1, 2. (a) How do we know that humans can become God’s friends? (b) What will we consider in this article?

FROM the moment we are born to the moment we die, we need love. Humans need close and loving friendships, not just romantic love. But most of all, we need love from Jehovah. Many people do not believe that humans can have a close and loving friendship with God because he is invisible and almighty. But we know the truth!

² We know from the Bible that humans have become God’s friends. We should learn from their examples. Why? Because friendship with God is the most important goal we can have in life. So let us consider the example of Abraham. (Read James 2:23.) How did he become God’s friend? Abraham’s close friendship with God was based on faith, and he is known as “the father of all those having faith.” (Romans 4:11) As you consider his example, ask yourself, ‘How can I imitate Abraham’s faith and strengthen my friendship with Jehovah?’

HOW DID ABRAHAM BECOME JEHOVAH’S FRIEND?

3, 4. (a) Describe what was likely Abraham’s greatest test of faith. (b) Why was Abraham willing to sacrifice Isaac?

³ Imagine Abraham at about 125 years of age walking slowly up a mountain.^[1] (See endnote.) Behind him was his son Isaac, who was about 25 years old. Isaac carried firewood, and Abraham carried a knife and the things needed to start a fire. That journey was probably the hardest trip of Abraham’s life. But it was not because of his old age. He still had a lot of energy. Instead, that journey was difficult because Jehovah had asked him to sacrifice his son!​—Genesis 22:1-8.

⁴ That was probably the greatest test of Abraham’s faith. Some people say that God was cruel for asking Abraham to sacrifice his son. And others say that Abraham was willing to do this because he did not love his son. People say such things because they do not have faith and do not know what true faith is or how it works. (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) But Abraham did not blindly obey God, that is, obey him without thinking. He obeyed because he had true faith. He knew that Jehovah would never ask him to do anything that would cause permanent harm. Abraham knew that if he obeyed, Jehovah would bless him and his dear son. What did Abraham need in order to have such strong faith? He needed knowledge and experience.

5. How may Abraham have learned about Jehovah, and how did that knowledge make him feel?

⁵ Knowledge. Abraham grew up in a city called Ur. People there worshipped false gods, and his father did too. (Joshua 24:2) So how did Abraham learn about Jehovah? The Bible shows that Noah’s son Shem was Abraham’s relative. And he lived until Abraham was about 150 years old. Shem was a man of great faith, and he probably talked to his relatives about Jehovah. We do not know for sure, but it is possible that this is how Abraham learned about Jehovah. What Abraham learned made him love Jehovah, and that knowledge helped him to build faith.

6, 7. How did Abraham’s experiences strengthen his faith?

⁶ Experience. How did Abraham gain experience that strengthened his faith in Jehovah? Some say that thoughts lead to feelings and feelings lead to actions. Abraham’s heart was moved by what he learned about God, and that gave him deep respect for “Jehovah the Most High God, Maker of heaven and earth.” (Genesis 14:22) The Bible calls such deep respect “godly fear.” (Hebrews 5:7) In order to have a close friendship with God, we need to have godly fear. (Psalm 25:14) It was that quality that motivated Abraham to obey Jehovah.

⁷ God told Abraham and Sarah to leave their home in Ur and move to a foreign country. They were no longer young, and they would have to live in tents for the rest of their lives. Even though Abraham knew that there would be many dangers, he was determined to obey Jehovah. Because of his obedience, God blessed and protected him. For example, when Abraham’s beautiful wife, Sarah, was taken away from him and he was in danger of being killed, Jehovah miraculously protected both Abraham and Sarah more than once. (Genesis 12:10-20; 20:2-7, 10-12, 17, 18) Those experiences made Abraham’s faith stronger.

8. How can we gain knowledge and experience that will strengthen our friendship with Jehovah?

⁸ Can we be close friends with Jehovah? Yes, we definitely can! Like Abraham, we need to learn about Jehovah. And we too can gain the knowledge and experience we need. Today, we have much more than Abraham had. (Daniel 12:4; Romans 11:33) The Bible is full of knowledge about the “Maker of heaven and earth.” What we learn makes us love Jehovah and helps us to have deep respect for him. This love and respect for God motivates us to obey him. When we do, we see how he protects and blesses us, and this gives us experience that makes our faith stronger. When we serve Jehovah fully, we will gain satisfaction, peace, and joy. (Psalm 34:8; Proverbs 10:22) The more knowledge and experience we gain, the stronger our friendship with him will become.

HOW ABRAHAM KEPT HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD

9, 10. (a) What is needed for a friendship to become stronger? (b) What shows that Abraham cherished and strengthened his friendship with Jehovah?

⁹ A close friendship can be like a valuable treasure. (Read Proverbs 17:17.) It is not like an expensive vase that is used only for decoration. It is more like a beautiful flower that needs water and care to bloom. Abraham cherished and maintained his friendship with Jehovah. How did he do that?

¹⁰ Abraham continued to strengthen his godly fear and obedience. For example, when he traveled to Canaan with his family and his servants, he continued to let Jehovah guide him in making decisions both big and small. A year before Isaac was born, when Abraham was 99 years old, Jehovah told him to circumcise all the males in his household. Did Abraham doubt Jehovah or try to find an excuse for not doing what he was asked? No, he trusted in Jehovah and obeyed “on that very day.”​—Genesis 17:10-14, 23.

11. Why was Abraham concerned about Sodom and Gomorrah, and how did Jehovah help him?

¹¹ Because Abraham always obeyed Jehovah even in little things, their friendship became stronger. He felt that he could talk to Jehovah about anything, even asking for help when he struggled with difficult questions. For example, when Jehovah said that he would destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham was concerned. Why? He was afraid that good people would die along with the bad. He was probably worried about his nephew Lot and his family, who lived in Sodom. Abraham trusted in Jehovah, “the Judge of all the earth,” so he humbly talked to Jehovah about his concerns. Jehovah was patient with his friend and showed him that He is merciful. Jehovah explained that even when he brings judgment, he searches for good people and saves them.​—Genesis 18:22-33.

12, 13. (a) How did Abraham’s knowledge and experience help him later? (b) What shows that Abraham had confidence in Jehovah?

¹² It is clear that all the knowledge and experience Abraham had gained helped him to keep his friendship with Jehovah strong. So later, when Jehovah asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, he knew that Jehovah had always been patient, merciful, trustworthy, and protective. Abraham was absolutely sure that Jehovah had not suddenly become cruel or harsh! Why do we say that?

¹³ Before leaving his servants, Abraham said: “You stay here with the donkey, but the boy and I will go over there and worship and return to you.” (Genesis 22:5) What did Abraham mean? Was he lying about coming back with Isaac, knowing that he would sacrifice him? No. The Bible says that Abraham knew that Jehovah was able to resurrect Isaac from the dead. (Read Hebrews 11:19.) Abraham knew that Jehovah had given him the power to have a son even though he and Sarah were very old. (Hebrews 11:11, 12, 18) So he realized that nothing was impossible for Jehovah. Abraham did not know what would happen that day. But he had faith that if needed, Jehovah would resurrect his son so that all of God’s promises would come true. That is why Abraham is called “the father of all those having faith.”

14. What challenges do you face in serving Jehovah, and how may Abraham’s example help you?

¹⁴ Today, however, Jehovah does not ask us to sacrifice our children, but he does ask us to obey his commands. Sometimes we may not understand the reason for these commands or we may find them hard to obey. Do you ever feel like that? For some, the preaching work is difficult. Maybe they are shy and find it hard to talk to people they do not know. Others are afraid to be different at work or at school. (Exodus 23:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:2) When you are asked to do something difficult, think of Abraham’s outstanding example of faith and courage. When we meditate on examples of faithful men and women, it can motivate us to imitate them and to draw closer to our Friend, Jehovah.​—Hebrews 12:1, 2.

A FRIENDSHIP THAT BRINGS BLESSINGS

15. Why may we be sure that Abraham never regretted his loyal obedience to Jehovah?

¹⁵ Did Abraham ever regret obeying Jehovah’s commands? The Bible says that Abraham “died at a good old age, old and satisfied.” (Genesis 25:8) When he was 175 years old, Abraham could look back on his long life and feel satisfied. Why? Because his friendship with Jehovah was always the most important thing to him. However, when we read that Abraham was “old and satisfied,” this does not mean that he had no desire to live in the future.

16. What joys will Abraham experience in Paradise?

¹⁶ The Bible says that Abraham “was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10) Abraham believed that one day he would see that city, the Kingdom of God, ruling over the earth. And he will! Imagine how happy Abraham will be to live on a paradise earth and to continue strengthening his friendship with God. He will be happy to know that his example of faith has helped God’s servants for thousands of years! In Paradise he will find out that the sacrifice on Mount Moriah illustrated something much greater. (Hebrews 11:19) And he will learn how the pain he felt when he prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac has helped millions of faithful people to understand Jehovah’s pain when he gave his Son, Jesus Christ, as a ransom for mankind. (John 3:16) Abraham’s example has helped us all to have even more appreciation for the ransom, the greatest act of love ever shown!

17. What is your determination, and what will we consider in the following article?

¹⁷ May each of us be determined to imitate the faith of Abraham. Like him, we need knowledge and experience. As we continue learning about Jehovah and obeying him, we will see how he blesses and protects us. (Read Hebrews 6:10-12.) May Jehovah be our Friend forever! In the following article, we will consider three more examples of faithful ones who became close friends of God.

1-3. (a) Why can we be sure that we can become God’s friends? (b) What individuals will we consider in this article?

IN THE Bible, Abraham is called God’s friend three times. (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23) He is the only person directly called God’s friend in the Bible. Does that mean that Abraham is the only human ever to become Jehovah’s friend? No. The Bible shows that all of us can have that privilege.

² God’s Word is full of accounts of many faithful men and women who feared Jehovah, put faith in him, and became his close friends. (Read Psalm 25:14.) They are part of the “great cloud of witnesses” mentioned by Paul. All these different individuals were God’s friends.​—Hebrews 12:1.

³ Let us take a close look at three of Jehovah’s friends described in the Bible: (1) Ruth, the loyal young widow from Moab, (2) Hezekiah, a faithful king of Judah, and (3) Mary, the humble mother of Jesus. What can we learn from the way each of them became God’s friend?

SHE SHOWED LOYAL LOVE

4, 5. What difficult decision did Ruth have to make, and why was making it so hard? (See opening picture.)

⁴ Naomi and her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, were walking the long distance from Moab to Israel. Along the way, Orpah decided to go home to Moab. But Naomi was determined to return to Israel, her homeland. What did Ruth decide to do? She had to make a very difficult decision. Would she go back home to Moab to be with her family, or would she stay with Naomi, her mother-in-law, and travel to Bethlehem?​—Ruth 1:1-8, 14.

⁵ Ruth’s family lived in Moab. She could return to them, and they would probably take care of her. She knew the people, the language, and the culture of Moab. Naomi could not promise Ruth any of those things in Bethlehem. And Naomi was afraid that she would not find a husband or a home for her. So Naomi told her to go back to Moab. As we saw, Orpah “returned to her people and her gods.” (Ruth 1:9-15) But Ruth decided not to return to her people and their false gods.

6. (a) What wise choice did Ruth make? (b) Why did Boaz speak of Ruth as seeking refuge under Jehovah’s wings?

⁶ It seems that Ruth learned about Jehovah from her husband or from Naomi. She learned that Jehovah was not like the gods of Moab. She loved Jehovah and knew that he deserved her love and her worship. So Ruth made a wise choice. She told Naomi: “Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16) Our hearts are moved when we think about Ruth’s love for Naomi. But what is more impressive is Ruth’s love for Jehovah. This also impressed Boaz, who later praised her for ‘seeking refuge under Jehovah’s wings.’ (Read Ruth 2:12.) The words Boaz used may remind us of how a baby bird looks for protection under its parent’s wings. (Psalm 36:7; 91:1-4) In a similar way, Jehovah gave Ruth loving protection and rewarded her for her faith. Ruth never had any reason to regret her decision.

7. What might help those who hesitate to dedicate their lives to Jehovah?

⁷ Many people learn about Jehovah but choose not to take refuge in him. They hesitate to dedicate their lives to him and get baptized. If you feel the same way, think about why you hesitate. Everyone serves one god or another. (Joshua 24:15) The wise choice would be to serve the true God. When you dedicate yourself to Jehovah, you show that you have faith that he will be a refuge for you. And he will help you to keep serving him despite any problems you may have. That is what God did for Ruth.

“HE HELD FAST TO JEHOVAH”

8. Describe Hezekiah’s background.

⁸ Hezekiah’s background was very different from Ruth’s. He was part of a nation that was dedicated to God. But not all Israelites remained faithful. Hezekiah’s father, King Ahaz, was wicked. He showed disrespect for God’s temple and convinced the people to worship other gods. Ahaz even had some of Hezekiah’s brothers burned alive as sacrifices to a false god. Hezekiah had a terrible childhood!​—2 Kings 16:2-4, 10-17; 2 Chronicles 28:1-3.

9, 10. (a) Why might Hezekiah easily have become bitter? (b) Why should we not become bitter against God? (c) Why should we not think that our background determines the type of person we will become?

⁹ The bad example of Ahaz could have caused his son Hezekiah to become bitter or angry with Jehovah. Today, some who have had to endure far less than Hezekiah feel that they have good reason to become “enraged against Jehovah” or bitter toward his organization. (Proverbs 19:3) Others feel that their bad family background may cause them to have a bad life or to repeat their parents’ mistakes. (Ezekiel 18:2, 3) But are these ideas true?

¹⁰ Hezekiah’s life proves that the answer to that question is no! There is never a good reason to become angry with Jehovah. He does not cause bad things to happen to people. (Job 34:10) It is true that parents can teach their children to do good or bad. (Proverbs 22:6; Colossians 3:21) But this does not mean that our family background will determine the type of person we will become. Why? Because Jehovah has given us the gift of free will, which means that we can choose to do what is good or what is bad. (Deuteronomy 30:19) How did Hezekiah use that precious gift?

11. What made Hezekiah one of Judah’s best kings?

¹¹ Even though his father was one of the worst kings in Judah, Hezekiah became one of the very best. (Read 2 Kings 18:5, 6.) He chose not to follow his father’s bad example. Instead, he chose to listen carefully to Jehovah’s prophets, such as Isaiah, Micah, and Hosea. He paid close attention to their counsel and correction. This motivated him to fix many of the problems his father had caused. He cleansed the temple, asked God to forgive the people’s sins, and destroyed the idols throughout the land. (2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 18-24; 31:1) Later, when the Assyrian king Sennacherib threatened to attack Jerusalem, Hezekiah showed great courage and faith. He trusted in Jehovah’s protection and strengthened his people. (2 Chronicles 32:7, 8) At one point Hezekiah became proud, but when Jehovah corrected him, he humbled himself. (2 Chronicles 32:24-26) Clearly, Hezekiah is a wonderful example for us to imitate. He did not let his family background ruin his life. Instead, he showed that he was Jehovah’s friend.

12. Like Hezekiah, how have many today proved to be Jehovah’s friends?

¹² The world today is cruel and unloving, and many children grow up without loving and caring parents. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Even though many Christians today come from difficult family backgrounds, they have chosen to build a friendship with Jehovah. Like Hezekiah, they show that their family background does not need to determine what kind of person they will become in the future. God has given us the gift of free will, and we can choose to serve and honor him, as Hezekiah did.

“LOOK! JEHOVAH’S SLAVE GIRL!”

13, 14. Why might Mary’s assignment have seemed too difficult, yet how did she respond to Gabriel’s words?

¹³ Many years after Hezekiah’s time, a humble young woman named Mary had a special friendship with Jehovah and a unique assignment. She would become pregnant and give birth to and raise God’s Son! Jehovah must have loved and trusted Mary in order to give her such an amazing honor. But how did she react when she first heard about that assignment?

¹⁴ We often talk about the great honor Mary was given. But what may have been some of her fears? For example, the angel Gabriel said that she would become pregnant without having sexual relations with a man. But Gabriel did not offer to explain to her family and neighbors how she would become pregnant. What would they think? How would she convince Joseph that she had not been unfaithful to him? In addition, she had the great responsibility of raising God’s Son as a human! We do not know all of Mary’s concerns, but we do know what she did after Gabriel spoke to her. She said: “Look! Jehovah’s slave girl! May it happen to me according to your declaration.”​—Luke 1:26-38.

15. Why is Mary’s faith remarkable?

¹⁵ Mary’s faith is truly outstanding! She was ready to do whatever was asked of her, just like a slave girl. She trusted that Jehovah would take care of her and protect her. How could Mary have such strong faith? We are not born with faith. But we can have faith if we cultivate it and ask God to bless our efforts. (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 2:8) Mary worked hard to strengthen her faith. How do we know? Let us consider how she listened and what she spoke about.

16. What shows that Mary was a good listener?

¹⁶ How Mary listened. The Bible says that we “must be quick to listen, slow to speak.” (James 1:19) Mary was a good listener. The Bible shows that she carefully listened to the things she heard, especially the things she learned about Jehovah. She took time to meditate on such important things. One example of this was at Jesus’ birth when shepherds told Mary about a message from an angel. Later, when Jesus was 12 years old, he said something that amazed Mary. In both cases, Mary listened, remembered, and thought carefully about what she had heard.​—Read Luke 2:16-19, 49, 51.

17. What can we learn about Mary from the way she spoke?

¹⁷ What Mary spoke about. The Bible does not tell us much about what Mary said. Her longest speech is found at Luke 1:46-55. These words show that Mary knew the Hebrew Scriptures very well. How so? Mary’s words were similar to the words of the prayer of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. (1 Samuel 2:1-10) It seems that Mary quoted the Scriptures about 20 times in her speech. It is clear that she liked to speak about the truths she had learned from her greatest Friend, Jehovah.

18. In what ways can we imitate Mary’s faith?

¹⁸ Like Mary, we may at times receive assignments from Jehovah that we think are too difficult for us. Let us imitate her example, humbly accept the assignment, and trust that Jehovah will help us. We can also imitate Mary’s faith when we carefully listen to Jehovah and meditate on what we have learned about him and his purposes. We then can joyfully tell others what we have learned.​—Psalm 77:11, 12; Luke 8:18; Romans 10:15.

19. As we imitate the Bible’s outstanding examples of faith, of what may we be assured?

¹⁹ It is clear that Ruth, Hezekiah, and Mary were Jehovah’s friends, just as Abraham was. They were part of the “great cloud of witnesses” who also had the privilege of becoming God’s friends. May we continue to imitate such outstanding examples of faith. (Hebrews 6:11, 12) If we do so, we can look forward to the reward of being Jehovah’s friends forever!

1, 2. Why is Jonathan’s friendship with David a remarkable example of loyalty?

JONATHAN must have been amazed at how courageous young David was. David had killed the giant Goliath and brought “the head of the Philistine” to Jonathan’s father, King Saul of Israel. (1 Samuel 17:57) Jonathan had no doubt that God was with David, and from then on, Jonathan and David became very close friends. They promised that they would always be loyal to each other. (1 Samuel 18:1-3) For the rest of his life, Jonathan was loyal to David.

² Jonathan stayed loyal to David even though Jehovah had chosen David, not Jonathan, to be the next king of Israel. And when Saul was trying to kill David, Jonathan was worried about his friend. He knew that David was in the wilderness at Horesh, so Jonathan went there to encourage him to keep relying on Jehovah. Jonathan told David: “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will not find you; you will be king over Israel, and I will become second to you.”​—1 Samuel 23:16, 17.

3. What was more important to Jonathan than being loyal to David, and how do we know? (See opening picture.)

³ We usually admire people who are loyal. But do we admire Jonathan only because he was loyal to David? No, being loyal to God was the most important thing in Jonathan’s life. In fact, that is the reason why he was loyal to David and was not jealous of him, although David would become king instead of him. Jonathan even helped David to rely on Jehovah. Both men stayed loyal to Jehovah and to each other. They kept the promise they had made: “May Jehovah be between you and me and between your offspring and my offspring forever.”​—1 Samuel 20:42.

4. (a) What will make us truly happy and satisfied? (b) What will we consider in this article?

⁴ We too must be loyal to our family, our friends, and our brothers and sisters in the congregation. (1 Thessalonians 2:10, 11) But most important of all, we must be loyal to Jehovah. He is the One who gave us life! (Revelation 4:11) When we are loyal to him, we are truly happy and satisfied. But we know that we must be loyal to God even in difficult times. In this article, we will discuss how Jonathan’s example can help us to stay loyal to Jehovah in four situations: (1) when we feel that someone who has authority does not deserve our respect, (2) when we have to choose to whom we should be loyal, (3) when a brother taking the lead misunderstands us or treats us unfairly, and (4) when we feel it is difficult to keep a promise.

WHEN WE FEEL THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY DOES NOT DESERVE OUR RESPECT

5. Why was it difficult for the people of Israel to be loyal to God while Saul was king?

⁵ Jonathan and the people of Israel were in a difficult situation. King Saul, Jonathan’s father, had become disobedient, and Jehovah rejected him. (1 Samuel 15:17-23) Still, God allowed Saul to continue ruling for many years. So it was hard for the people to be loyal to God when the king who was chosen to sit on “Jehovah’s throne” was doing very bad things.​—1 Chronicles 29:23.

6. What shows that Jonathan stayed loyal to Jehovah?

⁶ Jonathan stayed loyal to Jehovah. Think of what Jonathan did soon after Saul started to disobey God. (1 Samuel 13:13, 14) At that time, a large army of Philistines came with 30,000 chariots to attack Israel. Saul had just 600 soldiers, and only he and Jonathan had weapons. But Jonathan was not afraid. He remembered the words of the prophet Samuel: “For the sake of his great name, Jehovah will not abandon his people.” (1 Samuel 12:22) Jonathan said to another soldier: “Nothing can hinder Jehovah from saving by many or by few.” So he and the soldier attacked a group of Philistines and killed about 20 of them. Jonathan had faith in Jehovah, and Jehovah blessed him. Jehovah caused an earthquake, and the Philistines became frightened. Then they attacked and killed one another, and the Israelites won the battle.​—1 Samuel 13:5, 15, 22; 14:1, 2, 6, 14, 15, 20.

7. How did Jonathan treat his father?

⁷ Even though Saul continued to disobey Jehovah, Jonathan still obeyed his father whenever possible. For example, they fought together to defend Jehovah’s people.​—1 Samuel 31:1, 2.

8, 9. How are we being loyal to God when we respect those who have authority?

⁸ Like Jonathan, we can be loyal to Jehovah by obeying whenever possible the government of the country where we live. Jehovah allows these “superior authorities” to have authority over us, and he requires that we show them respect. (Read Romans 13:1, 2.) That is why we should treat a government official with respect even when he is not honest and we feel he does not deserve our respect. In fact, we should respect all those who are given authority by Jehovah.​—1 Corinthians 11:3; Hebrews 13:17.

⁹ Olga, a sister in South America, showed her loyalty to Jehovah by being respectful to her husband even though he treated her badly.^[1] (See endnote.) He sometimes refused to speak to her or said cruel things to her because she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He even told her that he would leave her and take the children with him. But Olga did not “return evil for evil.” She did her best to be a good wife. She cooked for him, washed his clothes, and took care of others in his family. (Romans 12:17) And when she could, she went with him to visit his family and friends. For example, when he wanted to go to another city for his father’s funeral, she prepared everything they needed for the trip. Then, at the funeral, she waited for him outside the church. After many years, Olga’s husband started to treat her better because she had been so patient and always showed him respect. Now he encourages her to go to the meetings and takes her there. Sometimes he even attends the meetings with her.​—1 Peter 3:1.

WHEN WE HAVE TO DECIDE TO WHOM WE SHOULD BE LOYAL

10. How did Jonathan know to whom he should be loyal?

¹⁰ When Saul said that he was going to kill David, Jonathan had a difficult decision to make. He wanted to be loyal to his father, but he also wanted to be loyal to David. Jonathan knew that God was with David and not with Saul, so he chose to be loyal to David. He warned David to hide and then told Saul why he should let David live.​—Read 1 Samuel 19:1-6.

11, 12. How does our love for God help us decide to be loyal to him?

¹¹ Alice, a sister from Australia, had to decide to whom she would be loyal. While she was studying the Bible, she told her family about the things she was learning. She also told them that she would not celebrate Christmas with them and explained why. At first her family members were disappointed, but later they became very angry with her. They felt that Alice did not care about them anymore. Then her mother said that she never wanted to see Alice again. Alice said: “I was shocked and deeply hurt because I really loved my family. Nevertheless, I resolved that Jehovah and his Son would be first in my heart, and I got baptized at the next assembly.”​—Matthew 10:37.

¹² We must not let loyalty to anything, such as a sports team, a school, or a country, become more important to us than our loyalty to Jehovah. For example, Henry enjoyed playing chess with his school team and wanted to win a championship for his school. But because he played chess every weekend, he did not have enough time for the ministry or the meetings. Henry said that it had become more important for him to be loyal to the school than to God. So he decided to stop playing chess for his school.​—Matthew 6:33.

13. How can loyalty to God help us to cope with family problems?

¹³ Sometimes it can be hard to be loyal to different members of our family at the same time. For example, Ken says: “I wanted to visit my elderly mother regularly and to have her stay with us occasionally. But my mother and my wife did not get along well.” He continues: “I could not please one without displeasing the other.” Ken thought about what the Bible says and realized that in this situation, he had to please his wife and be loyal to her. So he found a solution that his wife was happy with. Then, he explained to her why she had to be kind to his mother. He also explained to his mother why she should respect his wife.​—Read Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5.

WHEN A BROTHER MISUNDERSTANDS US OR TREATS US UNFAIRLY

14. How did Saul treat Jonathan unfairly?

¹⁴ We can also be loyal to Jehovah if a brother who is taking the lead treats us unfairly. King Saul was appointed by God, yet he treated his own son badly. He did not understand why Jonathan loved David. So when Jonathan tried to help David, Saul got very angry, and he embarrassed his son in front of many people. But Jonathan still showed respect to his father. At the same time, he stayed loyal to Jehovah and to David, who was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel.​—1 Samuel 20:30-41.

15. If a brother treats us unfairly, how should we react?

¹⁵ In our congregations today, the brothers taking the lead try to be fair to everyone. But these brothers are imperfect. Because of that, it is possible that they may not understand why we have done something. (1 Samuel 1:13-17) So if we are ever misjudged or misunderstood, let us stay loyal to Jehovah.

WHEN IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP OUR PROMISE

16. In what situations must we be loyal to God and not be selfish?

¹⁶ Saul wanted Jonathan to become the next king instead of David. (1 Samuel 20:31) But Jonathan loved Jehovah and was loyal to him. So instead of being selfish, Jonathan became David’s friend and kept his promise to him. In fact, anyone who loves Jehovah and is loyal to him will “not go back on his promise, even when it is bad for him.” (Psalm 15:4) Because we are loyal to God, we will keep our promises. For example, if we make a business agreement, we will do what we agreed to do, even if this becomes difficult. And if we have problems in our marriage, we will show our love for Jehovah by staying loyal to our husband or wife.​—Read Malachi 2:13-16.

17. How has this study helped you?

¹⁷ We want to be loyal to God even in difficult situations, as Jonathan was. So let us stay loyal to our brothers and sisters when they disappoint us. Then we will make Jehovah’s heart rejoice, and that is what makes us happiest. (Proverbs 27:11) We can be sure that he will always do what is best for us and take care of us. In the next article, we will see what we can learn from some in David’s time who were loyal and from others who were not loyal.

1, 2. How did David show that he was loyal to God? (See opening picture.)

SAUL and his 3,000 soldiers were looking for David in the wilderness of Judah to kill him. But one night, David and his men found the place where Saul and his soldiers were camped. They were all asleep, so David and Abishai walked carefully past the soldiers and found Saul. Abishai whispered to David: “Let me pin him to the ground with the spear just once, and I will not need to do it twice.” But David would not let him kill Saul. He told Abishai: “Do not harm him, for who can lift his hand against the anointed of Jehovah and remain innocent?” Then David said: “It is unthinkable from Jehovah’s standpoint for me to lift my hand against the anointed of Jehovah!”​—1 Samuel 26:8-12.

² David understood what he needed to do to be loyal to Jehovah. He knew he should respect Saul, and he did not even think of hurting him. Why? Because God had chosen Saul to be king of Israel. Today, as in the past, Jehovah wants all of his servants to be loyal to him and respect those whom he allows to have authority.​—Read Micah 6:8.

3. How was Abishai loyal to David?

³ Abishai respected David because he knew that God had chosen David to be king. Yet after becoming king, David committed serious sins. He had sexual relations with Uriah’s wife and then told Joab to make sure that Uriah would be killed in battle. (2 Samuel 11:2-4, 14, 15; 1 Chronicles 2:16) Joab was Abishai’s brother, so Abishai may have heard about what David did, but he continued to respect David. In addition, Abishai was a military leader and could have used this authority to make himself king, but he never did. Instead, he served David and protected him from his enemies.​—2 Samuel 10:10; 20:6; 21:15-17.

4. (a) How was David an example of loyalty to God? (b) What other examples will we consider?

⁴ David was loyal to Jehovah all his life. When he was young, he killed the giant Goliath, who was insulting Jehovah and the Israelites. (1 Samuel 17:23, 26, 48-51) When David was king, Jehovah’s prophet Nathan had to correct him for the sins he committed. Immediately, David admitted that he had sinned, and he repented. (2 Samuel 12:1-5, 13) Later, when David was an old man, he gave many valuable things to help build Jehovah’s temple. (1 Chronicles 29:1-5) It is clear that even though David made serious mistakes in his life, he never stopped being loyal to God. (Psalm 51:4, 10; 86:2) In this article, we will discuss the example of David and others who lived at that time and learn how we can be loyal to Jehovah more than to anyone else. And we will discuss other qualities that will help us to do so.

WILL YOU BE LOYAL TO JEHOVAH?

5. What lesson do we learn from Abishai’s mistake?

⁵ When Abishai wanted to kill Saul, he was trying to be loyal to David. But because David knew that it would be wrong to harm “the anointed of Jehovah,” he did not let Abishai kill the king. (1 Samuel 26:8-11) This teaches us an important lesson: When we need to decide whom to be loyal to first, we need to think about which Bible principles can help us in our situation.

6. Although it is natural to be loyal to our family and friends, why must we be careful?

⁶ It is natural to be loyal to someone we love, such as a friend or a family member. But because we are imperfect, our feelings can mislead us. (Jeremiah 17:9) So if someone we love is doing something bad and leaves the truth, we must remember that it is more important to be loyal to Jehovah than to anyone else.​—Read Matthew 22:37.

7. How did one sister stay loyal to God in a difficult situation?

⁷ If someone in your family has been disfellowshipped from the congregation, you can show Jehovah that you are loyal to Him. For example, one day Anne’s mother, who was disfellowshipped, called her on the phone to say that she wanted to visit her.^[1] (See endnote.) Anne’s mother said that she was very unhappy because the family refused to talk to her. This made Anne feel sad, and she promised to reply in a letter. Before she wrote the letter, Anne meditated on some Bible principles. (1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 John 9-11) Then, in the letter, she explained in a kind way that her mother was the one who left the family when she sinned and refused to repent. Anne told her mother that the only way she could be happy again was by returning to Jehovah.​—James 4:8.

8. What qualities will help us to be loyal to God?

⁸ Loyal servants of God in David’s time were also humble, kind, and courageous. Let us see how these qualities can help us to be loyal to Jehovah.

WE MUST BE HUMBLE

9. Why did Abner try to kill David?

⁹ Saul’s son Jonathan and the commander of Israel’s army, Abner, saw David bring Goliath’s head to King Saul. Jonathan became David’s friend and stayed loyal to him. (1 Samuel 17:57–18:3) But Abner did not. In fact, later he even helped Saul, who wanted to kill David. (1 Samuel 26:1-5; Psalm 54:3) Both Jonathan and Abner knew that God wanted David to be the next king of Israel. But after Saul died, Abner did not support David. Instead, he tried to make Saul’s son Ish-bosheth king. Later, Abner may have wanted to be king himself, and perhaps that is why he had sexual relations with one of King Saul’s wives. (2 Samuel 2:8-10; 3:6-11) Why did Jonathan and Abner feel so differently about David? Because Jonathan was loyal to Jehovah and was humble but Abner was not.

10. Why was Absalom not loyal to God?

¹⁰ Absalom, King David’s son, was not loyal to God because he was not humble. He wanted to be king, so he got “a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him.” (2 Samuel 15:1) He also convinced many Israelites to be loyal to him. He even tried to kill his father, although he knew that Jehovah had made David king of Israel.​—2 Samuel 15:13, 14; 17:1-4.

11. How can we benefit from Bible accounts about Abner, Absalom, and Baruch?

¹¹ When a person is not humble and wants to have more authority, it is hard for him to stay loyal to God. Of course, we love Jehovah, and we do not want to be selfish and wicked like Abner and Absalom. But we must be careful that we do not start to desire a lot of money or a job that makes us feel important. This will harm our relationship with Jehovah. For some time, Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary, wanted something he did not have and was no longer happy serving God. Then Jehovah said to Baruch: “Look! What I have built up I am tearing down, and what I have planted I am uprooting​—the entire land. But you are seeking great things for yourself. Stop seeking such things.” (Jeremiah 45:4, 5) Baruch listened to Jehovah. And we must listen to him too, because soon he will destroy this wicked world.

12. Show why we cannot be loyal to God when we are selfish.

¹² Daniel, a brother in Mexico, had to decide to whom he would be loyal. He wanted to marry a girl who did not worship Jehovah. Daniel says: “I continued writing to her even after I entered the pioneer service.” But then he realized that he was just selfishly doing what he wanted. He was not being loyal to Jehovah, and he needed to be humble. So he told an experienced elder about the girl. Daniel explains: “He helped me to see that to be loyal to God, I needed to stop writing to her. After many prayers and tears, that is what I did. Soon, my joy in the ministry increased.” Daniel now has a wife who loves Jehovah, and he serves as a circuit overseer.

LOYALTY TO GOD HELPS US TO BE KIND

13. How did Nathan stay loyal to both God and David when David sinned?

¹³ When we are loyal to Jehovah, we can also be loyal to others and help them in the best way. The prophet Nathan stayed loyal to Jehovah and was also loyal to David. After David had taken a man’s wife and then killed him, Jehovah sent Nathan to counsel David. Nathan was courageous and obeyed Jehovah. But he also acted wisely and spoke to David in a kind way. He wanted to help David understand how serious his sins were. So he told him a story of a rich man who stole the only lamb that a poor man had. When David heard this, he got very angry at what the rich man had done. Nathan then said: “You are the man!” David realized that he had sinned against Jehovah.​—2 Samuel 12:1-7, 13.

14. How can you be loyal to both Jehovah and your friend or relative?

¹⁴ You too can be loyal to Jehovah first and be loyal to others by being kind. For example, you may have proof that a brother has committed a serious sin. You may want to stay loyal to him, especially if he is a close friend or a family member. But you also know that it is more important to be loyal to Jehovah. So like Nathan, obey Jehovah but be kind to your brother. Tell him that he should ask the elders for help and that he should speak to them soon. If he does not, then you should tell the elders yourself. By doing this, you stay loyal to Jehovah. And at the same time, you are kind to your brother because the elders can help him to have a good relationship with Jehovah again. They will correct him in a calm and gentle way.​—Read Leviticus 5:1; Galatians 6:1.

WE NEED COURAGE TO BE LOYAL TO GOD

15, 16. Why did Hushai need courage to be loyal to God?

¹⁵ Hushai was one of King David’s loyal friends. When people wanted to make Absalom king, Hushai needed courage to stay loyal to David and to God. He knew that Absalom had come to Jerusalem with his soldiers and that David had run away. (2 Samuel 15:13; 16:15) But what did Hushai do? Did he abandon David and support Absalom? No. Although David was old and many people wanted to kill him, Hushai stayed loyal to him because Jehovah had appointed David to be king. So Hushai went to the Mount of Olives to meet David.​—2 Samuel 15:30, 32.

¹⁶ David asked Hushai to go back to Jerusalem and pretend to be Absalom’s friend so that he could convince Absalom to listen to his advice instead of Ahithophel’s. Hushai was courageous and risked his life to obey David and to stay loyal to Jehovah. David prayed that Jehovah would help Hushai, and that is what happened. Absalom listened to Hushai instead of Ahithophel.​—2 Samuel 15:31; 17:14.

17. Why do we need courage to be loyal?

¹⁷ We need courage to be loyal to Jehovah and obey him instead of doing what our family members, workmates, or government authorities want us to do. For example, ever since he was a little boy, Taro, in Japan, did all he could to make his parents happy. He obeyed them and was loyal to them, not just because he had to, but because he loved them. But when he started to study with Jehovah’s Witnesses, his parents wanted him to stop. This made him sad, and it was very difficult for him to tell them that he had decided to go to the meetings. Taro says: “They were so angry that for years, I was forbidden to visit them at home. I prayed for courage to stick to my decision. Now their attitude has softened, and I can visit them regularly.”​—Read Proverbs 29:25.

18. How have you benefited from this study?

¹⁸ Like David, Jonathan, Nathan, and Hushai, may we too feel the satisfaction that comes from being loyal to Jehovah. We never want to be like Abner and Absalom, who were not loyal. It is true that we are imperfect and make mistakes. But let us show Jehovah that being loyal to him is the most important thing in our lives.

I WAS born in 1926 in Crooksville, Ohio, in the United States. Father and Mother were not religious, but they told us eight children to go to church. I went to the Methodist Church. When I was 14, the minister gave me a prize because I went to church every Sunday for a year.

About that time, a neighbor named Margaret Walker, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, began visiting my mother and talking to her about the Bible. One day, I decided to join them. Mother thought that I would interfere with her study, so she told me to get out of the house. But I kept trying to listen to their discussions. After a couple more visits, Margaret asked me, “Do you know what God’s name is?” I said, “Everyone knows that​—it’s God.” She said, “Get your Bible and look up Psalm 83:18.” I did, and I discovered that God’s name is Jehovah. I ran out to my friends and told them, “When you get home tonight, look up Psalm 83:18 in the Bible and see what God’s name is.” You might say I started witnessing right away.

I studied the Bible and got baptized in 1941. Soon afterward, I was assigned to conduct a congregation book study. I encouraged my mother and siblings to come, and they all began attending the book study that I conducted. Dad, though, was not interested.

OPPOSITION AT HOME

I was given more responsibility in the congregation, and I collected many books published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. One day, Dad pointed to my books and said: “You see all that stuff? I want it out of this house, and you can go with it.” I left home and went to live in nearby Zanesville, Ohio, but I traveled back and forth to encourage my family.

Dad tried to stop Mother from attending the meetings. Sometimes when she was on her way, he chased after her and pulled her back into the house. But she would just run out the other door and go to the meeting. I told Mother: “Don’t worry. He’ll get tired of running after you.” In time, Dad gave up trying to stop her, and she attended the meetings freely.

When the Theocratic Ministry School began in 1943, I started giving student talks in my congregation. The counsel I received after my parts on the school helped me to become a better speaker.

NEUTRALITY DURING WAR

In 1944, during World War II, I was ordered to join the army. I reported to Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio, had a physical examination, and filled out paperwork. I also told the officials that I would not become a soldier. They let me go home. But a few days later, an officer came to my door and told me, “Corwin Robison, I have a warrant for your arrest.”

In court two weeks later, the judge said: “If it were up to me, I’d give you a life sentence. Do you have anything to say?” I replied: “Your Honor, I should have been classified as a minister. Everyone’s doorstep is my pulpit, and I have preached the good news of the Kingdom to many people.” The judge told the jury: “You are not here to decide whether this young man is a minister or not. You are here to decide whether he reported for induction into the army or not.” In less than half an hour, the jury decided that I was guilty. The judge sentenced me to five years in prison in Ashland, Kentucky.

JEHOVAH PROTECTS ME IN PRISON

I spent the first two weeks in a prison in Columbus, Ohio, and I stayed in my cell the first day. I prayed to Jehovah: “I cannot stay in a cell for five years. I don’t know what to do.”

The next day, the guards let me out. I walked over to a tall, broad-shouldered prisoner, and we stood there looking out a window. He asked me, “What are you in for, Shorty?” I said, “I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” He said, “You are? So why are you here?” I said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t go to war and kill people.” He said, “They put you in prison because you won’t kill people. They put other guys in prison because they kill people. Does that make sense?” I said, “No, it doesn’t.”

Then he said, “For 15 years I was in another prison, where I read some of your literature.” When I heard that, I prayed, “Jehovah, help me get this man on my side.” At that moment, the prisoner, whose name was Paul, said: “If any of these guys touch you, just yell. I’ll take care of them.” So while I was there, I had no problems with the 50 prisoners in that section.

When the officials moved me to the prison in Ashland, I met some mature brothers who were already there. They helped me and others to remain close to Jehovah. They assigned us a weekly Bible reading, and we prepared questions and answers for meetings that we called Bible Bees. We were in a large cell that had beds along the walls. There was a brother who would organize our territory. He would tell me: “Robison, you are responsible for bed such and such. Anyone assigned to that bed is your territory. Make sure you witness to him before he leaves.” That is how we preached in an organized way.

WHAT I FOUND OUTSIDE OF PRISON

World War II ended in 1945, but I stayed in prison for some time after that. I worried about my family because Dad had told me, “If I can get rid of you, I can handle the rest.” After my release, I had a pleasant surprise. Seven in my family were attending meetings and one of my sisters was baptized, despite Dad’s opposition.

When the Korean War began in 1950, I was ordered to join the army a second time. I was told to report to Fort Hayes again. After testing my abilities, an officer told me, “You had one of the highest scores in your group.” I said, “That’s fine, but I am not going into the army.” I quoted 2 Timothy 2:3 and said, “I am already a soldier of Christ.” After a long silence, he said, “You can leave.”

Soon afterward, I attended the Bethel meeting at a convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brother Milton Henschel told us that there was a need at Bethel for brothers who wanted to work hard for the Kingdom. I applied for Bethel service and was accepted. I started serving in Brooklyn in August 1954, and I have been at Bethel ever since.

I have always had a lot of work at Bethel. For several years, I operated the boilers in the printery and the office buildings, worked as a machinist, and repaired locks. I also worked at Assembly Halls in New York City.

I love the programs at Bethel, such as morning worship and the family Watchtower Study, as well as preaching with the congregation. When you think about it, these are things that any family of Jehovah’s Witnesses should be doing regularly. When parents and children consider the daily text together, have regular Family Worship sessions, participate in the congregation meetings, and are zealous for preaching the good news, all in the family will likely remain close to Jehovah.

I have made many friends at Bethel and in the congregation. Some were of the anointed and have gone to heaven. Others were not anointed. But all of Jehovah’s servants are imperfect, including Bethelites. If I have an argument with a brother, I always try to make peace. I think of Matthew 5:23, 24 and how we should handle our disagreements. It is not easy to say “I am sorry,” but most disagreements are solved this way.

GOOD RESULTS FROM MY SERVICE

Now I have a hard time preaching from door to door because of my age, but I have not given up. I have learned a little Mandarin Chinese and enjoy approaching Chinese people on the street. Some mornings I place 30 or 40 magazines with interested ones.

I have even made a return visit in China! One day, a nice young girl smiled at me as she passed out advertisements for a fruit stand. I smiled and offered her The Watchtower and Awake! in Chinese. She took them and told me that her name was Katie. After that, whenever she saw me, Katie came over to talk to me. I taught her the names of fruits and vegetables in English, and she repeated the words after me. I also explained Bible texts to her, and she accepted the Bible Teach book. After some weeks, though, she disappeared.

Months later, I offered the magazines to another girl who was passing out advertisements, and she accepted them. The next week, she handed me her cell phone and said, “You talk to China.” I said, “I don’t know anybody in China.” But she insisted, so I took the phone and said, “Hello, this is Robison.” The voice at the other end said, “Robby, this is Katie. I’m back in China.” I said, “China?” Katie answered, “Yes. Robby, you know that girl who handed you the phone? She’s my sister. You taught me many good things. Please teach her the way you taught me.” I said, “Katie, I will do the best I can. Thanks for letting me know where you are.” Soon afterward, I spoke to Katie’s sister for the last time. Wherever those two girls are now, I hope that they learn more about Jehovah.

I have served Jehovah for 73 years, and I am happy that he helped me to remain neutral and to be faithful in prison. Also, my siblings tell me that they were encouraged when I faced Dad’s opposition without giving up. Eventually, Mother and six of my brothers and sisters got baptized. Even Dad’s attitude changed a little, and he attended some meetings before he passed away.

If it is God’s will, my family members and friends who have died will return to life in the new world. Imagine our joy as we worship Jehovah forever with those whom we love!a​—See footnote.

THINK about the happiest day of your life. Was it when you got married or when your first child was born? Or was it the day you got baptized? That was likely the most important and joyful day of your life. And on that day, how glad your brothers and sisters were to see you prove that you love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength!​—Mark 12:30.

Very likely, you have experienced much joy in serving Jehovah since your baptism. However, a number of publishers have lost some of the joy they once had. Why has this happened? What reasons do we have for continuing to serve Jehovah with joy?

WHY SOME HAVE LOST THEIR JOY

The Kingdom message brings us a lot of joy. Why? Because Jehovah promises that the Kingdom will soon put an end to this wicked world and bring in God’s new world. Zephaniah 1:14 tells us: “The great day of Jehovah is near! It is near and it is approaching very quickly!” But if we feel that we have to wait longer than expected, we could lose the joy we once had. This could cause us to slow down in our service to God.​—Proverbs 13:12.

When we spend time with our brothers and sisters, we feel encouraged to keep on serving Jehovah with joy. The good conduct of Jehovah’s people may have attracted us to true worship and helped us to begin serving God joyfully. (1 Peter 2:12) However, what could happen if one of our brothers or sisters was disciplined because he or she did not obey God’s commands? This may discourage some in the congregation and cause them to lose their joy.

Materialism could also cause us to lose our joy. How so? Satan’s world tries to convince us that we should buy things that we really do not need. So may we remember Jesus’ words: “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.” (Matthew 6:24) We cannot serve Jehovah with joy and at the same time try to get all that we can from this world.

JOYFUL IN JEHOVAH’S SERVICE

Serving Jehovah is not a heavy load for those who love him. (1 John 5:3) Remember that Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves. For my yoke is kindly, and my load is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Being a true Christian is refreshing and brings us joy. We certainly have good reasons for being joyful in Jehovah’s service. Let us now consider three of them.​—Habakkuk 3:18.

We serve our Life-Giver, the happy God. (Acts 17:28; 1 Timothy 1:11) We realize that we owe our lives to our Creator. So let us continue to serve him with joy, regardless of how many years have gone by since we got baptized.

Consider Héctor, who served Jehovah as a traveling overseer for 40 years. “Even in old age,” he still enjoys serving Jehovah. (Psalm 92:12-14) His wife’s illness has limited his activity in God’s service, but Héctor has not lost his joy. He says: “Although it is sad to see my wife’s health gradually deteriorate and it has been challenging to care for her, I have not allowed this to rob me of my joy in serving the true God. Knowing that I owe my life to Jehovah, who created man for a purpose, is reason enough to love him deeply and serve him wholeheartedly. I strive to stay active in the preaching work, and I try to keep the Kingdom hope foremost in my mind so as not to lose my joy.”

Jehovah has provided the ransom sacrifice, making it possible for us to have a joyful life. Indeed, “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Yes, our sins can be forgiven and we can have everlasting life when we show faith in God’s loving gift of the ransom. This is truly an excellent reason to be grateful! And our gratitude for the ransom will motivate us to serve Jehovah joyfully.

A brother named Jesús, who lived in Mexico, said: “I was a slave to my job, at times working five consecutive shifts even though it was not obligatory to do so. I did it just to make more money. Then I learned about Jehovah and how he had given his dear Son for mankind. I had an intense desire to serve him. So I dedicated my life to Jehovah, and after having worked for the company for 28 years, I decided to quit and take up the full-time ministry.” That is how Jesús started serving Jehovah with joy.

We live a morally clean life, which brings us happiness. Do you remember what your life was like before you came to know Jehovah? The apostle Paul reminded Christians in Rome that they “were once the slaves of sin” but had become “slaves to righteousness.” Because they were living a clean life, they could look forward to everlasting life. (Romans 6:17-22) We too follow Jehovah’s standards, so we are free from the sadness that comes from an immoral or violent way of life. What a cause for joy!

Consider Jaime, who was an atheist and evolutionist and also a boxer. Jaime began to attend Christian meetings and was touched by the love he found there. To abandon his former lifestyle, Jaime had to ask Jehovah to help him believe in Him. “Little by little, I discovered the existence of a loving Father and merciful God,” Jaime says. “Keeping Jehovah’s righteous standards has been a protection for me. Had I not changed, I might have been killed, as some of my former boxing friends were. The happiest years of my life have been those spent serving Jehovah.”

DO NOT GIVE UP!

How should we feel while we wait for the end of this wicked world? Remember, we are doing God’s will and we are looking forward to everlasting life. “So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due time we will reap if we do not tire out.” (Galatians 6:8, 9) With Jehovah’s help, let us endure, work hard to cultivate the qualities we need to survive “the great tribulation,” and continue to serve Jehovah with joy.​—Revelation 7:9, 13, 14; James 1:2-4.

We can be confident that Jehovah will reward our endurance because he knows the work we do and the love we show for him and his name. If we keep on serving him with joy, we will be like the psalmist David, who said: “I keep Jehovah before me constantly. Because he is at my right hand, I will never be shaken. So my heart rejoices, my whole being is joyful. And I reside in security.”​—Psalm 16:8, 9.