Friends.
I'm sure you will all be encouraged by this nice story related to me by a brother in my old congregation. 4 year old "Jana" (not her real name), is from a witness family in a middle sized city. She has faced many challenges in her pre-school class. One such challenge is the celebration of birthdays. One of the students in her class was a boy who had just turned a year older so the teacher planned a birthday celebration for the entire class. Young Jana's parents had informed the teacher that as Jehovah's Witnesses their daughter was not allowed to to take part in any of this celebration. Young Jana was sent to a seperate area of the classroom where she dutifully started reading "My Book Of Bible Stories" while the other children celebrated. Afterword the teacher called the parents in to tell them how impressed she was by Jana and her steadfast adherance to her beleifs. When Jana was asked by the teacher how she felt about not taking part in the celebration she responded "Indeed it is not always easy to remain seperate from the world, but through my bible training which started in infancy, I have learned the difference between right and wrong. Birthdays are clearly condemned in God's word the bible. Although I am just a youth, the lessons i've learned by my loyal attendance at christian meetings has given me the gift of sound reasoning. Indeed, my adherance to christian principles may seem strange to others, but I realize that what is important is that I follow the direction of my heavenly father and the direction he provides through his Faithful and Discreet Slave Class on all matters. While this world and its desires is fleeting, my mind is firmly set on spritual matters with a view of life everlasting always in view. I have already dedicated my life to doing God's will and trust those whom He trusts and hope to symbolize this dedication by water baptism at the earliest possible time."
My, what a fine example of a young one who puts spirtual matters first in her life, and a fine example for all of us.
