Where I'm from, mages are regarded as Guardians and healers both. Our "church", the temples, taught me my spells, and I in turn taught my sons.
They're wonderful boys, very giving and kinds. Soren is sweet and exuberant. He's a black mage as I am - we focus on elemental spells that wound our enemies. Sindre is so kind and secretly strong. He's a white mage, a healer.