physical vigor are sacrificed by lustful indulgence. A Romanian proverb says that “Some people waste years during their lifetime because of intemperance, and on the brink of the grave they beg for a few seconds.” Are we not robbing God of years of activity in His service and of our fellowmen if for some moments we gratify our perverted tastes? There are families where mothers complain about their children’s irritability and nervousness, yet they are constantly offering them sweets to quiet them. Many of us resort to drugs to relieve the pains of our little ones.

Much money that is used for this purpose would be saved if regularity and simplicity were the law in our homes. Many precious moments could be used for study or for the benefit of others if we spent less time in preparing rich meals. Another evil that must be avoided is the neglect to eat healthful food in order to be able to financially afford a bigger house, or buy a better car, or to provide a handsome dowry for the offspring.

“To care for the body by providing for it food that is relishable and strengthening is one of the first duties of the householder. It is far better to have less expensive clothing and furniture than to stint the supply of food. Our economy must never be of that kind which would lead to providing meager meals.” 4

“Those who thus shorten their lives . . . by disregarding nature’s laws, are guilty of robbery toward God.”5

The effects of the economic crisis confronting us can be well understood if we go back in time and examine the state of mind of the Redeemer who shed tears for the generation living in the time of the end. He saw society engaged in a feverish anxiety, in a spectacular rush for pleasure and high position. The struggle for comfort and earning one’s existence makes individuals ignore the principles of justice, mercy and respect. (Micah 7:2, 3.)

Every great city has a residential area where the rich live in plush homes, as well as pitiful slums where the poor live—often a stark contrast between a blatant waste of means and abject poverty. Economic matters are among the most important and most painful of our times.

Money represents a permanent test of loyalty and affection to God. Each person who earns money or has more property than is necessary for his real needs must seek for wisdom and grace in order to know his own heart and not have imaginary needs and become an unfaithful steward, wasting that which God has entrusted to him.

“Money is not ours; houses and grounds, pictures and furniture, garments and luxuries, do not belong to us....We have only a grant of those things that are necessary for health and life.... Our temporal blessings are given us in trust, to prove whether we can be entrusted with eternal riches.” 6

When the purpose for which these blessings are received is lost sight of, individuals open their hearts to the suggestions of Satan. Those who are careless and watch not, he approaches with thousands of temptations, offering them the riches of the world, asking them to sacrifice honesty and justice, to disregard conscience, and to allow themselves to be overcome by selfishness. As we are lulled by illusory hopes of owning the world’s riches, the enemy gains control over our souls. If we, as watchmen for Christ’s soon return, realize that our money belongs to Him, we will spend it wisely. The world and its habits and fashions will not be our standard. In order to counteract the continuous temptations of Satan and to overcome our own inclination towards selfishness, it is necessary to consider some dangers that can befall us—dangers which parents and children could avoid:

Men and women who work see something good and grandiose in life and are willing to bear responsibilities with confidence and hope. Indolence weakens the power of reason and debases the soul. Many people could escape ruin and shipwreck, and many children would be saved much worry for tomorrow if they were instructed while young in useful and healthful kinds of work.

“There are many ways in which children can earn money themselves and can act their part in bringing thank offerings to Jesus, who gave His own life for them. . . . They should not be satisfied to take money from their father of mother and put it into the treasury as an offering, when it is not theirs.” 7

Those engaged in business are tempted to record their income and expenses incorrectly in order to minimize their taxes and thus they become unfaithful stewards.

“He [one who utters falsehood or practices deception] loses his own self-respect. He may not be conscious that God sees him and is acquainted with every business transaction, that holy angels are weighing his motives and listening to his words and that his reward will be according to his works....He is degrading his mind and character....

“As we deal with our fellowmen in petty dishonesty or in more daring fraud, so will we deal with God. Men who persist in a course of dishonesty will carry out their principles until they cheat their own souls and lose heaven and eternal life.” 8

“When one becomes involved in debt, he is in one of Satan’s nets, which he sets for souls.... Abstracting and using money for any purpose, before it is earned, is a snare.” 9

“Make a solemn covenant with God that by His blessing you will pay your debts and then owe no man anything if you live on porridge and bread. It is so easy in preparing your table to throw out of your pocket twenty-five cents for extras. Take care of the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves. It is the mites here and the mites there that are spent for this, that, and the other, that soon run up into dollars. Deny self at least while you are walled in with debts....Do not falter, be discouraged, or turn back. Deny your taste, deny the indulgence of appetite, save your pence and pay your debts. Work them off as fast as possible. When you can stand forth a free man again, owing no man anything, you will have achieved a great victory.” 10

“You ought not to allow yourself to become financially embarrassed; for the fact that you are in debt weakens your faith and tends to discourage you; and even the thought of it makes you nearly wild. You need to cut down your expenses, and strive to supply this deficiency in your character. You can and should make determined efforts to bring under control your disposition to spend means beyond your income.” 11

If we run into debt, entangling ourselves economically day by day, our faith weakens, and worrying about the debt tends to hinder our ability and willingness to work and to pray, bringing discouragement and putting God’s cause to shame.

Dear brethren, if we love God sincerely and above all things, earnestly seeking wisdom as to how to rightly use His goods, the temporal things will take the appropriate place where they belong in our affections. If we believe that money brings happiness without God’s favor, then we will be controlled— enslaved—by money, as it perilously usurps His rightful place in our lives.

We should have a family budget and our expenses should never exceed our income. By correctly recording our expenditure and income on a regular basis, we can more easily limit ourselves to the current needs and be able to provide extra means for the work of God.

We should be thankful to God because He has ordained a system of testing our consecration and faithfulness. As the tree in the middle of the garden in Eden tested the sincerity of our first parents’ faithfulness towards God, our own systematic benevolence for the Lord’s work through tithes and offerings is the tangible, personal, practical and powerful means by which we acknowledge that God is the Proprietor and we are His stewards.

From their early childhood, our young people should be taught to economize and put aside what is best for God’s cause. They must know the value of money and be taught to show their love for Christ by giving up personal pleasures in order to save every penny possible for missionary work.

“Keep a little money box on the mantel or in some safe place where it can be seen, in which the children can place their offerings for the Lord.” 12

Children and young people, fathers and mothers, we must understand today that God’s work is soon to be finished. We are living in the period shortly before Christ leaves the heavenly sanctuary. The three angels’ messages are to be quickly taken into all the world. For this there is now need of the sacrifices of all who are faithfully gathering each fragment of time, each dollar, and placing it in God’s treasury.

God has ordained that the spreading of the present truth and light on earth must depend on the efforts and freewill offerings of those who are partakers of heavenly gifts. Only a relatively small number are asked to travel as missionaries or as ministers, but many are asked to contribute with their means for the spreading of the Gospel. Our tithes and freewill offerings make up the income of the gospel. God claims for Himself the tenth part of the means entrusted to us. We must understand that the progress of evangelistic work consists in the faithful administration of His property and is one of the conditions for receiving the latter rain. We, as God’s people, must understand that if we retain for ourselves that which is due to Him, or if we use His gifts selfishly, a curse will be upon His work and heaven’s windows will be shut, making His refreshing impossible.

May the Lord have mercy on us during this week of prayer, and give us wisdom to intelligently use the time of probation, the privileges of health, money and properties, so that we may soon develop characters fit for entrance into the glorious Promised Land so long awaited!