The Watchtower — August 15, 1985

The Pursuit of Equality

NO ONE likes to feel inferior. “I am as good as the next man” is a common saying. Do we not find an air of superiority distasteful? Basically, it is reassuring to feel equal to others. However, it is easier to think and talk about equality than to attain it, as many have experienced. Consider this example.

In 1776 the English colonies in North America asserted their claim to self-government. Their famed Declaration of Independence proclaimed among “truths to be self-evident” that “all men are created equal.” They further declared that it was the right of all citizens to enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

At the time that the 13 colonies broke from Britain, their population was about three million. Of these, more than half a million were slaves. It took almost a hundred years to abolish slavery in the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson, a prime mover behind the Declaration, remained a slave owner throughout his life. The aims of that Declaration were noble, yet time was needed for even part of such fundamental equality to be realized.

Around the earth many still lack much freedom, or they suffer discrimination. Realizing this, various individuals devote their lives to trying to remove all sorts of injustices and inequalities. One recent United Nations publication on the subject of freedom refers more than a dozen times to being equal and to the need of equality. Evidently it is still an elusive goal. Why?

The problem is that equality has many facets and is not an easy thing to define. People look for equality in different ways, depending on their circumstances. To what extent, then, can it be said that men are equal? What may we reasonably expect, both now and in the future, as to equality with our fellowman?

Equality​—How Real Today?

A prince and a pauper may be born in the same city on the same day, but the silver spoon of wealth and privilege will likely favor the one just as poverty will affect the other. This is just one aspect that shows why it cannot be said that all people today are born equal.

Much depends upon the community in which we live and the degrees of equality it has developed over the years. The Encyclopædia Britannica sums it up nicely:

“All societies necessarily make arrangements for the sharing of wealth, power, and other values. Among individuals and groups these arrangements exhibit all degrees of equality and inequality.”

In any community, every individual has something to give that is unique to him. Some have thus sought to draw on the individual talents and abilities of all and equitably to distribute wealth and the means of production. Hence the communistic dictum: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Also: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his work.” Despite the seeming appeal of such philosophies, though, inequalities persist under all human governmental systems.

The fact is that, rather than advancing the cause of equality, some political systems have sought to capitalize on supposed racial inequalities. Recall the Nazi emphasis on a “master race.” Yet the existence of any master race has long since been discredited. Aside from evident differences in physical characteristics, “the possible existence of true racial differences in behaviour and intelligence becomes difficult to establish,” to quote again from the Encyclopædia Britannica. Such racial equality is basic.

Education and Ability

Education can be a great equalizer when its facilities are readily available, but it does not always work out that way. In many countries, hard-earned money still must be paid for even the most rudimentary aspects of learning.

For example, in one country of the southern hemisphere, only 20 percent of the people are literate. It is not uncommon there to find a family in which the two oldest children are reasonably well educated but the rest receive no education at all, simply because the family budget will not allow for it. Other developing countries face similar problems.

This situation tends to sustain inequality because, in our modern society, possible advancement is economically weighted in favor of the educated. Still, degrees from some universities are more sought after than those from others because the former carry greater prestige. So education is by no means the final answer to today’s problem of inequality.

Fundamental Rights

Genetic factors may determine that humans can never be identical in every respect, yet do you not agree that in certain fundamentals equality should exist? Would not mankind be much better off if progress could be made in these areas:

RACIAL EQUALITY: How can we ever overcome the stigma so often attached by one race or class to another? Resentments go deep and cause many problems. What can be done to ensure the treatment of individuals as equals, according them the dignity they deserve?

FOOD: When you see pictures of starving children and read of the millions who die each year of malnutrition or its related illnesses, how do you react? It is well established that there could be enough food for the world’s population. Why, then, should there not be a more equitable distribution of it to alleviate such suffering?

WORK: Unemployment can bring heartache and frustration​—even suicide. Is it not possible for all to be gainfully employed? Can there not be equal opportunity of work for all?

EDUCATION: Should not all individuals have access at least to basic education, so that illiteracy could be eliminated? Rather than tending to increase the differences between classes (‘the rich getting richer and the poor, poorer’), could not education help to improve the condition of all? That would especially prove to be so if education covered more than technical matters, if it included morality and principles for quality human relations.

Certainly, you will agree that the pursuit of equality has a long way to go!

All Men Are Equal​—How?

IS IT possible for men and women of all nations to view one another as equals​—and act accordingly? Not if the present world order is anything to go by. Yet we can take heart that it is possible. Why? Because there are millions of Christians who have proved it to be so.

It is well known that true Christianity has been linked with equality. For example, the apostle Paul wrote: “We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same​—we are Christians.” (Galatians 3:28, The Living Bible) But was this just idealistic talk? How did it work out in practice for the early Christians living in a world rife with inequalities?

Much has been written of the tremendous impact that the early Christians made upon the world of their time as they developed the brotherhood taught by Jesus Christ. Eberhard Arnold says in his book The Early Christians After the Death of the Apostles:

“The equal esteem in which the Christians held all their fellow-men as brothers, sharing the same judgment and the same call as themselves, resulted in equality and fellowship in all things. This equal esteem resulted in the equal title of all, the equal obligation to work, and equal opportunity in life for all. . . . The mutual esteem in which the Christians of that time held each other resulted in a social solidarity, which was founded on love, on a basis of complete equality of birth.”

What a splendid testimony to a God-given unity!

Equals in a United Body

Individuals in the early Christian congregation had various natural abilities and capacities. Some may have excelled in music, while others had better memories or stronger muscles. Aside from such variety, the holy spirit imparted differing gifts and abilities, though these complemented one another. Paul could thus write: “For just as the body is one but has many members, and all the members of that body, although being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. For truly by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free.” (1 Corinthians 12:11-13) All were preachers, even though there was rich variety in the “gifts in men,” as those who shepherded the congregation were prophetically described.​—Ephesians 4:8; Psalm 68:18.

The overseers were spiritually mature and called e·piʹsko·poi in Greek. Writing of the related verb e·pi·sko·peʹo (to take oversight), W. E. Vine states: “The word does not imply the entrance upon such responsibility, but the fulfilment of it. It is not a matter of assuming a position, but of the discharge of the duties.” Working along with these appointed overseers were di·aʹko·noi, a Greek word translated “ministers,” “ministerial servants,” or “deacons.” W. E. Vine says that this word “primarily denotes a servant, whether as doing servile work, or as an attendant rendering free service, without particular reference to its character.” For either office, the privileges of service were the main thing. The position was not emphasized, for as worshipers of God they had equality and were all his servants.

Although Jesus chose 12 men to be his apostles, women also enjoyed association with him. They were very active, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna being specifically spoken of as ministering to Jesus. Women, too, received the gifts of the holy spirit at Pentecost 33 C. E. They were thus able publicly to talk in foreign tongues and witness about the truths of their Christian faith. Christian sisters, however, did not take the lead in teaching in the congregations, but they shared along with the brothers in publicly preaching God’s Word.​—Luke 8:1-3; Acts 1:14; 2:17, 18; 18:26.

On a more personal level, too, the Christians set a precedent in helping one another. For example, when visitors to Jerusalem came in contact with the miraculous work of the apostles at the time of Pentecost 33 C.E., they stayed longer than they had intended and ran short of both food and money. Yet the Scripture record states: “There was not one in need among them; for all those who were possessors of fields or houses would sell them and bring the values of the things sold” for free distribution under the apostles’ direction. What a fine spirit, revealing the love and equality of those first Christians to be a practical reality! It could be said that “they had all things in common.”​—Acts 4:32, 34, 35.

Practical Equality Today

Amid the divisions and social structures of the world today, attempting to imitate those early Christians is not easy. But to do so has always been a goal of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That they have had considerable success is apparent. The Encyclopedia Canadiana observes:

“The work of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the revival and re-establishment of the primitive Christianity practised by Jesus and his disciples during the first and second centuries of our era. . . . All are brothers.”

Just as it did 1,900 years ago, this Christian brotherhood today gives practical aid in times of trouble. When, in November 1980, parts of Italy were rocked by a severe earthquake, the first truckload of supplies prepared by the Witnesses arrived in the stricken area the same evening. An official report reads:

“The brothers were amazed at how quickly the necessary help arrived. We immediately set up our own kitchen from which food cooked by sisters was distributed to the brothers every day. The other inhabitants of the town had yet to receive assistance and were doing the best they could for themselves. Of course, the brothers were not selfish, and food was shared with many non-Witnesses.”

Following the death of Swaziland’s King Sobhuza II in August 1982, Jehovah’s Witnesses, because they would not share in traditional religious mourning customs, were subjected to persecutions. In Britain two Witnesses, one white and the other black, made joint representation to the local Swaziland High Commission in seeking to alleviate the situation. After listening for a while, the Swazi official turned to the black Witness, a well-educated executive, and asked: “But why are you here?” Came the reply: “Because I am concerned about the well-being of my Christian brothers in your country.” The official found it difficult to understand how such an affluent man could equate himself with Africans living in a country he had never even visited.

Why not attend a meeting at your local Kingdom Hall or a larger convention and see for yourself? You will find a society in which you are welcome whether young or old, rich or poor, whether you have had a college education or you have had no schooling at all. Each one is called brother or sister, and the individual is not measured by race, background, or secular position. Each is appreciated for his Christian personality and qualities.

With appointed elders and ministerial servants, the pattern of teaching is based on the structure of the first Christian congregation. And the meetings reflect equality, or harmony, earth wide. Commented one Church of England clergyman:

“Every meeting, whether formal or informal, is a meeting for intensive instruction. Members are expected to prepare for their Sunday meetings by reading through the Watchtower article, checking Bible references and working out answers to the questions of which they have advance knowledge. At the meetings themselves, there is good congregational participation. They are supported by the knowledge that the same teaching is being promulgated everywhere in the world at the same time.”

If you take this issue of The Watchtower with you to the local congregation on the dates listed on page 2, you will be able to follow such a discussion.

These discussions often embrace the hope of those in the congregation: life on a paradise earth where wars will cease and people will put their talents to constructive activity, truly enjoying “the work of their own hands.” All obedient humans will live under the rule of the Kingdom of God. Starvation will be gone as food in abundance is provided for all from a bountiful earth. The scourges of disease will also be things of the past, all of earth’s inhabitants enjoying equally the vitality of perfect health.​—Isaiah 2:4; 33:24; 65:22, 23; Zechariah 8:11, 12.

Yes, this Christian hope is real, as is the knowledge that the present structure of the Christian congregation will be carried through into the earthly Paradise. The solid foundation already laid for the complete removal of all class and national barriers will be enlarged. How can we be sure? Because the Bible foretells that Christians “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” will then continue their true worship of Jehovah God. They will have an equal standing before him. You and your family can be among them.​—Revelation 7:9, 10.

[Picture on page 7]

At meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you will observe equality

Jesus’ Life and Ministry

Trips to Jerusalem

SPRING has arrived. And it is time for Joseph’s family, along with friends and relatives, to make their yearly trip to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As they leave on what is about a 65-mile (105-km) journey, there is the usual excitement. Jesus is now 12 years old, and he looks forward with special interest to the festival.

To Jesus and his family, the Passover is not just a one-day affair. They also stay for the following seven-day Festival of Unfermented Cakes, which they consider part of the Passover season. So the entire trip from their home in Nazareth, including the stay in Jerusalem, takes about two weeks. But this year, due to something that involves Jesus, it takes longer.

The problem comes to light on the return trip from Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary assume that Jesus is in the group of relatives or friends traveling together. Yet he does not show up when they stop for the night, and they go hunting for him among their traveling companions. He is nowhere to be found. So Joseph and Mary go all the way back to Jerusalem to look for him.

For a whole day they hunt but without success. The second day they cannot find him either. Finally, on the third day, they go to the temple. There, in one of its halls, they see Jesus sitting in the midst of the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

‘Child, why have you done this to us?’ Mary asks. ‘Your father and I have been terribly worried, looking for you everywhere!’

Jesus is surprised that they did not know where to find him. ‘Why did you have to look for me?’ he asks. ‘Did you not know that I must be here at my Father’s house?’

Jesus cannot understand why his parents would not know this. At that, Jesus returns home with his parents and continues subject to them. He goes on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men. Yes, from his childhood on, Jesus sets a fine example not only in seeking spiritual interests but also in showing respect to his parents. Luke 2:40-52; 22:7.

◆ What springtime trip did Jesus regularly make with his family, and how long did it take?

◆ What happened during the trip when Jesus was 12 years old?

◆ What example did Jesus set for youths today?

Insight on the News

Predicting the Future

“The future certainly isn’t what it used to be!” states an editorial in a recent issue of Compressed Air Magazine. It referred to predictions made from the 1930’s to the 1950’s, when “the thinkers of the period had virtually a blind faith in government and science, and foresaw the creation of a nearly Utopian lifestyle before the year 2000.” The editorial says that “most of these grand visions never come close to reality.” Why not? It was assumed after World War II that “all . . . problems were behind us,” and, admittedly, “astounding technological advances were made.” Yet the years following the war brought “repeated human, political, environmental and financial upheaval.” Now, says the article, “we are wiser, and no longer embrace government and technology as panaceas for all social ills.”

Such “blind faith” in human achievements has been avoided by serious Bible students who have heeded the advice: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.” (Psalm 146:3) Based on the Bible’s unfailing prophecies, these Bible students announced that conditions of this age would worsen, until God stepped in and replaced all human rulerships with his Kingdom.​—Daniel 2:44; Matthew 24:6-8, 14.

Although faced with the same social upheavals around them, servants of God do not have the “uncertain resignation” that the writer mentions. Rather, they follow Jesus’ advice: “Raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.”​—Luke 21:28.

Still Room for More

Earth’s population, recently estimated at 4.5 billion, is expected to increase to 6 billion by the year 2000, and even reach 10.5 billion by the year 2110. “Are 4.5 billion people many? Too many? Are 10 billion unbearable or would the earth be able to support them all?” asks Hans W. Jürgens, professor of anthropology and demography at the University of Kiel, Federal Republic of Germany. Writing in the magazine Geo, he states that the earth has enough “space for many more billions of people,” who could live tolerably well if corresponding changes in living and economic conditions were made. Nationalism, he says, stands in the way. “As long as we permit and even promote national egotism​—and the United Nations organization unintentionally plays a disastrous role in this matter—​we will scarcely be able to utilize our earth to the full capacity that, in principle, is altogether possible.”

One need not wonder, then, if the earth can support the large number of people who, in God’s due time, will be released from mankind’s common grave. (John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:12, 13) They will be brought back, not to an earth divided by selfish, nationalistic interests, but to one that is righteous, peaceful, and capable of providing abundant food for all.​—Psalm 72:7, 8, 16.

“Religious Wasteland”

People in television dramas face “the same problems and dilemmas that ordinary people walking down the street face each day.” So says novelist Benjamin J. Stein, writing under the above title in The Wall Street Journal. “But one of the major decision-making factors in reality is entirely absent from television: religion.” While some incidence of religion can be found in the movies, Mr. Stein notes, “on prime-time network television, there is virtually no appearance of religion at all. Whenever a problem requiring moral judgment appears​—which is on almost every show—​the response that comes is based upon some intuitive knowledge of what is good and evil, the advice of a friend, a remembered counsel, or, more likely, the invisible hand of circumstance.”

Parents especially ought to be wary of a medium where “no one . . . ever even talks about religion as a guide in his own life,” as Mr. Stein points out. Young minds are impressionable and tend to imitate the actions and views of celebrities that they watch. Certainly it would be the prudent course to monitor carefully what is watched on TV. Even more important, parents do well to train their children to use the Bible as their guide. Children need to be brought up “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.”​—Ephesians 6:4; Philippians 4:8.

Youth’s Greatest Opportunity

“Godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come. Faithful and deserving of full acceptance is that statement.”​—1 TIMOTHY 4:8, 9.

1, 2. (a) What do many youths consider important opportunities, and what questions are raised? (b) Why are there special pressures on today’s youth?

WHAT is the greatest opportunity that life holds out to you? Recent surveys of a cross section of young people reveal that the majority consider “getting a job that I enjoy” and “being very well-off financially” to be their most important goals. Increasing numbers of youths are career-minded, and in some places they are entering universities in record numbers in a quest for well-paying jobs. Many look to such material opportunities to find security, strength, and fulfillment in life. If you are a youth, is that how you feel? And how do you who are adults, especially parents, really consider such opportunities? Are these the key to the “good life”?

² If ever young people needed strength and fulfillment, it is now during these “last days” when times are “hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Today’s young folks have grown up under stresses that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. The rapid changes in society, such as the breakdown of family life and morals, have caused great emotional turmoil.

The Need for Strength and Fulfillment

3, 4. What evidence shows that many youths lack inner strength, and why do material advantages not provide such?

³ More and more young people find that they lack the inner strength to cope with the pressures of life. (Compare Ephesians 3:16.) A recent National Institute of Mental Health report concludes that one out of five youths is seriously depressed.a From 1961 to 1975, the rate of juvenile suicide in the United States more than doubled! In that one land nearly 8,000 youths die by their own hands annually, yet 50 times that number attempt suicide. Some authorities call the problem a pandemic. Reports also show that a surprising number of youths are being admitted to mental hospitals.b

⁴ Of course, not all young people live in circumstances that offer material opportunities. However, when you consider that the reports mentioned earlier involve a major country where material opportunities abound, it is clear that such alone do not help young people to ‘remove vexation from their heart and calamity from their flesh.’ (Ecclesiastes 11:9, 10) Material advantages supply little strength to a person whose heart is plagued with discouraging self-doubts, insecurities, or guilts. The Bible observes: “Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty.”​—Proverbs 24:10.

5, 6. Will gaining material things bring the “good life” in the future? Illustrate.

⁵ But will laying hold on material things eventually bring satisfaction, the “good life”? Wealthy King Solomon admitted: “I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish, and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:3-11) Though his attainments brought him some pleasure, he still sensed a feeling of emptiness, of vanity.

⁶ Many today herald higher education as one of the keys to the future “good life.” One former U.S. state governor even called such schooling “a necessity for strength, fulfillment and survival.” Is it really? Well, 846 graduates from a prestigious university compiled a “class report” about how they were faring ten years after being graduated. “While jolly good cheer spreads through the report,” observed one class member, “there is an underlay of pessimism, bitterness and even despair.” After 25 years, one graduate had achieved “certain financial goals,” but he admitted: “The failures in my own personal life so outnumber the successes that both will mercifully go unreported.” Is this the best that life offers?

The Greatest Opportunity

7. For what careers could Timothy have trained, but what did Paul recommend?

⁷ In his inspired letters to the Christian disciple Timothy, the apostle Paul pointed to something much better. This young man had been assigned to serve in Ephesus, one of the greatest commercial centers in ancient times. What careers he must have seen! He himself could have striven to become a prosperous merchant or sought fame either at the school of Tyrannus or in the local theater. (1 Timothy 1:3; Acts 19:1, 9, 29) Timothy could no doubt have trained for a lucrative secular career, but Paul wrote: “Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim. For bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” Yes, godly devotion is “beneficial for all things.” This was not mere speculation, for Paul added: “Faithful and deserving of full acceptance is that statement.” From personal experience, Paul knew what would open up the best way of life.​—1 Timothy 4:7-9; 2 Corinthians 6:10.

8, 9. (a) What is godly devotion? (b) What is your greatest opportunity, and why is effort needed to take advantage of it?

⁸ What is this godly devotion? It is personal attachment to God springing from a heart stirred by deep appreciation of his appealing qualities. While “godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28) means primarily reverential dread of doing anything displeasing to God, “godly devotion” is a response of the heart that will move you to live in a way that pleases God because you love him.c Such a quality of the heart leads to an “intimacy with God,” a personal relationship wherein you sense his approval and help. (Job 29:4) The opportunity to have this personal friendship with God is more valuable than anything else that may be offered to you.​—Compare Jeremiah 9:23, 24.

⁹ Does having godly parents or getting baptized as a Christian automatically bring about this relationship with God? No, because sincerity of heart must be cultivated, along with other Christian virtues. (2 Peter 1:5-8) You must become a person ‘whose heart impels’ him to render “deeds of godly devotion.” (Compare Exodus 36:2; 2 Peter 3:11; Colossians 3:22.) Though reared from infancy in the way of the truth, Timothy had to develop godly devotion. Today, too, rigorous effort is necessary, yet this godly devotion will prove to be “a means of great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) How so?

An Elevated Way of Life

10, 11. How did godly devotion elevate Timothy’s life?

¹⁰ In Ephesus, Timothy pursued godly devotion among people who were ‘walking in the unprofitableness of their minds.’ (Ephesians 4:17) What filled their minds was of no real profit but was vanity. “What a picture!” states Bible scholar R. C. H. Lenski about Ephesians 4:17. “Men with thinking, willing minds, rational creatures, walking and walking on and on throughout life, following the dictates of a mind that leads them at every step and at the end to nothing, to monumental, tragic failure!”

¹¹ Timothy could see that the Ephesians’ course of life was vain and debasing. Many worshiped the goddess Artemis, but their fanatical worship was directed to a lifeless image. It included wild orgies and ceremonial prostitution. (Acts 19:23-34) Timothy’s way of life, though, was elevated above that of the nations, who were “alienated from the life that belongs to God . . . [and] past all moral sense.” (Ephesians 2:6; 4:18, 19) His godly course in living “the life that belongs to God” had given him the greatest Friend in the universe! The opportunity to develop this relationship with the living God through godly devotion is most precious indeed! Can you lay hold on it?

12. What did one Christian youth say about the “great gain” of godly devotion? How do you feel about that?

¹² Many today worship sex, pleasure, riches, and higher education with the same intensity that the ancient Ephesians did Artemis. (Matthew 6:24; Ephesians 5:3-5; Philippians 3:19) However, those pursuing godly devotion enjoy a superior quality of life. “I look at the kids I used to run around with before I began to study the Bible,” reports one 24-year-old Christian. “Half of them are in jail. Most are on drugs, and many of the girls have illegitimate babies. Their lives are a mess. Several are even dead. I am so thankful to be able to look at my life and be proud of what I see.” Other Christian youths heartily agree!

13. Why does following the command at 2 Timothy 4:5 add meaning to life?

¹³ Those who live with godly devotion have the treasure of the ministry. (2 Corinthians 4:1, 7; 2 Timothy 4:5) This provides real purpose and challenge. Rather than the pseudo excitement of some fictional TV or movie drama, Christians involved in the ministry visit the homes of real people to help them. They deal also with real problems. What indescribable joy as they see people who have lived immoral, violent, or hopeless lives respond to Bible instruction and put away former bad habits, develop self-respect, and serve Jehovah. No other career is as meaningful or produces such lasting good!

Contentment and a Clean Conscience

14, 15. How does godly contentment as to money make for a better life?

¹⁴ “To be sure, it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency. . . . So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things. However, those who are determined to be rich . . . have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10) In 1981 a survey by Psychology Today revealed that young people think “much more” about money than any other age group. However, half the group of respondents who were most concerned about money (including wealthy and poor) complained of “constant worry and anxiety.”

¹⁵ A young man in Japan succeeded in going from ‘rags to riches,’ but in doing so he damaged his health. Later, with the help of a Bible study, he developed godly devotion. “When I think back to when my chief goal in life was to become wealthy, there is no comparison as to how much happier I’ve been since I changed my goal,” he concludes. “Truly there is nothing that can match the contentment and satisfaction that come with using one’s life in the service of the Grand Creator.”d​—Proverbs 10:22; Ecclesiastes 5:10-12.

16. What is the result to those who fail to ‘hold a good conscience’?

¹⁶ Paul urged Timothy to ‘hold a good conscience.’ How? One way was for him to treat women “with all chasteness.” (1 Timothy 1:19; 5:2) However, chastity has all but vanished from among many youths as their consciences have become seared. (1 Timothy 4:2) But immorality does not bring inner peace and satisfaction. One study considered the sexual attitudes and conduct of several hundred adolescents. Concerning those who were the most sexually promiscuous, the report stated: “They believe they are functioning with little purpose and self-contentment.” Nearly half of these felt: “The way I’m living right now, most of my abilities are going to waste.”

17. Why does ‘love out of a good conscience’ help us to get the best out of life?

¹⁷ If, in time, a couple pursue honorable marriage, they will be benefited by showing “love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience.” (1 Timothy 1:5) In 1984 the Journal of Marriage and the Family reported that a study of 309 recently married couples showed that premarital sex was associated with “significantly lower marital satisfaction for both spouses.” But what a contrast with those who are chaste! “It is such a beautiful feeling looking back and knowing I am clean,” states one young Christian wife who has now been happily married for seven years. Yes, a clean conscience is a rich reward to youths who “become an example . . . in chasteness.”​—1 Timothy 4:12.

Inner Strength

18, 19. (a) Timothy had to deal with what pressures? (b) How did God help him?

¹⁸ No doubt Timothy met with many pressures in Ephesus. The temptations of the prosperous and immoral city with its emphasis on ‘fun and games’ could bring external stress. Timothy’s apparent diffidence as well as his “frequent cases of sickness” certainly created pressures within him. (1 Timothy 5:23) But Paul reminded him: “God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind.”​—2 Timothy 1:7.

¹⁹ Indeed, how many of your peers yearn for such strength! One young woman fully overcame a life of prostitution and drug addiction. “It was only by Jehovah’s help,” she said. “There are certain times I will get those old feelings back, but I just start praying​—immediately. The ability to overcome these problems is more exciting than anything I have ever accomplished in my life!” No question about it, God can ‘infuse power’ into you and give you the inner strength to cope with any pressure and to make sound decisions.​—2 Timothy 4:17.

20, 21. (a) Relate some of the benefits of godly devotion. (b) What will be considered in the following article?

²⁰ So godly devotion brings you a host of benefits. Your “course of life” takes on a purpose that towers over the goals of those who reach only for material opportunities. (2 Timothy 3:10) As one Christian youth who gave up a college scholarship and became a full-time evangelizer exclaimed: “I have the best career anyone could want, being a teacher of the good news and helping others to learn of our loving Father! And the ‘fringe benefit’​—my own improved personality—​is better than anyone could offer. Add to that the reward of living in a paradise forever with no more sorrows. Now ask: What better life could anyone ever want?”

²¹ You may say, ‘How can I develop godly devotion?’ For an answer, read the following article.

[Footnotes]

Do You Recall?

◻ Why are material opportunities of limited value?

◻ What is your greatest opportunity?

◻ What does godly devotion provide that helps you to get the best out of life?

[Picture on page 12]

What will make you genuinely happy?

[Picture on page 14]

Timothy trained with godly devotion as his aim. This elevated his life above that of the immoral Ephesians

Train With Godly Devotion as Your Aim

“Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim.”​—1 TIMOTHY 4:7.

1. Why did one good runner fail to win?

SHE was the best runner on the team in her event. Previous victories had given her a national rating. So it was expected that she would win at this distinguished track meet. However, to the disappointment of her coach, teammates, and herself, she ran the worst race of her career. Why? “I slouched off in practice and stopped training hard,” admitted the young woman, deeply embarrassed. “My coach tried to push me to do harder workouts and warned me, but I did not listen.” Her failure to train properly cost her the victory for which she was aiming.

2. In what way must Christians train, and why should all want to know how?

² As a Christian, particularly if you are young, you also have a vital training. “Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim.” (1 Timothy 4:7) The Greek word for “be training” (gy·mnaʹzo) described the strenuous and often painful exercises that athletes performed in the gymnasium. Therefore, regarding godly devotion and its rewards, the apostle Paul added: “To this end we are working hard and exerting ourselves.” (1 Timothy 4:10) This essential quality is not something that just comes naturally or that rubs off from godly parents. But what steps must you take? Christians of all ages should want to know.

Good Communication With God

3. (a) Why is personal study so important? (b) What qualities of God draw you to him?

³ Since godly devotion involves heartfelt appreciation for Jehovah’s qualities, you need to know what he is really like. Jehovah communicates this in the Bible. But you must carefully study his Word and Bible-based publications, thereby being “nourished with the words of the faith and of the fine teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:6) Such study will help you to see “the pleasantness of Jehovah.”​—Psalm 27:4.

4. What experiences show the value of personal study, and what questions should you seriously consider?

⁴ “It makes you feel closer to Jehovah the more you learn about him,” states a 22-year-old, full-time evangelizer (pioneer). “When I read prophecies and see how they are fulfilled, it makes me stand in awe of him. Personal study is what really helps me.” A 16-year-old, who had been severely depressed, wrote about one of the articles in the series “Young People Ask” that appears regularly in the Awake! magazine: “Just when I had given up all hope, this article came out. I was so excited I could not put it down! It made me feel so much closer to Jehovah, and I realized that he understands and cares very much. I feel now I can cope.”a Do you make it a point to read each issue of our journals? Though it requires exertion, do you make time to nourish your mind and heart by personal Bible study? By doing your own research, you can really prove for yourself that you have the truth. When such knowledge reaches the heart, it almost certainly will motivate you, for it is “the teaching that accords with godly devotion.”​—1 Timothy 6:3; Romans 12:2.

5, 6. What kind of prayers draw you closer to God? Illustrate.

⁵ Good communication with God also involves heartfelt and specific prayers. These help toward building a personal friendship with Jehovah. When you make mistakes, be willing to plead as did David: “The sins of my youth and my revolts O do not remember.” (Psalm 25:7, 11) And know that he will forgive you if you are repentant. Learn to linger in prayer, pouring out your heart. One youth, though reared in a godly home, had allowed a speech impediment to hinder her involvement in the true religion. “Then one night,” revealed this 22-year-old, “I begged Jehovah, ‘Help me to want to serve you, and not just because the elders or my parents want me to.’” How her life began to change! Despite her stuttering, she became fully involved in the ministry. Joyfully she declares, “I trust in Jehovah a whole lot more now because I know he always comes through.”​—Psalm 62:8.

⁶ One young Christian prayed specifically regarding her plans to pioneer. When her prayers were answered, she exclaimed: “I knew Jehovah was real and that he cares for us! Before this I thought I had a relationship with him, but now he is more like a friend​—my best one.” Jehovah will not always answer in some spectacular way, but if you are earnest and work in harmony with your prayers, you will come to appreciate his loving guidance.​—Psalm 145:18.

Hold a Good Conscience

7. What is the conscience, and why must you hold a good one?

⁷ When Paul urged Timothy to continue “holding . . . a good conscience,” the apostle knew that it would require determined effort. (1 Timothy 1:19) Why so? Our conscience is our God-given capacity to examine ourselves and pass judgment on what we have done or contemplate doing. It can either ‘accuse’ us, painfully condemning our course, or ‘excuse’ us, approving what we do as right. (Romans 2:15) But if it becomes warped, it can send out defective messages. Some with defective consciences can act like ruthless animals, yet the ‘inner voice’ does not ‘accuse’ them. They can even “publicly declare they know God” but “disown him by their works.” How can you guard against developing a defective conscience?​—Titus 1:10-16.

8. How did some in the first century “thrust aside” a good conscience.

⁸ Paul had told Timothy that some Christians had “thrust aside” their good conscience by ‘paying attention to false stories’ and “empty speeches that violate what is holy.” (1 Timothy 1:4, 19, 20; 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16-18) Because they listened to these things, their faith was subverted, and this resulted in spiritual shipwreck. Paul, however, showed that other things besides apostate teachings were “in opposition to the healthful teaching.” At 1 Timothy 1:9, 10 he lists such things as murder, fornication, and homosexuality.

9, 10. (a) What can be learned from the example of a Christian couple who failed to hold a good conscience? (b) How can we prevent our conscience from becoming seared?

⁹ Today violence and sexual immorality pervade movie and TV presentations as well as the printed page. If we feed our mind on such, our conscience can gradually become seared. This happened to a young Christian couple who committed fornication shortly before their wedding day. “I think it had to do with what we had been watching on TV,” admitted the young woman. “You see persons all the time necking and petting, so it does not seem to be serious. You get used to it. So we started doing it. If I had only thought more about how serious it was!” Before she realized it, she lost her good conscience. The young man added: “I also had a problem with masturbation, and this sears your conscience so it is not so hard to engage in necking and petting and then finally in fornication.” Though they seemed to be setting a good example before others, what they watched for entertainment, together with a secret unclean practice, had worked toward deadening the conscience just as flesh is cauterized by repeated touches from a red-hot branding iron.​—1 Timothy 4:2.

¹⁰ Could your conscience be similarly deadened by what you watch or read for entertainment? Are you really working hard to overcome any bad habit that could defile your conscience? For your protection, you could take positive action by reading​—and rereading—​Bible-based literature that specially deals with your problem or by discussing the problem with an elder. A good, clean conscience is a precious gift from God that will help you to develop godly devotion. Do not let anything cause you to lose it!

Choose Proper Associates

11, 12. (a) What warning is given at 2 Timothy 2:20, 21? (b) How can you heed that warning?

¹¹ The apostle Paul writes: “In a large house [the congregation] there are vessels not only of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for an honorable purpose but others for a purpose lacking honor. If, therefore, anyone keeps clear of the latter ones, he will be a vessel for an honorable purpose, sanctified, useful to his owner, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20, 21) Our emotions and conduct are greatly affected by those whom we choose as friends. Obviously, unbelievers are not the best associates. But Paul here shows frankly that even within the congregation there could be persons who are undesirable associates. True, you may find such ones fun to be around, but their influence will never help you to “flee from the desires incidental to youth” or to develop godly devotion. Reach out for upbuilding associates within the congregation. Paul continues in 2Ti 2 verse 22: “Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call upon the Lord out of a clean heart.”​—Compare Philippians 4:8, 9.

¹² Take the case of one Christian youth who, despite godly training, was always getting into trouble. “It was largely because of the people I was associating with,” she said. When she saw her life becoming a failure, she changed her friends. She concludes: “If you have friends around you who love Jehovah, it helps you to keep a sensitive conscience and stay out of trouble. When they express disgust for wrongdoing, it makes you feel the same way.” By keeping clear of questionable associates, she has become a vessel “useful to [her] owner, prepared for every good work.” Having served for ten years as a pioneer, she adds: “I find that now Jehovah has used me to help others.”​—2 Timothy 2:21; Proverbs 15:31.

13. How can you determine who are good associates, and how may they influence you?

¹³ Hence, realistically consider your associates. Do they pursue righteousness, faith, principled love, and peace? Are they full of Christian zeal? By making such ones your close companions, you yourself may become an example in speaking, in conduct, in love, in faith, in chasteness, just as did Timothy, the close associate of Paul. This does not mean that you should become cold or unfriendly toward less exemplary ones. Your joyful example may stir these, also, to make straight paths for their feet.​—1 Timothy 4:12; Hebrews 12:12-15.

Make Sacrifices for God

14, 15. (a) What was required of ancient athletes while training? (b) What work requires sacrifice, and what good examples do we have?

¹⁴ During Timothy’s day, while athletes were in training they exercised “self-control in all things,” denying themselves many legitimate pleasures. (1 Corinthians 9:25) They followed a strict diet. According to Horace, poet of the first century B.C.E., they “abstained from women and wine” to “reach the longed-for goal.” Similarly, to train with godly devotion as your aim requires sacrifice. Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else of a disposition like his . . . for all the others are seeking their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But . . . he slaved with me in furtherance of the good news.”​—Philippians 2:19-22.

¹⁵ Timothy was commanded: “Do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:5) Regardless of how appealing any of his personal interests might have been, he sacrificed these to complete God’s work. Are you willing to do the same? Today some young Christians who are free of heavy Scriptural responsibilities have pursued higher education or high-paying full-time jobs rather than making the Christian ministry their career. One of these was eagerly awaiting such a job. However, before he started work, he accepted the invitation to work with a pioneer couple in the field service all summer. He loved it. As a result, he sacrificed that coveted full-time job and took less interesting part-time work in order to pioneer. With this same Timothy-like spirit, he now serves at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The willingness to sacrifice is evidence of genuine love, and the sacrifices deepen that love, as he found out.

16. What are some sacrifices that young people may have to make?

¹⁶ As “a preacher and an apostle,” Paul emphasized the desirability of modesty in dress. Would you be willing to sacrifice a certain style of dress or grooming that could upset others or hinder your effectiveness as a preacher? (1 Timothy 2:7-10) Continuing, Paul wrote: “All those desiring to live with godly devotion . . . will also be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Are you willing to stand up for the truth when it may mean ridicule, sacrificing a favored position with your classmates? All such sacrifices done with the right motive will help you to develop godly devotion and at the same time teach you to rely on Jehovah and consider his feelings above all else.

Keep Advancing

17. In making advancement, how was Timothy an example for young ministers today?

¹⁷ Developing godly devotion is an ongoing process. Paul told Timothy: “Ponder over these things; be absorbed in them, that your advancement may be manifest to all persons.” (1 Timothy 4:15) Some, because of being too young to be a ministerial servant or an elder, may feel unable to advance, thinking that progress is measured solely by congregational responsibilities and privileges. True, Timothy had qualified not only in spiritual development but also in years to serve as an elder. But Timothy was to continue applying himself, and in this he set an outstanding example for all young ministers to follow in whatever field may be open to them.​—1 Timothy 4:12, 13.

18. In what ways can young Christians make advancement?

¹⁸ So, like Timothy, you maturing servant of Jehovah can be “an example to the faithful ones” by letting the truth deeply influence the way you live and by improving in your ministry. Right now you can strive to advance by learning to cultivate such qualities as being moderate in habits, orderly, hospitable, and serious. By making yourself available to the elders and by taking seriously any task they ask you to perform, you can work toward proving your ‘fitness under test.’ (1 Timothy 3:1, 2, 8-10) Even if your progress is not quickly recognized by others, be assured that Jehovah sees. In time, others will also.​—1 Timothy 5:25.

19. Despite the effort, why should you train with godly devotion as your aim?

¹⁹ Never forget that it is by developing godly devotion that you may attain to an approved personal relationship with Jehovah. Lack of spiritual training results in a loss far greater than that of the embarrassed runner mentioned at the outset of this article. Developing godly devotion is hard work. But all over the world, multitudes of joyful young voices thunder: IT IS WORTH ALL THE EFFORT! Gaining this quality leads to a satisfying way of life now, with no regrets, and it opens up the hope of eternal happiness. So keep training. Continue to do your best, even when it is difficult. Take comfort that “the God of all undeserved kindness . . . will himself finish your training, he will make you firm, he will make you strong. To him be the might forever. Amen.”​—1 Peter 5:10, 11.

[Footnotes]

Can You Answer?

◻ What effort is needed to maintain good communication with God?

◻ What is involved in holding a good conscience?

◻ How may 2 Timothy 2:20-22 be applied in developing godly devotion?

◻ How can young Christians make advancement?

[Box on page 17]

Some Qualities of Our Warmhearted God

◼ He has feelings. Therefore, our actions can cause him either to “feel hurt” or to rejoice.​—Psalm 78:40; Proverbs 27:11.

◼ While humans often look just at another’s appearance, he “sees what the heart is.”​—1 Samuel 16:7.

◼ He cares for us and invites us to throw our anxieties upon him, and he is “a stronghold in the day of distress.”​—Nahum 1:7; 1 Peter 5:7.

◼ He is called “the happy God,” and he “takes delight” in his servants.​—1 Timothy 1:11; Psalm 35:27.

◼ He will never act unjustly or show partiality.​—Job 34:10; Acts 10:34, 35.

◼ While not condoning wrongdoing, when we repent over a mistake or a weakness, he is “ready to forgive,” not doing “to us even according to our sins” nor bringing “upon us what we deserve.”​—Psalm 86:5; 103:8-14.

◼ He is approachable, and he encourages his loyal creatures to use their abilities. Despite his infinite wisdom, he listens to suggestions. “Your own humility will make me great,” wrote King David.​—Psalm 18:35; 1 Kings 22:19-22.

[Picture on page 20]

Many Christians find deeper joy in the ministry than in high-paying jobs

Train Your Child to Develop Godly Devotion

“Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.”​—PROVERBS 22:6.

1. What must be reached to train a child successfully, and why?

A CIRCUS performer trying to teach her son the art of the trapeze noticed he had trouble getting over the bars. “If you will just throw your heart over the bars,” she suggested, “your body will follow.” Similarly, those who are ‘training up’ their child to develop godly devotion must motivate the heart. This is especially difficult during the teenage years.​—Proverbs 4:23.

2. Why are the teenage years difficult, and how can parents help?

² “For years it was not hard to find out what was going on deep inside my boys,” stated a Christian father in Germany. “But that changed like a bolt of lightning as soon as they entered puberty.” During this time of transition to adulthood, many new and exciting desires, fueled by body and hormonal changes, affect a young person’s heart. Yet all too often such years are marred by painful mistakes. Even faithful Job bemoaned facing “the consequences of the errors of [his] youth.” (Job 13:26) Emotional pressures can create “anxious care in the heart” of a young person. Proverbs 12:25 says that this will cause the heart “to bow down, but the good word is what makes it rejoice.” How can you help your child with good communication during these critical years?

Heart Communication

3, 4. (a) How did the counseling approaches of Elihu and of Job’s three “friends” differ? (b) What will hinder heart communication?

³ Consider the contrast in the counseling approaches of Elihu and of the three “friends” of Job. This will make clear what will, or will not, promote communication. Elihu was a good listener. While the others remained aloof, never acknowledging their own human frailties, he said: “Look! I am to the true God just what you are; from the clay I was shaped, I too.” He urged Job to ‘reply,’ speak his heart, and not to be terrified. (Job 33:5-7) On the other hand, the three “friends” put on an appearance of sympathizing with and comforting Job, but they listened with minds already made up. “Hear, please, my counterarguments, and to the pleadings of my lips pay attention,” implored Job without effect. (Job 13:6) Yes, their approach had raised a barrier.

⁴ If not careful, a parent can raise similar barriers without realizing it. So hear your child out. (Proverbs 18:13) Think over carefully how your reply will come across. “There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.” (Proverbs 12:18) True, at times the attitude and/​or words of a youngster can irritate. But remember, behind such “wild talk” may be a heart laden with turmoil. Thoughtfully use your tongue to heal.​—Job 6:2, 3.

5. (a) What will help a parent to draw out the intentions of the child’s heart? (b) How can referring back to the Society’s publications help?

⁵ Attentive listening, which includes tactful questions, will help draw out the child and make it easier for him to talk about what is bothering him. (Proverbs 20:5) “A lot of times my son would start a conversation at a seemingly inappropriate time and just say one or two sentences, perhaps about an incident in school,” observed the mother of an 18-year-old. “But it was up to me to kindly ‘draw up’ what was in his heart with questions such as, ‘Then what happened?’ Or, ‘How did you feel about it?’ Or, ‘What did you do or say?’ This is what he was looking for, and he opened up with his problem. But this took a lot of time!” Take such time with your child! Perhaps during long walks or while relaxing together, get to know what is on his mind. Many parents have found that, by referring back to information provided over the years in the Watch Tower Society’s publications, they are helped to understand their youngsters better and to have meaningful discussions with them. As a result, heartfelt dialogue has increased among family members. However, more than good communication is needed to develop godly devotion.

Promote Spiritual Nourishment

6, 7. What did Timothy’s mother accomplish, and how can parents imitate her?

⁶ Timothy’s mother was not passive regarding the spiritual matters that meant life for her son. Of him it was written: “From infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation.” (2 Timothy 3:15) Similarly today, those parents whose children develop godly devotion are intensely concerned about their children’s spiritual nourishment. They teach them to do personal study at an early age.

⁷ Have you seen to it that your child has his own Bible literature and prepares for the congregation meetings? Do you strongly encourage him to schedule time to dig into the treasures of the Word of God? (Proverbs 2:1-5; 1 John 2:14) While at the meetings, do you sit with him to provide encouragement for his mind​—and heart—​not to wander? Is he urged to participate? (Hebrews 10:23-25) Do you maintain a regular family study that provides knowledge relevant to your child’s specific needs? Give thought to these questions.​—Proverbs 24:5.

“Make Jehovah Real”

8. Where does Deuteronomy 11:18, 19 show that godly devotion must start, and how can parents apply this with a child today?

⁸ However, simply filling a head with facts may leave the heart and conscience untouched. To develop a good conscience, your child must see that Jehovah is a person who is dynamic and intensely interested in him and in what he does. But first a love for Jehovah must fill your own heart and move you to speak regularly of his loving care and his greatness. You must love and live the truth. When asked how her children, both full-time evangelizers, developed such strong love for God, a mother in England explained: “By speaking to them of how real Jehovah is. He has aided me so much that I could not help but make Jehovah real to them. Everything centers around him.” Train your child, also, to talk to Jehovah “with every form of prayer and supplication . . . [carrying] on prayer on every occasion in spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18) Let the child hear your earnest, heartfelt prayers and discuss with him the contents of his own.​—Deuteronomy 11:1, 2, 18, 19; Proverbs 20:7.

9. How can parents use real-life examples to train a child’s conscience?

⁹ The youthful conscience can be powerfully influenced by real-life examples. (Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10.) From time to time you may hear of individuals who suffer because of breaking God’s laws. In a nonaccusing manner, discuss such examples with your child, thereby helping him to appreciate Paul’s words: “You can’t fool God. Whatever you sow you’ll reap.” (Galatians 6:7, Beck) For a positive example, discuss together the moving Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. You will be helping your child to gain “the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16) But you have to make the accounts live! Encourage the child to visualize the dramatic scenes and to reflect on the masterful way Jesus handled matters. Select material from Bible-based publications that detail Jesus’ life and personal qualities, and to add variety, use these occasionally on your family study.a

10. How can you help your child “to know the love of the Christ”?

¹⁰ Your child must also strive to imitate Christ’s example. Only then will the youth by actual experience get “to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge.” (Ephesians 3:19) Therefore, encourage him to imitate more closely Jesus’ hatred of lawlessness, his love of people, his zeal for his Father’s worship, his mercy and bigheartedness, and his willingness to withstand ridicule. (Hebrews 1:9; Mark 6:34; John 4:34; Luke 23:34; 1 Peter 2:23) Warmly commend your child when he responds. He must see that, though we are imperfect, the closer we follow the Master’s pattern the happier we are and the better tuned our conscience becomes. We also draw closer to God, since Jesus reflects his Father’s personality. (John 14:6-10) Always remind your child to value this relationship. As one successful Christian mother of four said: “My husband never lets a day go by without putting his arm around each one and telling them how much he loves them and how proud he knows Jehovah must be of their conduct. ‘Jehovah loves you,’ he says. ‘Don’t let him down.’”​—Proverbs 27:11.

The Need for Loving Discipline

11. Why does every child need discipline?

¹¹ Despite being taught by God “from [his] youth on,” David still pleaded, “The sins of my youth and my revolts O do not remember.” (Psalm 71:5, 17; 25:7) Yes, every child has ‘foolishness tied up with his heart.’ But “the rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15) This “rod” of parental authority often may be a word of correction or a firm restriction. So when the treacherous heart of your child craves to do something harmful, there is need for firmness to say no!​—Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 29:17, 19, 21.

12, 13. How can you make discipline effective?

¹² In disciplining, especially when punishing, follow the pattern of Jehovah who ‘corrects according to what is right.’ Isaiah 28:26-29 shows that he is like the farmer who uses discernment in determining which instrument to use for effective threshing of different kinds of grains and how long to thresh, not ‘incessantly treading it out.’ So ask yourself: Is the restriction reasonable in the light of my child’s age and progress toward maturity? Is the punishment in proportion to the seriousness of the wrong deed as well as consistent and not simply due to my mood? And does the child really know why he is being punished?​—Job 6:24.

¹³ Unreasonable restrictions or inconsistent discipline will irritate or exasperate the child.b (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21) Yet loving firmness will protect your child from circumstances that can destroy all the good teachings that you have stored in his heart. Especially is this important regarding his associations. (Proverbs 13:20; 28:7) But what if after all your effort your child gets into real trouble?

When Trouble Strikes

14. Why should a parent not give up quickly when a child becomes involved in serious trouble?

¹⁴ Painful disappointment has caused some parents to give up quickly on an erring child. While Jehovah gave fitting punishment and reproof, he was not quick to give up on the ancient nation of Israel that once was like a “son” to him. (Hosea 11:1; 2 Chronicles 36:15, 16; Psalm 78:37, 38; Nehemiah 9:16, 17) Just as ancient trainers were able to dress wounds and set fractures when an athlete got injured, parents must now strive to “straighten up the hands that hang down . . . that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather that it may be healed.”​—Hebrews 12:12, 13.

15. How can a parent apply Galatians 6:1 in restoring an erring child?

¹⁵ To straighten out a child who is spiritually “lame” and to prevent his condition from worsening requires readjusting the child’s thinking. “Even though a man [or a child] takes some false step before he is aware of it,” counseled Paul, “you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness.” (Galatians 6:1) The Greek word rendered “readjust” was a medical term used during Paul’s time for ‘setting bones.’ Certainly this painful procedure required the utmost skill to prevent a broken bone from becoming a lifelong handicap. The same basic word is translated “mending” (nets) and “to make good.” (Mark 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 3:10) To “mend” a youngster’s heart, endeavor with the “art of teaching” to reach him. Rather than verbally fighting, follow the vital Bible suggestion: “Be gentle . . . keeping [yourself] restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed; as perhaps God may give them repentance.”​—2 Timothy 2:24-26; 3:16; 4:2.

16. (a) What adjustments may have to be made to regain an erring child? (b) What should be made clear to the child?

¹⁶ To readjust a child’s erroneous thinking requires that a parent intensify his training efforts. The parent may need to make adjustments in his life-style to give the necessary attention. In a parable that shows the appropriate effort to regain “one sinner,” Jesus describes a woman who virtually dropped everything to recover her lost drachma coin. (Luke 15:7-10) A child trained in godliness can become overwhelmed with feelings of worthlessness and guilt when his sin comes to light, so a parent may need to confirm his love for the child. Help the child to see that it is his conduct that is disliked, not himself, and that this conduct can be corrected.​—Jude 23.

17, 18. (a) How did one father restore his son? (b) What usually brings success?

¹⁷ One father, whose son was disciplined by the congregation for immorality, began to take long walks with his son several times a week, engaging in long, relaxed conversations. He also selected Bible-based publications that dealt with his son’s specific needs. The father studied these with him, in addition to having the lad share in the study that the father had with the whole family. The parent adjusted his work load as a congregation elder to give his son the full emotional and mental attention he needed. The boy was restored.

¹⁸ However, at times a son or a daughter may become totally rebellious, even ‘despising obedience.’c (Proverbs 30:17) Happily, such extreme situations are rare among God’s people. How encouraging to know that, in the vast majority of situations, when the parents​—while not condoning the wrong conduct—​do not quickly give up on the child but patiently try to reach him, the results are good!

Hard Work​—But Worth It!

19. How can you imitate the example of Mary in caring for your family?

¹⁹ Rearing children, especially in these “last days,” is a formidable task. Parents who take such responsibility seriously are to be commended! Continually evaluate your priorities. Never let the anxiety to provide “many things” of a material nature for your loved ones prevent you from grasping spiritual opportunities with them. Remember, Jesus told Martha that only “a few things, though, are needed, or just one.” Yes, a simple meal was sufficient. Be like Mary, who enjoyed a spiritually good time with Jesus. Choose “the good portion” for your family by engaging in spiritual activities as a family.​—Luke 10:38-42.

20. What rewards await successful Christian parents?

²⁰ Some years after successfully helping her six children to love Jehovah, a parent received a card from one of them. In part it read: “Mom, I love you very much, much more than you will ever know. Thanks for giving me direction and guidance . . . You gave me the best hope in the world and that is the truth. Thanks for saving my life.” How this mother rejoiced! As Proverbs 23:24, 25 states: “You can take pride in a wise son [or daughter]. Let your father and mother be proud of you; give your mother that happiness.” (Today’s English Version) With Jehovah’s help, may such happiness be yours!

[Footnotes]

What Do You Say?

◻ How can a parent improve heart communication with a child?

◻ What will help a child to develop a good conscience?

◻ What will make discipline effective?

◻ How can an erring child be restored?

[Picture on page 23]

Attentive listening, even when inconvenient, will encourage heartfelt communication

[Picture on page 25]

It is a real challenge to assure a child of your love and to reach his heart when he has seriously erred

Annual Meeting​—October 5, 1985

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the members of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania on October 5, 1985, will be held at the Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 973 Flatbush Avenue in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York City. A preliminary meeting of the members only will be held at 9:30 a.m., followed by the general annual meeting at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 5, 1985.

It will be appreciated if the members of the Corporation will inform the Secretary’s Office of any change in their mailing addresses during the past year so that the regular letters of notice and proxies can reach them shortly after August 15.

The proxies, which will be sent to the members along with the notice of the annual meeting, are to be returned so as to reach the Office of the Secretary of the Society not later than September 1. As each member knows, he should complete and return his proxy promptly, stating whether he is going to be at the meeting personally or not. The information given on each proxy should be definite on this point, as it will be relied upon in determining in advance those who will actually be personally present.

It is expected that the entire session, including the formal business meeting and reports, will be concluded by 1:00 p.m. or shortly thereafter. There will be no afternoon session. Due to limited space, admission will be by ticket only. No arrangements will be made for tying in the annual meeting by telephone lines to other locations.

Bermuda Rejoices in Kingdom Increase

“JEHOVAH himself has become king! Let the earth be joyful. Let the many islands rejoice.” So sang the Biblical psalmist. (Psalm 97:1) Among these “many islands” is Bermuda, a self-governing British colony in the West Atlantic, some 700 miles (1,100 km) southeast of New York City.

With its famous pink beaches and clear blue waters, Bermuda certainly is one of the beauties among the islands of the Atlantic. Visitors are delighted by its charming way of life. “In place of automobile horns, factory whistles, traffic lights, skyscrapers, subways, and hurrying throngs,” a longtime admirer once observed, “there was the clippety-clop of horses’ hoofs, the jingle of bicycle bells, carriage drivers wearing pith helmets, ‘bobbies’ directing traffic that keeps to the left, business men in shorts, veranda cafés, the dazzling cleanliness of pastel-colored buildings and low, white-roofed houses.”

That observation was made in 1939. What about today? Modern travel and communication have made this small group of islands very much a part of Western society. This has brought many advantages and material prosperity. But has this resulted in a totally joyful way of life for the islanders? Not really.

To illustrate, one newspaper recently said: “Premier gives Bermudians a stern warning . . . the Island’s economy was facing serious challenges.” A later article reported: “Minister says changes must be made, tourism sinking.”

Compared with many other places, Bermuda may still seem rather paradisaic. Nevertheless, crime is reported to be rising at about 4 percent a year. Other newspaper articles speak of “the existence of a hard drug culture in Bermuda” and the “Saturday night specials or deadly automatics” that “are back on streets.” No wonder that a recent survey revealed that “about one Bermudian in four thinks that conditions are not as good now as they were in the past and will get worse in the next five years.”

Yet, is there hope for a brighter future? Can Bermudians find a sound basis for happiness and true joy?

Joyful Message Comes to Bermuda

The hope of a joyful future through God’s Kingdom first reached Bermuda in 1913. At that time a Bible Student named Nelson distributed some Watch Tower publications in the islands. Later, however, local authorities asked him to leave.

Religious prejudice against Jehovah’s Witnesses persisted for many years. Thus, in 1933, the Roberts family from the West Indies was forced to leave Bermuda. Many others experienced similar treatment​—simply for trying to spread the Bible’s joyful message. Among them was Fredricia “Freddy” Johnson, who in the 1930’s often visited these islands as a full-time minister of the good news. In 1940, however, she was haled into court and told: “You are not the kind of person we want in Bermuda, and the sooner you leave the better.”

Despite continuing pressure, Kingdom proclaimers did not cease to spread the Bible’s joyous message. In 1945 two graduates of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead arrived. Although they were deported in 1947, for some 19 months they had carried out a fruitful ministry, helping the islanders to learn what the hope of Jehovah’s Witnesses is and what type of people they are. The Witnesses let their conduct speak for them, and Jehovah rewarded their persistent efforts.

Two specially trained graduates of Gilead School arrived in 1951. By this time, the authorities had developed a more tolerant attitude toward the Witnesses.

Kingdom Increase Brings Joy

In 1950 there were only five Kingdom publishers associated with the one congregation in Bermuda. Ten years later, the number of publishers had risen to 43, and by 1970, 118 Witnesses of Jehovah were serving joyously in that congregation. Another decade gave evidence of Kingdom increase as the number of congregations had risen to four, with a total of 214 publishers. By January of 1985, more than 310 individuals associated with these congregations were actively sharing their joyous hope with others.

However, it is not just the numerical growth that brings joy. It is seeing the changes in the lives of those who embrace the good news that brings delight. While more and more people, young and old, turn to drugs and alcohol, others are taking up the truly happy way of life.

For example, Randy became involved in the use of drugs at the age of 12. “Due to my bad associations, I started off with marijuana. This led to such hard drugs as speed and LSD. My first 15 trips were beautiful​—or so I thought at the time. Then the bad trips started. On one occasion, I spent four to five hours drinking milk and water because I thought my insides were on fire. Another frightening experience was sitting in a corner thinking my body was shrinking and at the same time my feet were getting larger and larger. If I had had a gun at that time, I would have shot myself. . . .

“Hardly a day went by that I did not smoke marijuana.  . . . I also lived a very immoral life, which at the time seemed to me to be quite normal.”

After living in this way for 11 years, Randy came in touch with the truth. His brother and sister had begun studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, and his sister would leave Bible literature in his room. He never read it. Then one day he was attracted by the cover of an Awake! magazine on the subject of world peace. He read the magazine with interest and admitted this to his sister, who immediately gave him the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. “I took it to work with me every day,” said Randy, “and in one week I read it through. This was the first book I had read from cover to cover.”

Randy’s brother invited him to attend a meeting at the Kingdom Hall, but he was somewhat reluctant because he “hated to dress up.” However, he did attend and now says: “Since then I have never stopped enjoying these wonderful arrangements that Jehovah is providing.” Shortly thereafter, he was baptized in symbol of his dedication to Jehovah God. “From then on I spent 75 to 90 hours a month telling others of my hope for the future,” continued Randy. “I especially made sure I told all my former friends about this good news.” In time Randy married a zealous preacher of the good news. In January 1983 she became a regular pioneer. One year later he was able to join her in this purposeful and joyous way of service to Jehovah. Also, for over six years now he has served as an appointed elder in one of the local congregations. Says Randy: “I thank Jehovah every day for opening my heart to the truth!”

Many other individuals in Bermuda have been able to change their lives and become better and happier husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. Especially among the youth and young adult population do we see keen interest in a reliable hope for the future. Consider one family that provides a fine example of this.

Gretchen first started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1961. She could see the error in the doctrines taught by other religions, so she expected to find something wrong in the things she was taught by the Witnesses. But she could not do so. Gretchen was baptized in 1963. Today, over 20 years later, two of her sons and three of her daughters also serve as baptized and joyful witnesses of Jehovah.

Joyful Service Ahead

All these young people, along with their spiritual brothers and sisters older in years, are reaping the joys of sacred service to Jehovah.

During 1984, there was a ratio of one Witness to every 170 inhabitants. But is there hope of greater Kingdom increase? Indeed there is, for about 300 home Bible studies are now being conducted with interested persons. Clearly, then, there are grand prospects of further Kingdom increase that will surely bring greater joy to Bermuda.

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Hamilton

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ATLANTIC OCEAN

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Kingdom Halls​—centers of true worship in Bermuda

Do You Remember?

Have you enjoyed the last several issues of The Watchtower? See if you can remember the following points:

◻ What can help Christians to overcome secret faults?

Christians who want to please Jehovah should live with an awareness that they cannot hide their faults from God. Also, they should accept Jehovah’s help to overcome such weaknesses. (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Philippians 4:13)​—4/15, page 20.

◻ What challenge involving Christian maturity should each servant of Jehovah seriously consider?

Is Jehovah’s servant willing and eager to accept the responsibility that comes with being a full-grown, mature spiritual person? Or is he content merely to coast along, letting others shoulder that responsibility for him? (Galatians 6:4, 5)​—5/1, pages 9, 10.

◻ How can we show kindness by cultivating true friendship?

Kindness on our part is shown when we let the others know that we appreciate them. This we can do by listening to others and not dominating the conversation by talking exclusively about ourselves. Kindness is further shown by watching what we say to others. (Proverbs 12:18)​—5/15, page 4.

◻ What did Jesus mean when he said at Mark 9:50: “Have salt in yourselves”?

Jesus was referring to his disciples’ being considerate, tactful, wholesome, and peaceable in word and conduct​—acting in good taste toward one another.​—5/15, page 24.

◻ What are some facts that argue against Jesus’ having been born on December 25?

December is a rainy, cold season in Bethlehem, so shepherds would not be out at night with their flocks. The people would not likely have been asked by the Roman Caesar to travel in winter for registration because the Jews were already at the point of revolting against the Romans.​—6/1, page 8.

◻ Why should baptism be a time for meditation and sober thought by candidates?

Baptism is the time when an individual shows that he has made a vital decision​—to submit to God as the Sovereign Lord and, as a Witness for Jehovah, to be no part of the world. (Luke 3:21; Matthew 4:10; 1 John 5:19)​—6/1, page 31.

◻ What did Gabriel mean when he said at Luke 1:37: “With God no declaration will be an impossibility”?

Gabriel’s words do not mean that God can say just anything but, rather, that no word or declaration given by Jehovah can go unfulfilled. (Isaiah 55:10, 11)​—6/15, page 14.

◻ How do Jehovah’s people today feed on “every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth” (Matthew 4:4)?

This feeding is not done simply by personally reading and studying God’s Word the Bible, but it is by Jehovah’s people experiencing, collectively and individually, the wonderful way in which Jehovah fulfills his utterances toward his people, acting on their behalf.​—6/15, page 17.

◻ What are some chief characteristics of the Hindu religion?

Hindu worshipers are not governed by any central body; there is no set form of worship; their source of beliefs is not any one book like the Bible; but, instead, over the centuries a vast array of Hindu writings have appeared, and six different schools of philosophy have been developed.​—7/1, page 4.

◻ How did Christians in the first century act toward someone who was not an expelled wrongdoer, but who willfully renounced the Christian way?

The apostle John gave counsel about persons who had ‘gone out from among us’ and about those who brought false teaching. (1 John 2:19) At 2 John 10 he advised that Christians were not to ‘receive such persons into their home’ or greet them. The word “apostasy” is from a Greek word that has the sense of ‘desertion, abandonment, or rebellion,’ and a person who had willfully and formally disassociated himself from the Christian congregation would have matched such a description. Loyal Christians would not have wanted to fellowship with such an apostate.​—7/15, page 31.

◻ How can the true religion be determined?

True religion should meet God’s standards of truth as laid down in the Bible; it ought to produce the peaceable fruit of love; and it must also honor God’s name, Jehovah.​—7/15, page 7.

The Pastor Forgot to Go to Church

The following experience from the African country of Kenya shows the appeal of the instructive publication My Book of Bible Stories.

A copy of this book was placed with a pastor one morning shortly before his church service was to begin. He immediately started to look at it and became so engrossed that he forgot to go to church to conduct the religious service. In time, two ministers of the church were sent to his home, where they found him reading the Bible Stories book. The pastor started explaining to them how fascinating the book was. These also became engrossed in it and neglected to return.

After a while, the others in church went to the house of the pastor and, to their surprise, found the three men discussing My Book of Bible Stories. The result? Instead of the regular church service that morning, there was an informal discussion of the Bible Stories book. Many wanted their own copies and requested that a missionary of Jehovah’s Witnesses bring them one.

This 256-page, beautifully illustrated book gives the reader a broad idea of what the Bible is all about. You can obtain a copy. Simply fill in and mail the accompanying coupon along with a contribution of $2.50.

Please send, postpaid, the hardbound My Book of Bible Stories, for which I enclose $2.50 (U.S.).