Family: Parenting and Children

  Family is parents with their children, whether they dwell together or not; in a more general sense, any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins: often used in a restricted sense only of a group of parents and children founded upon the principle of monogamy.–Century Dictionary.

  Children are considered as “innocent,” and as “little ones” until they reach puberty, at which time God’s law judges them to be responsible as adults. In other words, if the body is capable of reproducing offspring, the soul’s choices are considered to be adult in the view divine law. The sole exception to this law is mental incapacity or insuffiency at birth. An adolescent is “emotionally or intellectually immature;” adolescense is “the period of life when a child develops into an adult; the period from puberty to maturity terminating legally at the age of majority.” This definition is nothing more than an escape clause for parents who are irresponsible, overly lenient, or deadbeats. “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.”–Alexander Pope

  Any abuse of a child—physical, sexual, emotional, or mental—is counted as spiritual cruelty and creates a fearsome degree and kind of soul debt. To traffic or to enslave a child is the worst kind of moral depravity and is utterly evil.

  Spiritually (metaphysically), family is relationship by nature or character, as affinity. Kinship is rooted in the principles of Spirit and love-as-substance. All varieties of kinship must obey the laws of being doing; for example, you must be loving and act (do) lovingly.

Edna Lister on Parenting and Children

  An infant is open to every vibration in the family and eventually the whole neighborhood. Start right by surrounding the baby with love. You can declare that a wall of love surrounds the body of every unborn child. Imagine him or her surrounded with a wall of protective fire, which is divine love, through which nothing harmful can penetrate, and declare it so.No expression, repression or anything from the mother’s mind or environment can make it less than perfect.–Edna Lister, January 24, 1933.

  It is impossible to help people by using mental commands, for that is forcing your will and desire on them, and inevitably causes an adverse reaction. Work from the realm of spirit in prayer and speaking the Word, prefaced always with “Let.” You must do most of your prayer-work silently, even with children. Praise a recalcitrant child to his face for the good qualities he does exhibit.
  To treat a child, do so in private: Raise your hands, see a circle of fire about him, and say, “Name, you are filled with the power of love. You are perfect, whole and complete in heart, mind and soul, doing the will of God, filled with this wholeness, completeness, and perfection.” Then ask God to melt the ice in this child’s heart. The results will depend on how much love you pour out upon the situation, minus any irritation, resentment or anger. Never apply discipline while you are angry.–Edna Lister, January 27, 1933.

  Selfish, greedy desires wreck physical lives. Keep your children busy creating something good so that they will not seek to gratify their desires in some other way physically. Soul must always tip the scales against self; let no physical appetites outweigh soul.–Edna Lister, February 2, 1933.

  Children are a divine trust.–Edna Lister, November 30, 1944.

  Both parents can pass on awakened, developed brain cells plus mental and spiritual capacities by making impressions on their child’s memory cells. The soul remembers every experience, including whatever it has seen or heard. So whatever the parents discuss (or argue about) while the child is in the womb will be part of the child’s soul record for life, and longer unless it is lifted. The mother’s interests uring pregnancy will awaken those capacities in her child. If she experiences an emotional shock during the gestation, but does not dwell on it emotionally, her child will grow up with no inhibitions in that regard. All memory of it will be erased by the child’s tenth birthday.–Edna Lister, July 21, 1945.

  An essential law to teach a child is: If something you have done is not good for the whole world to do, you are breaking a law. If the whole world may do it always, then it is good. If all cannot do it forever, it is of darkness, and so small a law broken breaks all law. The same goes for anything you have left undone—if it is not good for the whole world to leave undone, you are breaking a law.–Edna Lister, September 17, 1945.

  To name a child “bad” or to voice constant criticism or negative words about him is destructive of his God-given goodness and scratches his soul. Help him to restrain and train his self by being positive with him, and lift him in prayer to help him learn.–Edna Lister, December 13, 1947.

  Touch children on the head and declare that their pineal body and pituitary gland are open and that they will know who they are, what they are to do, and where they are going in life.–Edna Lister, February 12, 1948.

  As a wife and mother, enough Mind, Substance, and Power, have been released to you as ideas to build your life anew. The ascension of your mate and son has been placed in your hands. They shall not ascend by your commands, demands or your expectations, but by your ensample, your soul-exaltation, by you becoming law and always expressing law as Love-and-Wisdom. No soul can remain “down” when you ascend in consciousness and carry him in your soul arms and heart.
  “Love never faileth.”–1 Corinthians 13:8. Let law conquer through you. Look to the Master always, wait a moment, and he will increase the power o flove moving through you to fulfill all good. Release Light where you are to fulfill your quota of service. Hold fast to your soul-consciousness always, under all conditions. Every effort you make toward this will be counted as gain, and you will receive credits and rewards for your effort and time spent perfecting your love.–Edna Lister, March 21, 1948.

  Children need masterful, disciplined parents to love and train them.–Edna Lister, February 3, 1949.

  Parents can snuff the candle of their child’s desire. Yet, from age sixteen, it becomes the soul’s responsibility, not his parents’, if he fails to develop his particular talents or to open the door to what he desires.–Edna Lister, August 4, 1949.

  Whatever comes to you is part of your initiatory work. For example, knowing the importance of each day’s conquering makes daily living simpler. Every hour of effort in commanding self builds your next year’s strength. The sons and daughters of God can redeem younger souls. One descended creator god in a family comes to lift the others, which is the Father’s way of training them all.
  You cannot drag the taints of arrogance, pride, or intolerance into heaven. In this age, every son and daughter of God must redeem the younger souls for whom they are responsible to attain as high a point as they can ascend. The only way you can be free of them is to live in it, with it and love it. It answers so many questions about the “ball and chain” in some marriages and relationships. The sons and daughters of God are bringing the children of men through because they know they must.
  All this applies to mother love, too. Too many young mothers lack the common sense to discipline their child into a greater sense of personal responsibility. Overly intellectual mothers often fear spoiling their children by loving them too much, which is unbalanced wisdom without compassion. Thus, the purpose of family relationships and initiations is to learn to balance love and wisdom.–Edna Lister, October 5, 1950.

  Parents save their children’s souls by living the laws of self-discipline themselves. Children act like what they see their parents and other adults do.–Edna Lister, June 14, 1951.

  Psychologists excuse teenage rebellion as adolescence, but most souls have lived 200,000 earth lives and are considered as being knowledgeable about rebellion at any age. Thus the world has limped along, indulging permissiveness of all kinds. Things will get better as more strong creator Elect come to conquer the worst mess God has ever seen.
  Anyone who lets a grievous family or work situation drag on becomes a self-pitying martyr to it. Finally, you reach a place where good sense must make a stand. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”–Matthew 5:5. Meekness is dynamic nonresistance, not wringing your hands and moaning. Nonresistance is absolute immovability from principle, not mere intellectuality. How do you practice nonresistance? Put on the whole armor of God and stand on law in the Light.–Edna Lister, July 19, 1951.

  You dare not make demands of another. Law works inevitably to build situations of experience in which you may learn your lessons and pay your debts with interest when you dare to make demands of another. Parents must train their children, yet even in training children you pay a debt on any demand you make of them from pride about how they appear or perform.
  When the Elect train the world also, they will dig this demanding pride from their own hearts. Parents pass on the hereditary characteristics in the two cells of life, sperm and ovum, and they must discharge their debt in training that child to sacrifice self and to love enough. In their sacrifice and love, parents may pay or cover the child’s present debt.
  Law always pays the mother surplus credits, stored for her children. If the mother asks no special credits from her children, her surplus credits can form arms of Light that reach down to protect the child when it goes into the world. When a mother brings a soul into the world, she receives credit (equal to one perfectly lived life) for lending her body, making her body an altar of sacrifice and an oblation of love.–Edna Lister, December 15, 1952.

  Nagging parents send their children into the world with bleeding auras. Grief about failing his parent depletes the child’s aura, so go to your high altar and ask that Light mends his aura of the emotional hurt: “Dear Heavenly Father, You know how much I love Thee, and so I ask Thee now to mend Name's aura of all emotional hurt. Let him go forth strong, willing and fully able to serve Thee is his greatest capacity. In Jesus’ name, thank Thee.” Love God and know that Light will mend your child’s aura. Allowing yourself to be emotionally hurt results in you blaming yourself or inviting others to blame you. So whenever you feel hurt, ask that Light will mend your aura.–Edna Lister, June 28, 1954.

  A disobedient child is off-balance. Name the child and declare “Name, you are poised in the Power descending from above, perfectly balanced in the Light! In Jesus’ name, Amen!”–Edna Lister, July 6, 1954.

  Most married couples don’t want separation, but freedom from their mate’s possession, from nagging, and lack of understanding. If marriage counsellors would teach soul freedom in marital relations, many couples would reunite more strongly than ever. When your soul is freed to ascend to comprehension, then compassion descends for understanding your mate. Remember the ascension formula: This is good! Let there be Light! Just love God and surrender to Him!–Edna Lister, July 12, 1954.

  How to agree and adjust in marriage: You agree with God that He is everything in your life, and rules your life. You are both servants of all His Power. His life fills you, His strength carries you on, and His Love fulfills your lives. Then you can agree with God that this is good, adjust to each other, and to the world to the best of your ability. You and your mate must meet on some point, so make a peace pact and choose a meeting point.
  When you think an argument could start, always check yourself on details, before you attack or defend. Remember that the greatest of all laws is forgiveness, which is a state of you continually giving love for whatever is handed to you. To forgive and live by forgiveness means you never blame anyone for anything. Agree with God that this is good! Adjust to life here and now, not to life the way you want it to be, unless that way is peace. Live by the law of forgiveness. This is how to create and maintain a Christed marriage.–Edna Lister, November 14, 1955.

  When you must reprimand a child or an adult, you have to use force in doing so and you must pay a debt on that force, even when your reprimand is just. Power is soft and salubrious {favorable to health of mind or body}, so it melts, dissolves and absorbs resentment, harshness and anger. Say, “Dear Father, let Thy Power heal Name into all wholeness and perfection,” and God's Power will work softly and gently. When you lash another with your tongue, you use the knife of force. Perhaps you must do it, but never do so in anger! And remember also that you still must pay a debt.–Edna Lister, December 1, 1955.

  Strong-willed children require strict discipline to learn to command and conquer self, not punishment. Explain repeatedly that you discipline her so that she can conquer darkness in herself. Tell your child, “You never need correction when you discipline yourself.” Consistently apply a rigid discipline, not wish-washy soft in the middle or unduly harsh. Be definite, not indefinite. Let no question remain or you create room for your child to make a false assumption.–Edna Lister, June 11, 1956.

  A child must learn his lesson, even if it means burning his hand. Declare it good, whatever the results are, and explainwhy it is good, so that he will remember this point of discipline.–Edna Lister, October 15, 1956.

  Fill the family “bear” with Light before he walks through the door, bless his place at the table, the dishes and utensils, with an abundance of Light. Fill his chair with Light before he sits in it. Put sheets and a blanket of Light on his bed. Do this for your children, too. Enough love and such a declaration as, “How wonderful is my beloved!” touches your heart as the supreme rejoicing of gratitude. It is better to know how wonderful God is than to have any of the spiritual gifts.–Edna Lister, March 7, 1957.

  Mothers are a family’s A-bombs to shatter crystallization, but when they let themselves become an H bomb of anger fueledd by resentment, they devastate the family vibration, and they, the mother, must rebuild it! {An A-bomb involves nuclear fission, splitting atomic nuclei, the H-bomb involves fusion of hydrogen nuclei; an H-bomb is at least four times more destructive than an A bomb.}–Edna Lister, May 9, 1957.

  An excellent treatment for children is to see angels at the four corners of the child's bed and in the four corners of his room. Use this for cases where there may be child abuse and self-abuse. Help your child to build pictures of their Guardian Angels

  No child appreciates a parent who overindulges him or treats him carelessly. Children hold softness against you, because it produces dry rot in their souls. To treat a child coldly or dismissively tells him you have no time for him, which is unloving; he will later hold this against you. To be cruel to him creates or fosters cruelty within him, which is a terrible sin.–Edna Lister, November 24, 1957.

  Parents and Godparents must train children to conquer self.–Edna Lister, November 24, 1957.

  “Whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.”–Hebrews 12:6. Every lesson and experience that comes your way is designed to polish you. All chastening is for your ascension. Love it, declare it good, and work through it while staying up in consciousness. Teach a child to strive to do everything perfectly so that God need not chastise her to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. To declare, “I accept. I observe. I surrender” is to see, hear and to “get” it all, all the time, at all times. To teach her this is a job well done.–Edna Lister, January 3, 1958.

  Any woman who mothers people has children who cling to her. God accepts her and credits her as a mother above.–Edna Lister, May 11, 1958.

  The deeper love penetrates and permeates the soul, the more it becomes true mother love. A good mother will “kill” herself in effort to see that her child goes to school or college and succeeds. You can always depend on true mother love, which stands like a rock or a pillar in the world.–Edna Lister, May 11, 1958.

  Celebrating Mother’s Day is the beginning of a child’s expression of love.–Edna Lister, May 11, 1958.

  Sacrifice: when concerned about your child, for instance, if he's late coming home, first lift the fear, then your pride, injured because he disobeyed. You must completely surrender all this to God, and hold no suspicion. Pray and robe your child in Light. This takes discipline and patience, but do not stop praying. You are responsible for lifting, no matter what it is—pain, shame, grief or any other problem is a sacrifice you must make. God sends Light to illumine the situation. A real sacrifice is recognizing that you are angry and lifting it immediately, before you express it in words or attitude.–Edna Lister, May 22, 1958.

  Parents who claim they have sacrificed so much for their children have not, in reality, sacrificed enough.–Edna Lister, September 1, 1958.

  Build a sun center of Light into your child’s bedroom door and every door your children pass through. Send the Spirit of the Lord before all children to make their way easy for the day. Declare that a sun center of Light are whirling in their heart.–Edna Lister, October 30, 1958.

  Only when a parent’s idealization of their child is pure, selfless, and comes directly from the Source does their love glorify the child.
  A parent who idealizes their child can be so austere in expression that the child feels neglected. Some parents possess a child as ideal, but this is not idealization if it operates as criticism on a foundation of resentful demands, and cuts the lines of Light. Some parents speak biting words (“Why come to me? You didn’t listen before!”) when their child fails to meet their ideal, which neutralizes the divine love they may feel toward the child. The child knows he has failed to meet the parent’s ideal standard, yet is unable to express it. Calmly telling him how to better is the best approach.–Edna Lister, May 10, 1959.

  Send a pillar of protective fire before your children and loved ones daily. See them enfolded in a cloud of protective love-substance. Say to your loved ones, “Go forth armored in Light and the glory of God!” Have your child say that with you.–Edna Lister, May 17, 1959.

  TV commercials use the power of suggestion to entice us to buy products. Declare that children who watch television are wearing rose-colored glasses and earmuffs of Light.–Edna Lister, May 24, 1959.

  To send your child out into the world, “see” walls of fire around him. Declare that wherever his feet tread, lights descend to cleanse and purify him for the One God, and thank God for this hourly. Then his Guards can work through your spoken Word! Do this for all your loved ones. Surround your family, home and children with the fiery protective Light of the Christ.–Edna Lister, June 15, 1959.

  Tell a child not to do something and it becomes the next thing he does. When soul decides, law challenges “little me,” and impulsive appetitive soul interprets according to its viewpoint.–Edna Lister, October 11, 1959.

  Discipline is a pattern most easily learned at home when we are young. What good is an undisciplined child or adult? You reap whatever you sow, and thus find yourself caught in others’ reactions if you act or speak in an undisciplined way.–Edna Lister, December 6, 1959.

  In disciplining a child, reprimand firmly when necessary but always with the foundation and undercurrent of love upholding and fulfilling your words. Only love can fulfill any law anytime, any place, for any reason whatever, for anyone. A reprimand without the fullness of love is barren, sterile, and unproductive. Results come not from forcing law upon a child but from love that enfolds, fills and lifts the child who is receiving the law.–Edna Lister, April 9, 1960.

  When you need to discipline your children, first move up in consciousness, into the Light.–Edna Lister, June 6, 1960.

  Breathe deeply seven times to possess your bloodstream in the morning while you are still in bed, or you’ll feel like a zombie for the rest of the day. Send a fussy child back to bed to breathe deeply seven times and edclare: “Name, go back to bed and get up on the right side of the bed this time!”–Edna Lister, June 6, 1961.

  Where holding a child to obedience is necessary, make an impersonal stand, giving no thought to whether he will love or hate you for it. Immediately, despite the outer world, ascend to your altar for prayer in sacrifice. Only as you do so can Light fill the child’s body to overcome any hate, to absorb it, and change it into love. Act in complete selflessness and surrender to God, with no taint of self-justification or pride, or you leave the child to wallow in repressions of hate. To mix your love for your child with selfish demands buries her recognition of your love under a burden of resentment and hatred.–Edna Lister, July 19, 1961.

  Regard your dear ones’ weaknesses as the budding green leaves of the brush and trees in spring. They are still very tender sprouts, so cherish them and let them grow.–Edna Lister, January 24, 1962.

  You can ascend and conquer everything earth can produce if you obey the most sacrificial of laws governing the greatest difficulties in your relationships. St. Paul boils it down to this: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”–Ephesians 6:1-4.
  Parents make children angry when they do not themselves live up to the ideals they preach. If parents can discipline children without interjecting their opinions, prejudices and worn-out emotions, they will not provoke their children.–Edna Lister, What Is Compassion? May 6, 1962.

  Life is a step by step process of soul conquering the self. Tell your child about the inter-relatedness of life, how everything touches something else. A child conquers something in each new thing he learns.–Edna Lister, May 20, 1962.

  The parents’ laughter and rejoicing build the best possible vibration for joy in their children.–Edna Lister, November 15, 1963.

  No parent should threaten their children about God, but give them knowledge of a loving God of honor, love, and protection. God does see and hear everything, and takes care of you. He is the reason to become moral, honorable, and loyal.–Edna Lister, November 17, 1963.

  When you dislike correcting or disciplining a child, the child registers your insecurity unless you also think, “I am doing the right thing.” You must earn your child’s respect, which requires that you first teach your child respect. A child is an older soul in a young body. Do not nag or ask “please” of a willful child, for this approves and encourages greater willfulness. Instilling a serious healthy respect for authority is necessary for all children, but a few souls will respect only what they fear. Right from the start, teach your child good manners, respect for others, to be responsible for his or her actions, and that wrong words or actions have consequences, which is how you teach a child accountability. You must earn every child’s respect. Study the Laws of the Crown, all the laws of the Via Christa and teach them to her. Gain her respect first, then she will love you because you embody the law, which she loves.
  Parents must exercise parental control with absolute precision in the words they use to communicate: “I am as bored with you as you are with me; however, you are stuck with me, and God’s law is on my side. There are laws protecting children, but let’s go see if you can sulk your way through with that attitude.” The important thing is to hold onto that integrity of belonging to the Father and to give Him the credit for everything. “I love you, but what you are doing bores me.” Praise all the qualities your child partially manifests: “Father, thank you that she is so loving. Father, thank you that he has so many friends,” etc.
  As your son or daughter reaches maturity, becomes a man or woman of God, bite your tongue, offer no corrections, but remind him that he is responsible and will be held accountable. Do not nag! When your daughter prays, mentally say, “Thank God that she is so respectful.” Praise all the qualities she partially manifests into wholeness. As a parent you are in charge, your child is not. If you have let the situation deteriorate to the point of adolescent tantrums, enlist another, older man or woman to talk to your child, one who can authoritatively bring this youth in line with law. Parents need to depend on God first, then on advisors, books or psychologists. When you have wavered in your dependency on the Father, it takes a long time to rebuild the framework of obedience, trustworthiness, and right action. Say, “This is good! Let there be Light! Name is healed!”–Edna Lister, January 9, 1964.

  Too many people blame their parents or family background for their success or failure, for what they are or do now, which is just another way to escape responsibility.–Edna Lister, The Word, Your Magic Wand, April 12, 1964.

  Many people run their lives based on what their parents did, but repeating an old pattern awakens no new brain cells.–Edna Lister, April 12, 1964.

  Brothers and sisters, two brothers or sisters, may incarnate and be very close. They are not necessarily twins above but may come as twins to double their experience. Also, one can come at birth and leave as the other enters, or they may incarnate in two bodies and be very close on earth. The tragedy is when one ascends and the other descends, which may manifest as a split personality in one or both. If both live high in consciousness for a time, the stronger soul usually leaves the body first. He submits to five years of intensive training in retreat, finally working back with the one on earth, keeping up with his experiences. Their Guards work with them, adding Power and illumination to their Oversoul stars while the stronger soul o’ershadows his brother on earth until the two become equal in strength and experience. They must both go before their Heavenly Councils at night for supervision before the stronger can give higher law to the one on earth through the voice of conscience. This process may take centuries to complete.–Edna Lister, April 13, 1964.

  Unless you become as a little child, you cannot enter the kingdom.–Edna Lister, October 25, 1964.

  Angels, who are God’s messengers and servants, watch over everything on earth. Ministering angels always watch over children. Guardian angels abound at playgrounds to care for children. Recording angels note every event in the Book of Life. Roving Legions of Angels clasp you, “lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Angels are with you if you stub your toe, to hold you up. They have charge of every soul at transition, which teh world calls death. All of this and more goes on in the background, invisible. Teach your children this truth.–Edna Lister, December 6, 1964.

  God puts no time limit on you, so make your love like His—firm, brisk, final, strong and just. To discipline children, use firmness without venom or revenge, and they will learn to enjoy conquering self because you are not inadvertently teaching them to rebel. When you are too soft, children will treat you as a doormat. Softness is self-indulgence.–Edna Lister, February 4, 1965.

  Everyone has the same thin skin over self. Shield your loved ones in Mother blue light to protect them. Let your child grow up with a starry crown on his head as his thousand-petaled crown lotus slowly unfolds.–Edna Lister, Your Life, Detriment or Glory? June 5, 1965.

  To be firm and final about law with an adolescent, but still loving and compassionate, will lead him or her through troublesome times. You may relax discipline, but not below a certain level, for this incites greater rebellion. When disciplining, make sure to explain whether it is for this event or time, or for all time. Hold your level of brooding, yearning, compassion of love to be firm, not soft, wobbly, or weak. Love must always be brisk, “You may go this far and no farther!” Once you learn that level of relaxing and hold it, your difficulties are over. Step up and express the great power of love.–Edna Lister, July 20, 1965.

  Permissive parents have no control over their children, so you must put the power of love in all you do or say.–Edna Lister, Choice, Your Glorious Foundation, October 16, 1966.

  Children can learn to make their own choices and to conquer, which is the pathway of Ascension.–Edna Lister, Three States of Consciousness, November 17, 1968.

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Treatments for Children

  Treat your loved ones as newborns, and mother them. In a calm firm tone say, “Now look! This is quite enough. Let’s go on amiably.” This is how to make a firm stand to end the foolishness. Lift them in love.–Edna Lister, June 15, 1948.

  Fill your children with Light. Bless their places, dishes and utensils at the table with an abundance of Light. Put a pillow, sheet and blanket of Light on their bed.–Edna Lister, March 7, 1957.

  Put cotton in your ears and say to an arguing child, "I am not interested in your opinions."–Edna Lister, January 10, 1963.

  Laughter and rejoicing build the joy vibration for your children, and teach them how to do it for themselves.–Edna Lister, November 15, 1963.

  When you dislike correcting or disciplining a child, the child registers your lack of security. As the parent thinks “I am doing the right thing,” the child reads the unspoken message of “I need to pay attention and to obey.” Never beg or ask a willful child to “please” obey! In some children instilling a healthy fearful respect of authority is necessary. Parents must exercise parental control with absolute precision, for example, “I love you but I’m bored with what you are doing. I am as bored with you as you are with me, but you are stuck with me.” The important thing is to hold onto that integrity of belonging to God and to doing His will. Praise the child evenhandedly, without going overboard. Don’t nag the child or he will stop listening.
  When your daughter is on the verge of becoming an adult, bite your tongue, with no corrections. When an adolescent has reached the point of tantrums, enlist another, older woman to talk to her, one who can “throw the book” at her. You must earn a child’s respect. Study the spiritual laws and teach them to her to gain her respect first; no matter what she says, she does and will love you. When she prays, say, “Thank God that she is so respectful.” Praise all the qualities she partially manifests: “Thank you Father that she is so loving, has so many friends, etc.”–Edna Lister, January 9, 1964.

  To discipline a rebellious child, say, “This is the way it’s going to be,” and walk away. Then lift every bit of rebellion from the child’s heart. Affirm: “Let the Light consume all Name’s rebellion.” That Light lifts the child’s accumulated soul debts. Declare in the child’s room: “All darkness is lifted. Let there be Light. Let Light permeate Name’s aura and consume all rebellion. Father, thank You that this day’s lifting of all unlikeness is perfect. I am free. Nothing moves me. I lift! I do not claim this for myself. It does not belong to me.”–Edna Lister, January 24, 1966.

  In dealing with children and young people, you are responsible only to keep them filled with Light. Their idle words mean no more to God than do yours. Let the Light do the work, using you as its instrument. John Milton wrote, “They also serve who only stand and wait.” Don’t wait by pulling at the bit, but build a picture of where you will be. When you put someone on his cloud of Light, you must not pull him down by being restless or impatient for results.–Edna Lister, January 17, 1969.

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New Testament on Parenting and Children

  Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.–Matthew 18:3-6.

  And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.–Mark 9:36-37.

  [The kingdom is composed of innocent children.] Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.–Mark 10:14-15.

  [The kingdom is composed of innocent children.] Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.–Luke 18:16-17.

  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.–Ephesians 6:1-4.

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Old Testament on Parenting and Children

  Bris: The Covenant: Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.–Genesis 17:9-14.

  I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.–Psalm 82:6-7.

  Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.–Psalm 127:3.

  He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him betimes.–Proverbs 13:24. [This law is no excuse for abuse, brutality or cruelty.]

  Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.–Proverbs 19:18.

  Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.–Proverbs 20:11.

  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.–Proverbs 22:6.

  Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.–Proverbs 23:13-14. {This law is no excuse for abuse, brutality or cruelty toward children.}

  The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.–Proverbs 29:15.

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Family: Parenting and Children in Other Sacred Writings

  Honor your father and mother {Wisdom and Love} both in word and deed, that a blessing may come upon you from them, for the blessing of the father establishes the houses of children; but the curse of the mother roots out foundations.–Wisdom of Ben Sirach 3:8-9.

  Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.–Wisdom of Ben Sirach 11:28.

  A child left to himself will be willful.–Wisdom of Ben Sirach 30:8.

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