w12 02/15-E - JW.ORGdownload.jw.org/files/media_magazines/b0/w_E_20120215.pdf · 2012-08-26 · everlasting life and who is now ... during his life on earth, in each case ex-

STUDY ARTICLES

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APRIL 2-8

Imitate Jesus’ Exampleof WatchfulnessPAGE 3 ˙ SONGS: 108, 74

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APRIL 9-15

“Be Courageousand Very Strong”PAGE 10 ˙ SONGS: 101, 92

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APRIL 16-22

Preserve the PositiveSpirit of the CongregationPAGE 18 ˙ SONGS: 20, 75

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APRIL 23-29

Happiness Is Possiblein a Divided HouseholdPAGE 26 ˙ SONGS: 76, 56

34567FEBRUARY 15, 2012

DSTUDY ED I T I O N

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THE PURPOSE OF THIS

MAGAZINE, The Watchtower,

is to honor Jehovah God, the

Supreme Ruler of the universe.

Just as watchtowers in ancient

times enabled a person to

observe developments from

afar, so this magazine shows us

the significance of world events

in the light of Bible prophecies.

It comforts people with the

good news that God’s Kingdom,

which is a real government in

heaven, will soon bring an end

to all wickedness and transform

the earth into a paradise. It

promotes faith in Jesus Christ,

who died so that we might gain

everlasting life and who is now

ruling as King of God’s Kingdom.

This magazine has been pub-

lished by Jehovah’s Witnesses

continuously since 1879 and is

nonpolitical. It adheres to the

Bible as its authority.��

This publication is not for sale. It is

provided as part of a worldwide Bible

educational work supported by voluntary

donations. Unless otherwise indicated,

Scripture quotations are from the modern-

language New World Translation of the

Holy Scriptures—With References.

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34567�

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FEBRUARY 15, 2012��

PURPOSE OF STUDY ARTICLES

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STUDY ARTICLE 1 PAGES 3-7

Why did Jesus urge his followers to

remain watchful? This article discusses

three ways in which Christ proved watchful

during his life on earth, in each case ex-

amining practical ways for us to put his

example to use.

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Why can we benefit from considering how

courage was displayed by Jehovah’s ser-

vants of Bible times? This question will be

considered in this article designed to help

us act courageously.

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Each of us displays a certain spirit, or

dominant attitude. This article discusses

how we can help to preserve a healthy,

positive spirit in the congregation.

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Christians in religiously divided house-

holds face daily challenges. This article

discusses how believers can cultivate

peace in the family and foster conditions

that may help unbelieving family members

to embrace true worship.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

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8 THEY COURAGEOUSLY

PROCLAIMED GOD’S WORD!��

15 A TRAIT THAT CAN

POISON OUR MINDS—ENVY��

23 NATHAN—LOYAL ADVOCATE

OF PURE WORSHIP��

31 FROM OUR ARCHIVES

COVER: At a railwaystation in New Delhi,India, which handlesover 300 trains daily,brothers witness tocommuters and travel-ers from all parts ofthe country

INDIA

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Vol. 133, No. 4 Semimonthly

ENGLISH

The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) is

published semimonthly by Watchtower

Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.;

M. H. Larson, President; G. F. Simonis,

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3

YOU might wonder: ‘Is it really possible toimitate Jesus’ example of watchfulness? Af-ter all, Jesus was perfect! What is more, Je-

sus was at times able to see clearly into the future—even thousands of years beyond his own day! Didhe really need to be watchful?’ (Matt. 24:37-39; Heb.4:15) Let us address those questions first so thatwe can see just how relevant and urgent this sub-ject is.

2 Is a perfect example helpful for sinful humans?Yes, because it is possible to learn from a good teach-er and his example. For instance, imagine a man tak-ing his first archery lesson. He cannot shoot an ar-row well enough to hit the target at all, but he takesmore lessons and keeps on trying. To improve, hecarefully studies the example of his instructor, whois an expert archer. The student pays attention tohow his teacher stands, positions his arms, and useshis fingers on the bowstring. Little by little, the de-termined novice learns how much tension to applyto the string; he takes the wind into account, and hekeeps onmaking an effort. By imitating what he seeshis instructor do, he eventually aims his arrows sothat they strike closer and closer to the center of thetarget. Similarly, we keep on striving to improve asChristians by following Jesus’ instructions and imi-tating his perfect example.

3 What, though, about watchfulness? Did Jesusactually need this quality? In fact, he did. For

1, 2. (a) What questions might arise concerning Jesus’ ex-ample of watchfulness? (b) Is Jesus’ perfect example usefulfor sinful humans? Illustrate.3. (a) How did Jesus indicate that he needed the quality ofwatchfulness? (b) What will we consider in this article?

IMITATE JESUS’EXAMPLE OF

WATCHFULNESS

“Keep on the watch andpray.”—MATT. 26:41.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

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How can our prayers

demonstrate that we are

on the watch?

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In what ways can we show

that we are watchful in our

ministry?

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Why is it important that we

keep on the watch when under

trial, and how can we do so?

4

instance, on the final night of his earth-ly life, Jesus urged his faithful apostles:“Keep on the watch with me.” He added:“Keep on the watch and pray continual-ly, that you may not enter into tempta-tion.” (Matt. 26:38, 41) Though he hadmanifested watchfulness all along, inthose dire hours Jesus especially wantedto be watchful and as close to his heav-enly Father as possible. He knew thathis followers needed the same alertness—not just then but in the future. So letus consider why Jesus wants us to keepon the watch. Afterward, we will ex-amine three ways in which we can imi-tate Jesus’ watchfulness in our dailylives.

WHY JESUS WANTS US

TO BE WATCHFUL

4 In brief, Jesus wants us to remainwatchful because of what we do notknow and what we do know. When Je-sus was a man on earth, did he knowall that the future held? No, for he hum-bly acknowledged: “Concerning that dayand hour nobody knows, neither the an-gels of the heavens nor the Son, butonly the Father.” (Matt. 24:36) At thattime, Jesus, “the Son,” did not know ex-actly when the end of this wicked worldwould come. What about us today? Isour knowledge of the future limited? Ofcourse it is! We do not know just whenJehovah will send forth his Son to put anend to this wicked system of things. Ifwe did, would we really need to keep onthe watch? As Jesus explained, the endwill come suddenly, unexpectedly; so weneed to keep ever watchful.—Read Mat-thew 24:43.4. What is the connection between what we donot know about the future and our need to bewatchful?

5 On the other hand, Jesus did knowmany marvelous things about the future—truths that most people around himdid not know at all. Our knowledge doesnot approach that of Jesus, but thanksto him, we do know a great deal aboutGod’s Kingdom and what it will accom-plish in the near future. As we lookaround us, whether at school, at work, orin the territory where we carry out ourministry, do we not observe that mostpeople live in utter darkness regardingthese glorious truths? So here we findanother reason for watchfulness. LikeJesus, we always need to be alert, watch-ing for opportunities to share what weknow about God’s Kingdom. Each suchopportunity is precious, and we do notwant to squander any. Lives are at stake!—1 Tim. 4:16.

6 Jesus knew something else that ledhim to remain watchful. He knew thatSatan was determined to tempt him, topersecute him, and to break his integrity.That vicious enemy was always watchingfor “another convenient time” to put Je-sus to the test. (Luke 4:13) Jesus never letdown his guard. He wanted to be readyfor any test, be it temptation, opposi-tion, or persecution. Cannot much thesame be said about us? We know that Sa-tan is still “like a roaring lion, seekingto devour someone.” That is why God’sWord exhorts all Christians: “Keep yoursenses, be watchful.” (1 Pet. 5:8) How,though, can we do so?

HOW TO BE WATCHFUL IN PRAYER

7 The Bible draws a strong connection

5, 6. (a) How does our knowledge of the fu-ture and of God’s purposes affect our need tobe watchful? (b) Why should our knowledgeabout Satan make us more determined to bewatchful?7, 8. Jesus gave what counsel regarding prayer,and what kind of example did he set?

FEBRUARY 15, 2012 5

between spiritual alertness, or watchful-ness, and prayer. (Col. 4:2; 1 Pet. 4:7) Notlong after asking his followers to keep onthe watch with him, Jesus said: “Keep onthe watch and pray continually, that youmay not enter into temptation.” (Matt.26:41) Did he mean to limit that counselto the dire situation they were facing atthe moment? No, his counsel is a princi-ple we are to live by every day.

8 Jesus set a sterling example inprayer. You may recall that he once spentan entire night praying to his Father.Let us try to picture the scene. (ReadLuke 6:12, 13.) It is springtime, likelynear the fishing town of Capernaum, Je-sus’ home base in the region. As eveningfalls, Jesus goes up one of the moun-tains that overlook the Sea of Galilee.As he views the darkening landscape, heperhaps sees the flickering of oil lampsdown in Capernaum and other nearbyvillages. When Jesus addresses Jehovah,though, he focuses intentlyon his prayer.Minutes—then hours—pass. He takes lit-tle note as the lights far below go out oneby one or as the moon drifts across thesky or as the nocturnal animals forage inthe brush. His prayer likely dwells on thebig decision that lies before him—that ofchoosing his 12 apostles. We can imag-ine Jesus immersed in telling his Fatherall his thoughts and concerns about eachdisciple as he earnestly begs for guid-ance and wisdom.

9 What can we learn from Jesus’ ex-ample? That we must spend long hoursin prayer? No, for he kindly acknowl-edged about his followers: “The spirit, ofcourse, is eager, but the flesh is weak.”(Matt. 26:41) Nevertheless, we can imi-tate Jesus. For instance, do we consult

9. What can we learn from Jesus’ example ofpraying all night?

our heavenly Father before making anydecision that may affect us, our fami-ly, or our fellow believers spiritually?Do our prayers include concerns aboutour brothers and sisters in the faith? Dowe pray from the heart rather than re-peat a set form of expressions? Notice,too, that Jesus valued intimate, privatetalk with his Father. In today’s busy,hectic world, it is all too easy to get socaught up in the rush of life that we for-get what matters most. If we make am-ple time for in-depth, private prayer, wewill be more spiritually alert. (Matt. 6:6, 7) We will draw closer to Jehovah, ea-ger to strengthen our relationship withhim and avoid doing anything that mightweaken it.—Ps. 25:14.

HOW TO BE WATCHFUL

IN THE PREACHING WORK

10 Jesus was watchful in the work thatJehovah assigned him to do. There maybe some jobs that allow for the worker’smind to wander without serious con-sequences. Many jobs, though, call forkeen focus and alertness, and the Chris-tian ministry is certainly like that. Je-sus was ever alert in his work, watch-ing for opportunities to share the goodnews. For example, when he and his dis-ciples arrived at the town of Sychar af-ter a long morning of walking, the disci-ples went to purchase food. Jesus stayednear the town’s well to rest, but he keptalert, and he saw an opportunity to wit-ness. A Samaritan woman approachedto draw water. Jesus could have chosento take a nap. He could have thought ofreasons to avoid a conversation. How-ever, he spoke up, involved the wom-an in conversation, and gave a powerfulwitness that affected many lives in that

10. What example shows us how Jesus keptalert to opportunities to give a witness?

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city. (John 4:4-26, 39-42) Can we moreclosely imitate Jesus’ watchful example,perhaps by striving to be increasinglyalert to opportunities to share the goodnews with people we meet in our day-to-day life?

11 At times, well-meaning individualssought to distract Jesus from his work. InCapernaum, the crowds were so movedby Jesus’ miracles of healing that theywanted to keep him there with them.That is understandable. However, Jesus’mission was to preach to all “the lostsheep of the house of Israel,” not justthose in one city. (Matt. 15:24) So he toldthose people: “Also to other cities I mustdeclare the good news of the kingdom ofGod, because for this I was sent forth.”(Luke 4:40-44) Clearly, Jesus’ life was fo-cused on his ministry. He allowed noth-ing to sidetrack him.

12 Was Jesus so focused on his workthat he was a fanatic or an ascetic? Was

11, 12. (a) How did Jesus respond to thosewho sought to distract him from his work?(b) What balance did Jesus display regardinghis work?

he so absorbed in his ministry that hewas aloof from the practical needs offamilies? No, Jesus set a perfect exampleof balance. He enjoyed life, taking plea-sure in happy times with his friends. Hevalued families, showing profound em-pathy for their needs and problems, andhe freely showed his affection for chil-dren.—Read Mark 10:13-16.

13 As we imitate Jesus’ example ofwatchfulness, how can we strive for asimilar balance? We do not let this worlddistract us from our work. Even well-meaning friends and relatives may urgeus to slow down in our ministry or toseek what they see as a normal life. If weimitate Jesus, however, we view our min-istry as if it were food. (John 4:34) Ourwork nourishes us spiritually and bringsus delight as well. Yet, we never want tobe extremists, displaying a self-righteousor ascetic spirit. Like Jesus, we want tobe joyful, balanced servants of “the hap-py God.”—1 Tim. 1:11.

HOW TO BE WATCHFUL

IN TIMES OF TRIAL

14 As we have seen, some of Jesus’most urgent exhortations to keep watch-ful came when he was under severe trial.(Read Mark 14:37.) When we face hard-ships, we need his example more thanever. Under trial, many tend to forgeta vital truth, one so important that thebook of Proverbs says it twice: “There ex-ists a way that is upright before a man,but the ways of death are the end ofit afterward.” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25) Ifwe rely on our own thinking, especiallywhen we face serious problems, we are

13. How can we imitate Jesus’ example ofwatchfulness and balance when it comes to ourKingdom-preaching work?14. In times of trial, what tendency do we needto resist, and why?

Jesus preached to the woman at the well.What opportunities do you make to preach daily?

FEBRUARY 15, 2012 7

likely to endanger ourselves and thosewe love.

15 For example, a family head mayface severe pressure in providing ma-terially for “those who are his own.”(1 Tim. 5:8) He might be tempted totake a job that repeatedly causes him tomiss out on attending Christian meet-ings, taking the lead in family worship,or participating in the ministry. If herelies solely on human thinking, such acourse could seem justifiable, even up-right. However, it may well result inspiritual sickness or death. How muchbetter to follow the counsel of Proverbs3:5, 6! Said Solomon: “Trust in Jehovahwith all your heart and do not lean uponyour own understanding. In all yourways take notice of him, and he himselfwill make your paths straight.”

16 When Jesus was under trial, he res-olutely refused to lean on his own un-derstanding. Think of it! The wisestman ever to live on this earth chosenot to draw on his own wisdom for an-swers. For instance, when Satan tempt-ed him, Jesus repeatedly answered withthe phrase: “It is written.” (Matt. 4:4, 7,10) He relied on his Father’s wisdom toward off temptation, showing the humil-ity that Satan despises and utterly lacks.Do we do the same? A family head whoimitates Jesus’ watchfulness lets God’sWord guide him, especially in trialsometimes. Around the world, thousands offamily heads are doing just that. Theyare steadfastly putting God’s Kingdomand pure worship first in life, even ahead

15. What temptation may a family head faceduring hard economic times?16. (a) What example of trusting Jehovah’swisdom rather than his own did Jesus set?(b) How are many family heads imitating Je-sus’ example of trusting in Jehovah during hardtimes?

of material concerns. Thereby, they takethe best care of their families. Jehovahresponds by blessing their efforts to pro-vide for material needs, just as his Wordpromises.—Matt. 6:33.

17 Without question, Jesus set the bestpossible example of watchfulness. Hisexample is practical, beneficial, and evenlifesaving. Remember, Satan is eager tolull you into spiritual sleep—a state ofweak faith, lackadaisical worship, andcompromised integrity. (1 Thess. 5:6) Donot let him succeed! Remain watchful asJesus did—watchful in your prayers, inyour ministry, and in dealing with trials.By following that course, you will enjoy arich, happy, fulfilling life even now in thetwilight of this dying system of things.A watchful course will also ensure thatwhen your Master comes to bring thissystem to its end, he will find you alertand active, doing his Father’s will. Howdelighted Jehovah will be to reward youfor your faithful course!—Rev. 16:15.

17. What moves you to imitate Jesus’ watchful-ness?

Caring for your family’s spiritual well-beingshows that you are being watchful

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Courage—even boldness—in the face of opposi-tion. These qualities are displayed by true Chris-tians, as shown in such publications as “BearingThorough Witness” About God’s Kingdom and Je-hovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom.Like our first-century fellow believers, we turn toJehovah in prayer for his spirit and for help tospeak his word with boldness.—Acts 4:23-31.

Regarding our preaching work during the firstworld war, one brother wrote: “God’s servantswere energetically distributing the seventh vol-ume of Studies in the Scriptures, entitled The Fin-ished Mystery. It was reaching an unprecedenteddistribution. Kingdom News No. 1 was released in1918. Next came Kingdom News No. 2, explainingwhy The Finished Mystery was suppressed by theauthorities. This was followed by Kingdom NewsNo. 3. These publications were widely distribut-ed by the faithful anointed class. It took faith andcourage to put out Kingdom News.”

Today, new Kingdom publishers usually re-ceive training in the ministry, but that was notalways so. Reflecting on his first experience infield service in 1922, one Polish brother in theUnited States wrote: “Having no knowledge ofhow to present the literature and speaking verypoor English, I stood alone before the office of adoctor and knocked. A nurse opened the door. Iwill never forget that experience, for I was excit-ed and frightened. As I was opening my satchel,all the books fell out at the feet of the nurse. I donot know what I said, but I placed a publicationwith her. By the time I left, I had gained courageand felt blessed by Jehovah. I placed many book-lets that day on that business street.”

“About 1933, many brothers used sound carsto spread the Kingdom message,” said a sister.On one occasion, she and a Witness couple werepreaching in a mountainous area of California,U.S.A. “The brother took the sound car high-er up into the mountains, and we stayed downin town,” she recalled. “When he began playingthe recorded message, it almost sounded as if itcame from heaven. The townspeople tried andtried to find the brother, but they never could.After the record was finished, we called on thepeople and witnessed to them. I worked withtwo other sound cars and can assure you thatmost people did not want to hear the message.But they could not help but hear the talks as themessage coming from the sound cars poured intotheir homes. We could always see that Jehovah

TheyCourageouslyProclaimedGod’s Word!

FEBRUARY 15, 2012 9

caused the right method to be used at the righttime. The method called for all the courage wecould muster, but it always accomplished its pur-pose, and Jehovah’s name was glorified.”

In the 1930’s and early 1940’s, phonographsand recorded Bible talks were used in our minis-try. One Christian woman recalled: “A young sis-ter was working from door to door with the pho-nograph. After she started playing the record atone door, the man of the house became so infu-riated that he kicked the phonograph right off theporch. Not one record was broken. Three meneating their lunch in a parked truck saw whathappened, invited the sister to play the recordfor them, and obtained literature from her. Thatmade up for the ill-treatment.” It took courage toendure such trials.

The same sister added: “I recall the begin-ning of the magazine street work in 1940. Ear-lier, there were information marches. In singlefile, brothers and sisters would make their waydown the sidewalk carrying signs that read ‘Re-ligion Is a Snare and a Racket’ and ‘Serve Godand Christ the King.’At the same time, free tractswere passed out to the people. It took courage toengage in these features of the work, but theyserved the purpose of keeping Jehovah’s nameand people before the eye of the public.”

“Doing magazine work in small towns wasvery hard,” said another sister. “This was whenopposition was strong against the Witnesses. . . .It took real courage to stand on a corner holding

the magazines and calling out the slogans sug-gested for our use. Yet, we seldom missed a Sat-urday. Sometimes people would be friendly. Atother times ugly groups would form, and occa-sionally we would have to slip away to avoid mobaction.”

Despite persecution experienced during WorldWar II, Jehovah’s Witnesses courageously carriedon their ministry. In a 43-day campaign from De-cember 1, 1940, through January 12, 1941, about50,000 publishers in the United States distribut-ed almost eight million booklets during what wascalled the “Courage” Testimony Period.

Many older ones in God’s organization vividlyremember past challenges that called upon themto muster up courage. Some recall that for years,their courageous spirit was reflected in their oftrepeated adage, Press the battle to the gate! Whatform our God-given message will yet take be-fore the present wicked system ends remains tobe seen. With divine help, however, we will con-tinue to proclaim Jehovah’s word with faith andcourage.

Couragehas always beenrequired to engagein the Kingdom-preaching work

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COURAGE is the opposite of fear, timidity,and cowardice. We may think of a coura-geous person as one who is strong, valiant,

even bold. At times, however, quiet courage is need-ed in order to pursue an upright course in daily life.

2 Some people of Bible record were fearless un-der very trying conditions. Others displayed cour-age in circumstances common to Jehovah’s servantsin general. What can we learn from Biblical exam-ples of courage? How can we be courageous?

COURAGEOUS WITNESSES IN

AN UNGODLY WORLD

3 It took courage to be awitness of Jehovah amongwicked ones on earth before the Flood of Noah’s day.Yet, Enoch, “the seventh one in line from Adam,”boldly delivered this prophetic message: “Look! Je-hovah came with his holy myriads, to execute judg-ment against all, and to convict all the ungodly con-cerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in anungodly way, and concerning all the shocking thingsthat ungodly sinners spoke against him.” (Jude 14,15) Enoch spoke in the past tense because thatprophecy was sure to be fulfilled. And ungodly hu-mans did perish in a global deluge!

4 The Flood occurred in 2370 B.C.E., over 650years after Enoch’s prophetic ministry. Meanwhile,Noah was born, raised a family, and with his sonsbuilt the ark. Wicked angels had materialized flesh-ly bodies, mated with good-looking women, and fa-

1, 2. (a) What is sometimes needed to pursue an uprightcourse in life? (b) What are we going to examine?3. Enoch foretold what for the ungodly?4. Despite what circumstances did Noah ‘walk with God’?

“BE COURAGEOUSAND

VERY STRONG”

“Be courageous andvery strong . . .Jehovah your Godis with you.”—JOSH. 1:7-9.

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?

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In what ways did Enoch and

Noah display courage?

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How were certain women of

ancient times exemplary in

faith and courage?

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What examples of youthful

courage impress you?

FEBRUARY 15, 2012 11

thered the Nephilim. Moreover, man’sbadness had become abundant, and theearth was filled with violence. (Gen. 6:1-5, 9, 11) Despite such conditions,“Noah walked with the true God” andwitnessed boldly as “a preacher of righ-teousness.” (Read 2 Peter 2:4, 5.) Weneed similar courage in these last days.

THEY DISPLAYED FAITH AND COURAGE

5 Moses had exemplary faith andcourage. (Heb. 11:24-27) From 1513-1473 B.C.E., God used him to lead theIsraelites out of Egypt and direct themin the wilderness. Moses felt poorlyequipped for this assignment, but he ac-cepted it. (Ex. 6:12) He and his broth-er, Aaron, repeatedly appeared beforetyrannical Pharaoh of Egypt and coura-geously announced the Ten Plagues bywhich Jehovah disgraced Egyptian godsand delivered His people. (Ex., chaps. 7-12) Moses displayed faith and couragebecause he had God’s unfailing support,even as we do.—Deut. 33:27.

5. How did Moses display faith and courage?

6 We need courage like that of Moses,for Jesus said: “You will be haled beforegovernors and kings for my sake, for awitness to them and the nations. How-ever, when they deliver you up, do notbecome anxious about how or what youare to speak; for what you are to speakwill be given you in that hour; for theones speaking are not just you, but itis the spirit of your Father that speaksby you.” (Matt. 10:18-20) If we are inter-rogated by secular authorities, Jehovah’sspirit will enable us to bear witness re-spectfully with faith and courage.—ReadLuke 12:11, 12.

7 Regular study of God’s Law builtup the faith and courage of Moses’ suc-cessor, Joshua. In 1473 B.C.E., Israelwas poised to enter the Promised Land.“Be courageous and very strong,” Godcommanded. By complying with theLaw, Joshua would act wisely and wouldbe successful. “Do not suffer shock orbe terrified,” he was told, “for Jehovahyour God is with you wherever you go.”(Josh.1:7-9) How those words must havestrengthened Joshua! And God certain-ly was with him, for the major conquestof the Promised Land was completed inonly six years—by 1467 B.C.E.

VALIANT WOMEN WHO

TOOK THEIR STAND

8 Through the centuries, many coura-geous women have taken their stand asvaliant worshippers of Jehovah. For in-stance, the prostitute Rahab of Jerichoexercised faith in God, courageously

6. If we are interrogated by secular authorities,how will we be able to bear witness with cour-age?7. Why was Joshua courageous and success-ful?8. What example of faith and courage do wehave in Rahab?

Enoch preached courageously in an ungodly world

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concealing two spies sent out by Joshua,and then misdirecting the henchmen ofthat city’s king. She and her householdwere preserved when the Israelites tookJericho. Rahab abandoned her sinfulprofession, worshipped Jehovah faith-fully, and became an ancestress of theMessiah. (Josh. 2:1-6; 6:22, 23; Matt. 1:1, 5) How she was blessed for her faithand courage!

9 After Joshua’s death about1450 B.C.E., judges administered justicein Israel. Canaanite King Jabin had op-pressed the Israelites for 20 years whenGod had the prophetess Deborah moti-vate Judge Barak to take action. Barakassembled 10,000 men on Mount Taborand was ready to engage in battle withJabin’s military chief Sisera, who en-

9. How did Deborah, Barak, and Jael showcourage?

tered the torrent valley of Kishon withhis army and its 900 war chariots. Whenthe Israelites marched into the val-ley plain, God caused a flash flood thatturned the battlefield into a quagmireand immobilized the Canaanite chari-ots. Barak’s men prevailed, and “all thecamp of Sisera fell by the edge of thesword.” Sisera himself sought refuge inthe tent of Jael, but she killed him whilehe slept. In line with Deborah’s pro-phetic words to Barak, “the beautifyingthing” of this victory went to the womanJael. Because Deborah, Barak, and Jaelacted courageously, Israel “had no fur-ther disturbance for forty years.” (Judg.4:1-9, 14-22; 5:20, 21, 31) Many godlymen and women have displayed similarfaith and courage.

OUR WORDS CAN INSPIRE COURAGE

10 What we say can inspire couragein fellow worshippers of Jehovah. Inthe 11th century B.C.E., King David toldhis son Solomon: “Be courageous andstrong and act. Do not be afraid nor beterrified, for Jehovah God, my God, iswith you. He will not desert you or leaveyou until all the work of the service ofJehovah’s house is finished.” (1 Chron.28:20) Solomon acted courageously andbuilt the splendid temple of Jehovah inJerusalem.

11 In the tenth century B.C.E., thecourageous words of an Israelite girlproved to be a blessing for a leper. Shehad been captured by a marauding bandand became a servant of the leprous Syr-ian army chief Naaman. Having learnedabout miracles that Jehovah performed

10. Why can it be said that our words can in-spire courage?11. What effect did the courageous words of anIsraelite girl have on one man’s life?

Jael was courageous and strong


through Elisha, she told Naaman’s wifethat if her husband would go to Isra-el, God’s prophet would cure him. Na-aman did go to Israel, was miraculous-ly healed, and became a worshipper ofJehovah. (2 Ki. 5:1-3, 10-17) If you are ayoung person who loves God as that girldid, he can give you courage to witnessto teachers, fellow students, and others.

12 Well-chosen words in times of per-il can inspire courage. When the As-syrians marched against Jerusalem inthe eighth century B.C.E., King Hezeki-ah told his subjects: “Be courageous andstrong. Do not be afraid nor be terri-fied because of the king of Assyria andon account of all the crowd that is withhim; for with us there are more thanthere are with him. With him there is anarm of flesh, but with us there is Jeho-vah our God to help us and to fight ourbattles.” How was that expression re-ceived? Why, “the people began to bracethemselves upon the words of Hezeki-ah”! (2 Chron. 32:7, 8) Similar wordsmay bolster our own courage and thatof other Christians when we are beinghounded by persecutors.

13 Sometimes courage is shown bywhat we do not say. In the tenth centu-ry B.C.E., King Ahab’s steward Obadi-ah courageously hid a hundred proph-ets of Jehovah “by fifties in a cave” sothat they would not be killed at the or-der of wicked Queen Jezebel. (1 Ki. 18:4)Like God-fearing Obadiah, many of Je-hovah’s loyal present-day servants havecourageously protected fellow believersby not giving persecutors informationabout them.

12. How did the words of King Hezekiah affecthis subjects?13. What example of courage do we have inKing Ahab’s steward Obadiah?

ESTHER—A COURAGEOUS QUEEN

14 Queen Esther displayed great faithand courage when a genocide plothatched by wicked Haman imperiledthe Jews throughout the Persian Empirein the fifth century B.C.E. No wonderthey mourned and fasted and undoubt-edly prayed with all their heart! (Es-ther 4:1-3) Queen Esther was greatly dis-tressed. Her cousin Mordecai sent her acopy of the law authorizing the massa-cre and commanded her to appear be-fore the king to implore favor for herfellow Jews. But anyone going in to theking when not summoned was put todeath.—Esther 4:4-11.

15 Yet, Mordecai told Esther: ‘If youare silent, deliverance will come fromanother place. But who knows wheth-er it is for a time like this that you at-tained royal dignity?’ Esther urged Mor-decai to gather the Jews in Shushan andfast in her behalf. “I shall fast likewise,”she said, “and upon that I shall come into the king, which is not according to thelaw; and in case I must perish, I mustperish.” (Esther 4:12-17) Esther actedcourageously, and the book bearing hername shows that God delivered his peo-ple. In our day, anointed Christians andtheir dedicated associates display simi-lar courage under trial—and the “Hearerof prayer” is always on their side.—ReadPsalm 65:2; 118:6.

“TAKE COURAGE”

16 On one occasion in the first centu-ry C.E., 12-year-old Jesus was foundat the temple, “sitting in the midstof the teachers and listening to them

14, 15. How did Queen Esther display faithand courage, and with what result?16. What example do our youngsters have inJesus?

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and questioning them.” Moreover, “allthose listening to him were in constantamazement at his understanding andhis answers.” (Luke 2:41-50) Althoughhe was young, Jesus had the faith andcourage needed to question older teach-ers at the temple. Bearing in mind Je-sus’ example will help youngsters in theChristian congregation to take full ad-vantage of opportunities to ‘make a de-fense before everyone demanding a rea-son for their hope.’—1 Pet. 3:15.

17 Jesus urged others to “take cour-age.” (Matt. 9:2, 22) He told his disci-ples: “Look! The hour is coming, indeed,it has come, when you will be scatteredeach one to his own house and you willleave me alone; and yet I am not alone,because the Father is with me. I havesaid these things to you that by meansof me you may have peace. In the worldyou are having tribulation, but takecourage! I have conquered the world.”(John 16:32, 33) Like Jesus’ early follow-ers, we face the world’s hatred, but letus not become like the world. Reflect-ing on the courageous course of God’sSon can give us courage to remain un-defiled by this world. He triumphed overthe world, and so can we.—John 17:16;Jas. 1:27.

“BE OF GOOD COURAGE!”

18 The apostle Paul endured manytests. On one occasion, Jews in Jerusa-lem would have torn him to pieces hadRoman soldiers not rescued him. Dur-ing the night, “the Lord stood by himand said: ‘Be of good courage! For as you

17. Why did Jesus urge his disciples to “takecourage,” and why do we need to act coura-geously?18, 19. The apostle Paul gave what evidence offaith and courage?

have been giving a thorough witness onthe things about me in Jerusalem, so youmust also bear witness in Rome.’ ” (Acts23:11) Paul did just that.

19 Paul fearlessly rebuked the “su-perfine apostles,” who sought to cor-rupt the congregation in Corinth. (2 Cor.11:5; 12:11) Unlike them, he could pointto proof of his apostleship—to imprison-ment, beatings, perilous journeys, oth-er dangers, hunger, thirst, and sleep-less nights, as well as deep concern forfellow believers. (Read 2 Corinthians11:23-28.) What a record of faith andcourage—all of it proof of God-givenstrength!

20 Not all Christians will experiencesevere persecution. Yet, all need to mus-ter up boldness in order to meet thechallenges of life. To illustrate: A youngperson in Brazil belonged to a gang. Af-ter studying the Bible, he saw the needto make changes, but usually anyoneleaving the gang was killed. He prayed,and he used scriptures to show the lead-er why he could not stay in the gang. Theyoung man was released without repri-sals and became a Kingdom publisher.

21 Courage is required to preach thegood news. Christian youths need thisquality if they are to maintain integrityat school. It may take courage to requesttime off from secular work in order toattend all sessions of a convention. Thelist could go on and on. Regardless ofthe challenges we face, however, Jeho-vah will hear our ‘prayers of faith.’ (Jas.5:15) And surely he can give us his holyspirit so that we can “be courageous andvery strong”!

20, 21. (a) Give an example showing that wemust keep on mustering up courage. (b) Un-der what circumstances may we need to dis-play courage, and of what can we be certain?


“Napoleon envied Caesar, Caesar envied Alex-ander [the Great], and Alexander, I daresay, en-vied Hercules, who never existed,” wrote Englishphilosopher Bertrand Russell. Envy can plagueanyone, regardless of how much wealth he has,whatever virtues he possesses, and how success-ful he is in life.

Envy is a feeling of resentment toward othersbecause of their belongings, prosperity, advan-tages, and so forth. Distinguishing envy from jeal-ousy, a Biblical reference work says: “ ‘Jealousy’. . . refers to the desire to be as well off as anoth-er, and the word ‘envy’ refers to the desire to de-prive another of what he has.” Not only does theenvious man begrudge what others have but hewants to take it from them.

We are wise to examine how envy can arise inus and what its consequences are. Especially dowe need to know what measures we can take toprevent envy from controlling our lives.

A SPIRIT THAT CAN FAN

THE FLAME OF ENVY

While imperfect humans have “a tendency toenvy,” various factors can feed and strengthenthis inclination. (Jas. 4:5) Identifying one of them,

the apostle Paul wrote: “Let us not become ego-tistical, stirring up competition with one anoth-er, envying one another.” (Gal. 5:26) The spiritof competition can make our imperfect leaningstoward envy even worse. Two Christians namedCristina and Jose� discovered this to be true.

Cristina, a regular pioneer, says: “I often findmyself looking enviously at others. I comparewhat they have with what I don’t have.” On oneoccasion, Cristina was sharing a meal with a cou-ple who have the privilege of serving in the trav-eling work. Aware that she and her husband, Eric,were about the same age as the traveling overseerand his wife and had had similar assignments inthe past, Cristina said: “My husband too is an el-der! So how is it that you are in the traveling workand we are nothing?” The flame of envy, fannedby a competitive spirit, blinded her to the finework she and her husband were doing and madeher feel dissatisfied with their life.

Jose desired to serve as a ministerial servantin the congregation. When he was not appointedbut others were, he became envious of them andharbored ill feelings toward the coordinator of the

� Names have been changed.

A TraitThat Can PoisonOur Minds

EnvyNapoleon Bonaparte had it. Julius Caesar had it. Alexanderthe Great had it. Despite all their power and glory, thesemen harbored in their heart a trait that can poison one’smind. All three envied someone else.

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body of elders. “Envy caused me to nurse a ha-tred for this brother and to misinterpret his inten-tions,” confesses Jose. “When envy takes controlof your life, you become self-centered and cannotthink clearly.”

WHAT SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES TEACH US

The Bible contains many warning examples.(1 Cor. 10:11) Some of these show not only howenvy develops but also how it poisons those whoallow it to overpower them.

For instance, Adam and Eve’s firstborn son,Cain, felt angry when Jehovah accepted Abel’ssacrifice but not his. Cain could have remediedthis situation, but he became so blinded by envythat he killed his brother. (Gen. 4:4-8) No wonderthe Bible speaks of Cain as one “who originatedwith the wicked one,” Satan!—1 John 3:12.

Joseph’s ten brothers envied the special rela-tionship Joseph had with their father. Their ha-

tred for Joseph grew when he told themabout his prophetic dreams. They evenwanted to kill him. Finally, they sold himas a slave and cruelly led their father tobelieve that Joseph was dead. (Gen. 37:4-11, 23-28, 31-33) Years later, they admit-ted their sin, saying to one another: “Un-questionably we are guilty with regard toour brother, because we saw the distressof his soul when he implored compas-sion on our part, but we did not listen.”—Gen. 42:21; 50:15-19.

In the case of Korah, Dathan, and Abi-ram, envy arose when they comparedtheir privileges with those of Moses andAaron. They accused Moses of ‘play-ing the prince’ and of lifting himself upabove others. (Num. 16:13) This accusa-tion was false. (Num. 11:14, 15) Jehovahhimself had appointed Moses. But theserebels envied Moses’ position. Finally,envy led to their destruction at Jehovah’shand.—Ps. 106:16, 17.

King Solomon witnessed the lengthsto which envy can go. A woman whose

own newborn baby had died attempted to de-ceive her companion into thinking that it was herbaby who had died. During the subsequent trial,the liar even consented to the idea of killing thesurviving baby. However, Solomon saw to it thatthe child was given to the real mother.—1 Ki. 3:16-27.

Envy can have devastating consequences. Theaforementioned Scriptural examples show that itcan lead to hatred, injustice, and murder. More-over, in each case the victim had done nothing todeserve what was unleashed upon him or her. Isthere anything we can do to ensure that envy doesnot control our lives? What measures can we takeas antidotes to envy?

POWERFUL ANTIDOTES!

Develop love and brotherly affection. The apos-tle Peter admonished Christians: “Now that youhave purified your souls by your obedience to


the truth with unhypocritical brotherlyaffection as the result, love one anoth-er intensely from the heart.” (1 Pet. 1:22) And what is love? The apostle Paulwrote: “Love is long-suffering and kind.Love is not jealous, it does not brag, doesnot get puffed up, does not behave in-decently, does not look for its own inter-ests.” (1 Cor. 13:4, 5) Would not devel-oping such love for others in our heartstifle a negative tendency to envy? (1 Pet.2:1) Instead of envying David, Jonathan‘loved him as his own soul.’—1 Sam.18:1.

Associate with godly people. The com-poser of Psalm 73 felt envious of thewicked who enjoyed a problem-free lifeof luxury. However, he conquered hisenvy by going to “the grand sanctuary ofGod.” (Ps. 73:3-5, 17) Association withfellow worshippers helped the psalm-ist to recognize the blessings he derivedfrom “drawing near to God.” (Ps. 73:28) Regularly associating with fellow be-lievers at Christian meetings can do thesame for us.

Seek to do good. After observing thatenvy and hatred had developed in Cain, Godtold him: “Turn to doing good.” (Gen. 4:7) Whatdoes “doing good” entail for Christians? Jesussaid that we ‘must love Jehovah our God withour whole heart and with our whole soul andwith our whole mind and must love our neigh-bor as ourselves.’ (Matt. 22:37-39) The sat-isfaction we derive from centering our lives onserving Jehovah and helping others is a strongantidote to feelings of envy. Having a meaningfulshare in the Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work is a fine way to serve God and ourneighbor and brings us “the blessing of Jeho-vah.”—Prov. 10:22.

“Rejoice with people who rejoice.” (Rom. 12:15)Jesus rejoiced at the success of his disciples, andhe pointed out that they would accomplish evenmore than he had in the preaching work. (Luke10:17, 21; John 14:12) We are united as Jehovah’s

servants; hence, the success of any one of us is ablessing to all. (1 Cor. 12:25, 26) Should we not,then, rejoice rather than feel envious when othersreceive greater responsibility?

NOT AN EASY FIGHT!

The fight against envy can be a long one. Cris-tina admits: “I still have a strong tendency towardenvy. Even though I hate it, the feeling is there,and I have to suppress it constantly.” Jose has hada similar fight. “Jehovah helped me to appreciatethe good qualities of the coordinator of the bodyof elders,” he says. “A good relationship with Godhas proved invaluable.”

Envy is one of “the works of the flesh,” againstwhich every Christian should fight. (Gal. 5:19-21)By not allowing envy to control us, we can makeour lives happier and can please our heavenly Fa-ther, Jehovah.

“Rejoice with peoplewho rejoice”

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THE first-century Christians in Philippi werematerially poor. However, they were gener-ous and showed exemplary love for their fel-

low believers. (Phil. 1:3-5, 9; 4:15, 16) In closinghis inspired letter to them, the apostle Paul couldtherefore write: “The undeserved kindness of theLord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show.”(Phil. 4:23) Because a similar spirit was shown bythe Christians in Thyatira, the glorified Jesus Christtold them: “I know your deeds, and your love andfaith and ministry and endurance, and that yourdeeds of late are more than those formerly.”—Rev.2:19.

2 Each congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses to-day likewise manifests a certain spirit, or dominantattitude. Some congregations are especially knownfor showing a warm, loving spirit. Others are ex-ceptional in their zealous support of the Kingdom-preaching work and in showing high regard for thefull-time ministry. When we as individuals cultivatea positive spirit, we contribute to the unity of thecongregation and further its spiritual advancementin general. (1 Cor. 1:10) On the other hand, a neg-ative spirit on our part can contribute to spiritualdrowsiness, a lukewarm attitude, and even the tol-eration of wrongdoing in the congregation. (1 Cor.5:1; Rev. 3:15, 16) What is the spirit of your congre-gation? How can you personally help to promote apositive spirit in the congregation?

1. For what were the congregations in Philippi and Thyatiracommended?2. What part do we play in cultivating the spirit that our con-gregation displays?

PRESERVETHE POSITIVESPIRIT OF THE

CONGREGATION

“The undeservedkindness of the LordJesus Christ be withthe spirit you show.”—PHIL. 4:23.

HOW CAN WE PROMOTE

A HEALTHY SPIRIT IN THE

CONGREGATION . . .

��

while associating with our

brothers?

��

by our zeal in the field

ministry?

��

by reporting serious

wrongdoing?


ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE SPIRIT

3 The psalmist sang: “I will laud you[Jehovah] in the big congregation;among a numerous people I shall praiseyou.” (Ps. 35:18) The psalmist did nothold back from praising Jehovah whenhe was with other servants of God.Weekly congregation meetings, includ-ing the Watchtower Study, present fineopportunities for us to display a zealousspirit when we comment and make ex-pressions of faith. All of us may well askourselves: ‘Am I taking full advantageof the privilege to participate in meet-ings? Do I prepare well for them andmake meaningful comments? As a fam-ily head, do I help my children to pre-pare comments in advance and teachthem to answer in their own words?’

4 The psalmist David associated thesteadfastness of our heart with our sing-ing. “My heart is steadfast, O God,” hesaid, “my heart is steadfast. I will singand make melody.” (Ps. 57:7) The songsused at Christian meetings provide us afine opportunity to “sing and make mel-ody” to Jehovah with a steadfast heart.If we are not familiar with some of thesongs, why not practice singing themduring Family Worship evening? Maywe be determined to ‘sing to Jehovahthroughout our life and make melody tohim as long as we are.’—Ps. 104:33.

5 Showing hospitality to our brothersand sisters is another way to engendera loving spirit in the congregation. Inthe final chapter of his letter to the He-brews, Paul includes this exhortation:“Let your brotherly love continue. Do

3, 4. How can we “laud [Jehovah] in the bigcongregation”?5, 6. How may we be hospitable and generousto others, and what does doing so engender inthe congregation?

not forget hospitality.” (Heb. 13:1, 2)Providing a meal for traveling overseersand their wives or for full-time servantsin the congregation is an excellent wayto display hospitality. Think also of wid-ows, single-parent families, or other in-dividuals who may benefit from occa-sionally joining us for a meal or duringour family worship.

6 Paul directed Timothy to admonishothers “to work at good, to be rich infine works, to be liberal, ready to share,safely treasuring up for themselves a

Do you contribute to a positive spiritby preparing meaningful comments?

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fine foundation for the future, in orderthat they may get a firm hold on thereal life.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19) Paul was rec-ommending that his fellow worshipperscultivate the spirit of generosity. Evenin difficult economic times, we can pro-mote a generous spirit. A fine way todo this is to provide transportation inthe field ministry and to and from themeetings for those needing it. And whatabout those who benefit from such actsof loving-kindness? They would be en-couraging a positive spirit in the con-gregation if they showed appreciation,perhaps by offering what they can tohelp defray the increasingly high cost offuel. Moreover, would not our arrang-ing to spend more time with our spiritu-al brothers and sisters make them feelneeded and loved? When we abound ingood deeds “toward those related to usin the faith” and are ready to share ourtime and resources with them, we not

only deepen our love for them but alsohelp to build a warm and positive spiritin the congregation.—Gal. 6:10.

7 Consider yet other factors thatstrengthen the bond of love with ourfellow believers: friendship and confi-dentiality. (Read Proverbs 18:24.) Truefriends keep personal matters confi-dential. When our brothers reveal theirinnermost thoughts and feelings to usand are sure that these will not becomepublic knowledge, the bond of lovethat may already exist will grow stron-ger. May we promote a loving, family-like spirit in the congregation by being atrustworthy friend who can keep thingsconfidential.—Prov. 20:19.

BE ZEALOUS IN THE MINISTRY

8 When addressing the congregationin Laodicea, Jesus said: “I know yourdeeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.I wish you were cold or else hot. So,because you are lukewarm and neitherhot nor cold, I am going to vomit youout of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15, 16) TheLaodiceans lacked zeal for the Christianministry. Such an attitude likely affect-ed their personal relationships as well.So Jesus lovingly counseled them: “Allthose for whom I have affection I re-prove and discipline. Therefore be zeal-ous and repent.”—Rev. 3:19.

9 To promote a healthy, positive spir-it in the congregation, we should give at-tention to our zeal for the field service.The congregation is organized for the

7. How does keeping the personal matters ofothers confidential help to preserve a good spir-it in the congregation?8. What counsel did the Laodiceans receive,and why?9. How does our attitude toward the field min-istry affect the spirit of the congregation?

Contribute to a positive spirit by becomingfamiliar with our songs


purpose of searching out sheeplike in-dividuals in the territory and buildingthem up spiritually. Hence, we need toshare in the disciple-making work withenthusiasm, as Jesus did. (Matt. 28:19,20; Luke 4:43) The greater our zeal forthe ministry, the more united we will beas “God’s fellow workers.” (1 Cor. 3:9)As we observe others in the field servicedefending their faith and expressing ap-preciation for spiritual things, we aremoved to love and respect them more.Also, serving “shoulder to shoulder” inthe ministry produces a united spirit inthe congregation.—Read Zephaniah 3:9.

10 Our efforts to improve the quali-ty of our ministry also have a good ef-fect on others. As we show greater con-cern for the people we meet, and as weendeavor to improve our effectivenessin reaching the hearts of our listeners,our enthusiasm for the ministry increas-es. (Matt. 9:36, 37) Enthusiasm tends torub off on our companions. Jesus senthis disciples out to preach in twos rath-er than individually. (Luke 10:1) Thisnot only provided encouragement andtraining but also heightened their zealfor the ministry. Do we not appreci-ate working with zealous Kingdom pub-lishers? Their enthusiastic spirit encour-ages us and spurs us on in the preachingwork.—Rom. 1:12.

GUARD AGAINST MURMURING

AND WRONGDOING

11 Within just several weeks of theirexistence as a new nation, the Israel-ites developed a spirit of discontent

10. What effect does improving the quality ofour field service have on the spirit of others inthe congregation?11. What kind of spirit did some Israelites inMoses’ day develop, and what effect did thishave on them?

and murmuring. This led to rebellionagainst Jehovah and his representatives.(Ex. 16:1, 2) Only a small number of theIsraelites who left Egypt lived to see thePromised Land. Why, even Moses wasdenied entry to that land because of hisreaction to the bad spirit of the congre-gation of Israel! (Deut. 32:48-52) Whatcan we do today to keep from fallingprey to a negative spirit?

12 We must guard against developinga spirit of murmuring. While cultivat-ing humility and respect for authoritywill help us, we need to be concernedabout those with whom we associate. Apoor choice of entertainment or spend-ing too much time with workmates orschool associates who have no regardfor righteous principles takes its toll.We are wise to limit our associationwith people who are negative or whoare promoting an independent attitude.—Prov. 13:20.

13 The corruptive influence of mur-muring can lead to other spirituallydamaging developments. For example,murmuring can disrupt a congrega-tion’s peace and unity. Moreover, voic-ing complaints against fellow believersmay not only cause them pain but mayalso deteriorate into the sins of slanderand reviling. (Lev. 19:16; 1 Cor. 5:11)Some murmurers in the first-centurycongregation were “disregarding lord-ship and speaking abusively of glori-ous ones.” (Jude 8, 16) Such murmuringagainst responsible men in the congre-gation certainly did not have God’s ap-proval.

12. How can we guard against developing acomplaining spirit?13. The corruptive influence of murmuringcan lead to what other spiritually damaging de-velopments in a congregation?

14 What if we become aware thatsomeone is involved in a secret sin, per-haps abusing alcohol, viewing pornog-raphy, or living an immoral life? (Eph. 5:11, 12) Our turning a blind eye to grosswrongdoing can hinder the free flow ofJehovah’s holy spirit and threaten thepeace of the entire congregation. (Gal.5:19-23) Just as the early Christians inCorinth had to clear out badness, sotoday any corrupting influence mustbe kept out of the congregation in or-der to preserve its healthy, positive spir-it. What can you do to contribute to thecongregation’s peace?

15 As was previously mentioned, itis important to maintain confidential-ity in certain matters, especially whenothers share with us their feelings andthoughts. How wrong and hurtful it is tospread confidential information aboutsomeone! Even so, when serious sinhas been committed, those Scripturallyobligated to handle the matter—the el-ders in the congregation—should be in-formed. (Read Leviticus 5:1.) So if weknow that a brother or a sister has fall-en into such wrongdoing, we should en-courage that one to approach the eldersand seek their help. (Jas. 5:13-15) If heor she does not do so within a reason-able period of time, though, we shouldreport the wrongdoing.

16 The Christian congregation is aspiritual haven, and we must help toprotect it by reporting serious wrong-doing. If the elders bring the wrongdoer

14, 15. (a) Allowing wrongdoing to go on un-checked can have what effect on the entire con-gregation? (b) What should we do if we becomeaware that someone is involved in a secret sin?16. How does our reporting serious wrong-doing help to preserve the spirit of the congre-gation?

to his senses and he repentantly acceptsreproof and correction, he no longer en-dangers the spirit of the congregation.But what if the practicer of gross sin isunrepentant and does not respond tothe loving counsel of the elders? His ex-pulsion from the congregation resultsin “the destruction,” or removal, of thecorrupting element from among us, andthe spirit of the congregation is pre-served. (Read 1 Corinthians 5:5.) Yes,preserving the spirit of the congrega-tion requires that each of us take prop-er action, cooperate with the body of el-ders, and protect the welfare of fellowbelievers.

ENCOURAGE

“THE ONENESS OF THE SPIRIT”

17 By “devoting themselves to theteaching of the apostles,” Jesus’ ear-ly followers helped to develop a spiritof unity within the congregation. (Acts2:42) They valued the Scriptural coun-sel and direction received from the old-er men. Because present-day elders co-operate with the faithful and discreetslave class, all in the congregation areencouraged and assisted to remain unit-ed. (1 Cor. 1:10) When we submit to theBible-based instruction from Jehovah’sorganization and follow the direction ofthe elders, we give proof that we are“earnestly endeavoring to observe theoneness of the spirit in the uniting bondof peace.”—Eph. 4:3.

18 By all means, then, let us work topreserve a healthy, positive spirit in thecongregation. If we do so, we are as-sured that ‘the undeserved kindness ofthe Lord Jesus Christ will be with thespirit we show.’—Phil. 4:23.

17, 18. What will help us to “observe the one-ness of the spirit”?

22 FEBRUARY 15, 2012

King David of ancient Israel had committedadultery with Bath-sheba, and she became preg-nant. To hide their sin, David had her husbandkilled and then took Bath-sheba as his wife.Months passed while David lived a double life,no doubt continuing to perform his official func-tions. But Jehovah did not let the king’s sins passunnoticed. He sent his prophet Nathan to con-front David.

This was a difficult mission. Put yourself inNathan’s place. Loyalty to Jehovah and firm ad-herence to divine standards undoubtedly moti-vated Nathan to remind David of his sins. Howcould the prophet do this and convince King Da-vid that he needed to repent?

TACTFUL TEACHER

Why not take a few minutes to read 2 Samuel12:1-25? Imagine that you were standing in Na-than’s place as he told David this story: “Therewere two men that happened to be in one city,the one rich and the other of little means. Therich man happened to have very many sheep andcattle; but the man of little means had nothingbut one female lamb, a small one, that he hadbought. And he was preserving it alive, and itwas growing up with him and with his sons, alltogether. From his morsel it would eat, and from

N A T H A NLoyal Advocate of Pure Worship

It is not easy to convince a power-ful man that his ways are corruptand that he needs to reform. Wouldyou confront such an individual ifyou knew that he had killed a manin order to save face?

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his cup it would drink, and in his bosom it wouldlie, and it came to be as a daughter to him. Aftera while a visitor came to the rich man, but hespared taking some from his own sheep and hisown cattle to get such ready for the traveler thathad come in to him. So he took the female lambof the man of little means and got it ready for theman that had come in to him.”—2 Sam. 12:1-4.

David—who had been a shepherd himself—ev-idently believed that this was a real situation.“Perhaps,” suggests one expositor, “Nathan hadbeen accustomed to come to him to plead thecause of the injured who could obtain no re-dress otherwise, and David imagined this to behis errand now.” Even if that was the case, ittook loyalty to God as well as courage in orderfor Nathan to speak to the king as he did. Na-than’s story made David furious. “As Jehovah isliving, the man doing this deserves to die!” he ex-claimed. Then came Nathan’s crushing declara-tion: “You yourself are the man!”—2 Sam. 12:5-7.

Consider why Nathan addressed the problemas he did. It is not easy for a person who hasbecome emotionally entangled with someone toview his situation objectively. All of us tend tomake excuses in an attempt to justify ourselvesif our actions are questionable. But Nathan’s il-lustration moved David unwittingly to condemnhis own actions. The king saw clearly that theconduct Nathan described was deplorable. Onlyafter David himself had condemned it, however,did Nathan reveal that the illustration applied tothe king. Then David could see the magnitude ofhis sin. This put him in the right frame of mindto accept reproof. He acknowledged that hehad indeed “despised” Jehovah by his conductin connection with Bath-sheba, and he accept-ed the deserved reproof.—2 Sam. 12:9-14; Ps. 51,superscription.

What canwe learn from this? A Bible teacher’sobjective is to help his listeners arrive at the rightconclusion. Nathan respected David and there-fore approached him tactfully. Nathan knew thatat heart David loved righteousness and justice.

With his illustration, the prophet appealed tothese godly qualities. We too can help sincere in-dividuals to understand Jehovah’s point of view.How? By appealing to their sense of what isright, doing so without assuming any air of mor-al or spiritual superiority. The Bible, not our per-sonal opinion, is our authority regarding what isright and what is wrong.

More than anything else, loyalty to God en-abled Nathan to reprove a powerful king. (2 Sam.12:1) Similar loyalty will give us the courage tostand firm for Jehovah’s righteous principles.

PROMOTER OF PURE WORSHIP

Apparently, David and Nathan were goodfriends, for David named one of his sons Na-than. (1 Chron. 3:1, 5) The first time Nathanappears in the Biblical record, he is in David’scompany. Both of them loved Jehovah. The kingevidently trusted Nathan’s judgment, for he re-vealed to the prophet his desire to build a tem-ple to Jehovah. “ ‘See, now,’ ” said David, “ ‘I amdwelling in a house of cedars while the ark of thetrue God is dwelling in the middle of tent cloths.’Upon that Nathan said to the king: ‘Everythingthat is in your heart—go, do, because Jehovah iswith you.’ ”—2 Sam. 7:2, 3.

As a faithful worshipper of Jehovah, Nathanenthusiastically endorsed David’s plan to con-struct the first permanent center of pure worshipon earth. On that occasion, however, Nathan ap-parently expressed his own feelings instead ofspeaking in Jehovah’s name. That night, God in-structed his prophet to take a different messageto the king: David would not build Jehovah’stemple. The person to do so would be one of Da-vid’s sons. But Nathan announced that God wasmaking a covenant with David to the effect thathis throne would become “firmly established totime indefinite.”—2 Sam. 7:4-16.

God’s will did not harmonize with Nathan’sjudgment with respect to temple construction.Without murmuring, however, this humbleprophet acquiesced to Jehovah’s purpose and co-operated with it. What a fine example to fol-


low if God should correct us in some way! Na-than’s subsequent acts as a prophet show thathe did not lose God’s favor. In fact, it appearsthat Jehovah inspired Nathan, together withGad the visionary, to direct David in organizing4,000 musicians in temple service.—1 Chron. 23:1-5; 2 Chron. 29:25.

DEFENDER OF THE KINGSHIP

Nathan was aware that Solomon was to suc-ceed elderly David as king. So Nathan acted de-cisively when Adonijah attempted to usurp thethrone during David’s waning years. Tact andloyalty again characterized Nathan’s actions.First he urged Bath-sheba to remind David ofhis sworn intention to make their son Solomonking. Then Nathan himself entered the king’spresence to ask whether David had authorizedAdonijah’s succession. Realizing the gravity ofthe situation, the aged king instructed Nathanand other loyal servants to have Solomon anoint-ed and proclaimed king. Adonijah’s coup wasthwarted.—1 Ki. 1:5-53.

UNASSUMING HISTORIAN

Nathan and Gad are generally credited withwriting 1 Samuel chapters 25 to 31 as well as allof 2 Samuel. With regard to the inspired histo-ries recorded in those books, it is stated: “As forthe affairs of David the king, the first ones andthe last, there they are written among the wordsof Samuel the seer and among the words of Na-than the prophet and among the words of Gadthe visionary.” (1 Chron. 29:29) Nathan is alsoidentified with the composition of an account re-garding “the affairs of Solomon.” (2 Chron. 9:29)Very likely, this means that Nathan continued tobe active in affairs of the royal court even afterDavid’s death.

Much of what we know about Nathan mayhave been written by the prophet himself. Yet,his silence regarding certain matters tells usmuch about him. Nathan evidently was an un-assuming historian. He was not ambitious, want-ing to make a name for himself. In the words of

one Bible dictionary, he appears in the inspiredrecord “with no introduction and no pedigree.”We know nothing about Nathan’s ancestry orpersonal life.

MOTIVATED BY LOYALTY TO JEHOVAH

From the few glimpses of Nathan given to usin the Scriptures, it is clear that he was a humblebut vigorous defender of divine arrangements.Jehovah God assigned him weighty responsibili-ties. Meditate on Nathan’s qualities, such as loy-alty to God and deep appreciation for divine re-quirements. Strive to imitate such qualities.

You are unlikely to be called upon to reproveadulterous kings or to thwart coups. With God’shelp, however, you can be loyal to God and canuphold his righteous standards. You can also bea courageous, yet tactful, teacher of truth and apromoter of pure worship.

As a defender of the kingship,Nathan tactfully spoke to Bath-sheba

26

WHEN Jesus sent out his apostles on oneoccasion, he said: “As you go, preach,saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has

drawn near.’ ” (Matt. 10:1, 7) This good news wouldbring peace and happiness to those accepting itwith true appreciation. However, Jesus warned hisapostles that many would oppose their Kingdom-preaching work. (Matt. 10:16-23) An especially pain-ful form of opposition is experienced when familymembers reject the Kingdom message.—Read Mat-thew 10:34-36.

2 Does this mean that happiness is out of reachfor Christ’s followers who live in religiously divid-ed households? Not at all! Though family opposi-tion can sometimes be severe, that is not always thecase. Then, too, family opposition is not necessari-ly permanent. Much depends on how believers re-spond to opposition or indifference. Moreover, Jeho-vah blesses those who are loyal to him, making themjoyful despite unfavorable circumstances. Believerscan add to their own happiness (1) by endeavoringto cultivate peace in the home and (2) by sincerelytrying to help unbelieving family members to em-brace true worship.

CULTIVATE PEACE IN THE HOME

3 For the seed of righteousness to bear fruit ina family environment, peaceful conditions in thehome are essential. (Read James 3:18.) Even if a

1. What effect can acceptance of the Kingdom message haveon a family?2. Why is happiness not out of reach for Christians who livein religiously divided households?3. Why should a Christian in a divided household cultivatepeace?

HAPPINESSIS POSSIBLE

IN A DIVIDEDHOUSEHOLD

“How do you knowbut that you willsave your [mate]?”—1 COR. 7:16.

CAN YOU FIND THE ANSWERS?

��

What can believers do to

cultivate peace in a religiously

divided home?

��

How might a Christian help

unbelieving family members

to embrace true worship?

��

What can others do to help

fellow believers who live in reli-

giously divided households?


Christian’s family is not yet unified inpure worship, he must make an earnesteffort to cultivate peace in the home.How can this be done?

4 Christians must maintain their in-ner peace. This calls for heartfelt prayer,which can bring us the incomparable“peace of God.” (Phil. 4:6, 7) Happinessand peace result from taking in knowl-edge of Jehovah and applying Scripturalprinciples in life. (Isa. 54:13) Participa-tion in congregation meetings and zeal-ous activity in the field ministry are alsovital if we are to enjoy peace and happi-ness. Sharing in Christian activities insome way is generally possible for be-lievers living in divided households. Forexample, consider Enza,� whose hus-band is violently opposed. She engagesin the disciple-making work after takingcare of her household duties. Enza says,“Jehovah richly blesses me with good re-sults each time I make the effort to sharethe good news with others.” Such bless-ings certainly result in peace, satisfac-tion, and happiness.

5 We need to make an earnest effortto cultivate a peaceful relationship withunbelieving family members. This maypresent a challenge because what theywant us to do may at times conflict withBible principles. Our holding firmlyto right principles may upset some un-believing family members, but such astand promotes peace in the long run.Of course, being unyielding when some-thing does not violate Scriptural prin-ciples may cause unnecessary friction.

� Names have been changed.

4. How may Christians maintain their innerpeace?5. What challenge do believers in dividedhouseholds often face, and what help is avail-able?

(Read Proverbs 16:7.) When facing achallenge, it is important to seek Scrip-tural counsel from publications of thefaithful and discreet slave class andfrom the elders.—Prov. 11:14.

6 Cultivating peace in a householdcalls for trust in Jehovah and insightinto the feelings of unbelieving fami-ly members. (Prov. 16:20) Even new Bi-ble students can show discernment inthis regard. Some unbelieving husbandsor wives may not object to having theirmate study the Bible. They may even ac-knowledge that this could be good forthe family. Others, however, may mani-fest hostility. Esther, who is now a Wit-ness, admits that she reacted in “pureanger” when her husband began study-ing the Bible with Jehovah’s Witness-es. “I either threw out his literatureor burned it,” she says. Howard, whoat first opposed his wife’s Bible study,remarks: “Many husbands are afraidthat their wives are being tricked intojoining a religious sect. A husbandmay not know how to react to this sup-posed threat and may become antago-nistic.”

7 A student whose mate is opposedshould be helped to see that he doesnot have to discontinue his Bible study.Often he will be able to resolve mattersby being mild-tempered and showingrespect for his unbelieving mate. (1 Pet.3:15) Howard says, “I am so gratefulthat my wife stayed calm and did notoverreact!” His wife explains: “Howarddemanded that I give up studying theBible. He said that I was being brain-washed. Instead of arguing, I said that

6, 7. (a) Why do some oppose family mem-bers who begin to study with Jehovah’s Wit-nesses? (b) How should a Bible student or a be-liever respond to family opposition?

28

he could be right, but I also told him thatI could not honestly see how. So I askedhim to read the book I was studying.He did so and could not disagree withwhat it said. This deeply affected him.”It is good to remember that unbelievingspouses may feel abandoned or threat-ened when their mate leaves to partic-ipate in Christian activities, but lovingreassurances can go a long way in allay-ing such feelings.

HELP THEM TO EMBRACE

TRUE WORSHIP

8 The apostle Paul advises Christiansnot to leave a marriage partner just be-cause that individual is an unbeliever.�(Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16.) Keeping inmind the possibility that an unbelievingmarriage mate may become a Christiancan help a believer to maintain his orher happiness although living in a divid-ed household. In trying to reach the un-believer with the message of the truth,though, a certain caution is in order, asthe following experiences bear out.

9 Reflecting on his reaction to learn-ing Bible truth, Jason says, “I wantedto tell everyone!” When a Bible studentcomes to appreciate the truthfulness ofwhat he has been taught from the Scrip-tures, he may be so happy that he talksabout it almost all the time. He may ex-pect unbelieving family members to ac-cept the Kingdom message immediate-ly, but the good news could be met withan adverse response. How did Jason’s

� Paul’s counsel does not rule out legal separa-tion in extreme situations. That is a serious person-al decision. See “Keep Yourselves in God’s Love,” pag-es 220-221.

8. What counsel did the apostle Paul give toChristians who have unbelieving mates?9. When introducing Bible truth to unbelievingfamily members, what caution is in order?

initial enthusiasm affect his wife? “I feltoverwhelmed,” she recalls. One womanwho accepted the truth 18 years afterher husband did says, “I, for one, neededto learn it gradually.” If you are present-ly conducting a Bible study with a stu-dent whose mate has no desire to takepart in true worship, why not hold regu-lar practice sessions to help the studentto approach issues tactfully? Moses said:“My instruction will drip as the rain, mysaying will trickle as the dew, as gen-tle rains upon grass.” (Deut. 32:2) A fewwell-placed droplets of truth will oftendo more good than a spiritual downpourwould.

10 The apostle Peter provided inspiredcounsel for Christian wives living in re-ligiously divided households. “Be in

10-12. (a) What counsel did the apostle Petergive to Christians who have unbelieving mates?(b) How did one Bible student learn to applythe counsel recorded at 1 Peter 3:1, 2?

Choose the right time to explain your beliefs


subjection to your own husbands,” hewrote, “in order that, if any are not obe-dient to the word, they may be wonwithout a word through the conduct oftheir wives, because of having been eye-witnesses of your chaste conduct togeth-er with deep respect.” (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) Awife may be able to win her husbandover to true worship by being in subjec-tion and showing deep respect for him,even if he treats her harshly. Likewise, abelieving husband should conduct him-self in a godly way and be a loving headof the household despite any oppositionhe may encounter from his unbelievingwife.—1 Pet. 3:7-9.

11 Many modern-day examples illus-trate the value of applying Peter’s coun-sel. Consider the case of Selma. Whenshe began to study the Bible with Je-hovah’s Witnesses, her husband, Steve,was not pleased. He admits, “I be-

came angry, jealous, possessive, andinsecure.” Selma observes: “Even be-fore I got the truth, living with Stevewas like walking on eggshells. He washot-tempered. When I started studyingthe Bible, this characteristic intensified.”What helped?

12 Selma recalls a lesson she learnedfrom the Witness who studied with her.“On one particular day,” says Selma, “Ididn’t want to have a Bible study. Thenight before, Steve had hit me as I hadtried to prove a point, and I was feel-ing sad and sorry for myself. After I toldthe sister what had happened and howI felt, she asked me to read 1 Corinthi-ans 13:4-7. As I did, I began to reason,‘Steve never does any of these lovingthings for me.’ But the sister made methink differently by asking, ‘How manyof those acts of love do you show to-ward your husband?’ My answer was,‘None, for he is so difficult to live with.’The sister softly said, ‘Selma, who istrying to be a Christian here? You orSteve?’ Realizing that I needed to adjustmy thinking, I prayed to Jehovah to helpme be more loving toward Steve. Slowly,things started to change.”After 17 years,Steve accepted the truth.

HOW OTHERS CAN HELP

13 Like gentle drops of rain that soakthe ground and help plants to grow,many individuals in the congregationcontribute to the happiness of Chris-tians in divided households. “The loveof my brothers and sisters was whathelped me to stand firm in the truth,”says Elvina in Brazil.

14 Kindness and interest on the part ofothers in the congregation can do much

13, 14. How can others in the congregationassist those who live in a religiously dividedhousehold?

Show concern for unbelieving mates

to affect the heart of an unbelieving fam-ily member. A husband in Nigeria whoaccepted the truth 13 years after his wifedid states: “While I was traveling witha Witness, his vehicle broke down. Hesought out fellow Witnesses in a neigh-boring village, and they gave us accom-modations for the night. They caredfor us as if we had known them fromchildhood. Right away, I felt the Chris-tian love that my wife had always spo-ken about.” In England, awife who cameinto the truth 18 years after her husbanddid recalls: “The Witnesses invited bothof us for meals. I always felt welcome.”�Says a husband in the same land whoeventually became a Witness: “Brothersand sisters would visit us, or we were in-vited to their homes, and I found thatthey had a caring attitude. This was es-pecially noticeable when I was in thehospital and many came to visit me.”Can you find ways to show similar inter-est in unbelieving family members?

15 Of course, not all unbelievingspouses, children, parents, or other rel-atives embrace true worship, even afteryears of faithful conduct and tactful wit-nessing on the part of the believer. Someremain indifferent or become unrelent-ing opposers. (Matt. 10:35-37) WhenChristians display godly traits, however,this can have a very good effect. A for-mer unbelieving husband states: “Whenthe believing mate starts to let thoselovely qualities shine, you do not knowwhat is going on in the unbeliever’smind and heart. So don’t ever give up onyour unbelieving mate.”

� Eating with unbelievers is not forbidden in theScriptures.—1 Cor. 10:27.

15, 16. What can help a believer to maintainhappiness when others in the family remainunbelievers?

16 Even if a family member remainsan unbeliever, happiness is possible forthe believer. Although her husband hasnot responded to the Kingdom mes-sage after 21 years of effort on her part,one sister says: “I am able to maintainmy joy by striving to please Jehovah, bymaintaining my loyalty to him, and byworking to strengthen my spirituality.Immersing myself in spiritual activities—personal study, meeting attendance,the field ministry, and helping others inthe congregation—has drawn me clos-er to Jehovah and has safeguarded myheart.”—Prov. 4:23.

DO NOT GIVE UP!

17 If you are a faithful Christian liv-ing in a religiously divided household,do not give up. Remember that “Jehovahwill not desert his people for the sakeof his great name.” (1 Sam. 12:22) Heis with you as long as you cling to him.(Read 2 Chronicles 15:2.) So “take ex-quisite delight in Jehovah.” Indeed, “rollupon Jehovah your way, and rely uponhim.” (Ps. 37:4, 5) “Persevere in prayer,”and have faith that our loving heavenlyFather can help you to endure hardshipsof all kinds.—Rom. 12:12.

18 Petition Jehovah for his holy spiritto help you promote peace in the home.(Heb. 12:14) Yes, it is possible to fosterpeaceful conditions that may eventual-ly touch the heart of unbelieving fami-ly members. You will experience happi-ness and peace of heart and mind as you“do all things for God’s glory.” (1 Cor.10:31) In these endeavors, how hearten-ing it is to know that you have the lovingsupport of your brothers and sisters inthe Christian congregation!

17, 18. How can a Christian remain hopefuleven in a religiously divided household?

30 FEBRUARY 15, 2012

THE year was 1908, and Sis-ter White certainly got the at-tention of the townspeoplewith a brand new invention—theDawn-Mobile. “It caused somecomment,” she reported, “andmade me a little conspicuous.”

The Bible Students, as Jeho-vah’s Witnesses were then called, saw the needto share the precious truths they had learnedfrom a diligent study of the Scriptures. Manyhad gained Bible knowledge by means of a se-ries of books entitled Millennial Dawn (later alsocalled Studies in the Scriptures). Those Christianswho were willing and able traveled far and wide—through towns, villages, and rural areas—offer-ing these books described as “Helping Hands forBible Students” to other eager readers.

In 1908, Sister White and other zealous King-dom proclaimers would have offered the six-volume, clothbound set for $1.65 (U.S.). Insteadof placing the Dawns on the spot, they wouldtake orders and return later—usually on pay-day—to deliver them for the modest printing cost.One opposer complained about how little moneypeople contributed when receiving the books!

Malinda Keefer remembered taking orders fortwo hundred to three hundred books a week. Butthe great interest shown in the Dawns broughtwith it a dilemma. Why, the sixth volume alone

‘It Made Mea Little Conspicuous’When full-time preacher Charlotte Whitearrived in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.,rolling a suitcase on wheels,she caused quite a stir.

www.watchtower.org w12 02/15-E

consisted of 740 pages! “Fiftybooks weigh forty pounds,”(18 kg) admitted The WatchTower, making deliveries “toogreat a strain,” especially forsisters.

To solve the Dawn deliv-ery dilemma, Brother JamesCole invented a foldable,two-wheeled frame to whicha suitcase could be attachedby screws. No longer obligedto carry heavy cartons full ofbooks, the inventor himselfremarked: “I am not break-ing my shoulders.” He intro-duced the new apparatus toa delighted audience at the1908 Bible Students conven-tion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Onbuttons at each end of thecrossbar was engraved thename Dawn-Mobile, since its main cargo consisted of vol-umes of Millennial Dawn. With a little practice, transport-ing a suitcase filled with dozens of books became an easy,one-handed operation. The height could be adjusted, andthe wheels could roll along wagon-wheel tracks. After aday in the ministry, the rubber wheels could be folded upagainst the side of the suitcase for the trip home on foot orby streetcar.

Sisters in full-time service could have a Dawn-Mobilefree of charge. Otherwise, it cost $2.50 (U.S.). Sister Kee-fer, pictured here, mastered the Dawn-Mobile techniqueso well that she could wheel a full suitcase with one handand carry an additional satchel of books in the other.Finding many receptive individuals in one Pennsylvania,U.S.A., mining town, she typically made three or four tripsacross a bridge on delivery day.

In the late 1980’s, an airline pilot invented the wheeledluggage that is now such a common sight in airports andon busy city streets. But some one hundred years ago, zeal-ous Bible Students likely enjoyed the stares of curious on-lookers as they conspicuously wheeled their Dawn-Mobiles to and fro while scattering precious seeds of Bibletruth.

Sister Keefer typicallymade three or fourtrips across a bridgeon delivery day

It solvedthe Dawndeliverydilemma

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w12 02/15-E - JW.ORGdownload.jw.org/files/media_magazines/b0/w_E_20120215.pdf · 2012-08-26 · everlasting life and who is now ... during his life on earth, in each case ex-