COMMENTS YOU WILL NOT HEAR AT THE 8-3-03 WT STUDY
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WT quotes are in
red or quotes ""
LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN ALL "Do remember me, O my God, for good. "-NEHEMIAH 13:31. (NIV) Remember me with favor, O my God.Nehemiah said this after a long prayer, enumerating the good things he felt he had done for God. Does that mean that Nehemiah had not done anything bad? Does God see the good in us? Do the elders and others in authority look for the good in others? Do we see the good in ourselves? Does seeing the good in us mean seeing the good we do?
This week’s article starts out with one of my favorite scriptures. I have used it many times to show the elders that it is not enough to love the people you find lovable or who are like you in personality and temperament. Jesus loved all his disciples and they were a greatly varied group of men; he even loved Judas.
"Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you; that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous." (Matthew 5:43-45)
But they leave off the best part, verses 46-47.
For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if YOU greet YOUR brothers only, what extraordinary thing are YOU doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing?Jehovah acts with goodness toward all . His servants should strive to imitate him by looking for the good in others.
But is God looking for the good in us or for the good we DO to others? What does the WTS say?
Acceptance of the ransom arrangement paves the way for an eventual return to perfection. Jehovah is now observing each of us to see (yes, we are being judged now by God not by Jesus later), among other things, our reaction to his generosity. (1 John 3:16) He notices whatever we do to demonstrate our appreciation for his goodness.And even the "carrot" is held out at this point. Notice no mention is made of a heavenly reward.
His purpose is to restore obedient mankind to life in Paradise.How, then, can we imitate Jehovah in looking for the good in others? (Really the ‘good’ others are doing)
In Preaching and Disciple Making The very fact that Jehovah's Witnesses are now well-known (?!) for their ministry from house to house (I have only had Mormons and Lutherans call on me in the last 2 years and no JWs in the territory know we live here) and on the streets testifies to our diligence in seeking out all who are deserving of the Kingdom message.So if you haven’t been called in a few years, you probably aren’t ‘deserving.’
Have you wondered if those in China and India and the Muslim countries will receive the benefit of this diligent "seeking out all"?
2/1/62 WT p 95-6 Questions from Readers
What is the meaning of the following statement, recorded at Matthew 10:23: "You will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives"?
8/15/97 WT p 14Accordingly, by means of his instructions to his twelve apostles Jesus was prophetically telling us today that his anointed disciples or the remnant of spiritual Israel would not complete the circuit of the entire inhabited earth with the preaching of the message of God’s established kingdom before the glorified heavenly King Jesus Christ would arrive as Jehovah’s executional officer in the battle of Armageddon. This means that Jehovah’s witnesses today, who now include hundreds of thousands of the "other sheep" or earthly companions of the spiritual remnant, will not be able to reach personally all parts of the earth with the Kingdom message before the battle of Armageddon breaks out.
True, untouched territories still exist, and perhaps in Jehovah’s due time, a door of opportunity will open. (1 Corinthians 16:9) Still, Jesus’ words recorded at Matthew 10:23 are sobering: "You will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives." While the good news will surely be announced throughout the earth, we will not in person reach all parts of the earth with the Kingdom message before Jesus "arrives" as Executioner.
The WTS acknowledges they call uninvited.
When making uninvited calls on people, we observe their reaction to our message.
And the WTS is surprised that not everyone is happy they dropped by "uninvited."
Sometimes we find that one member of a household will give us a hearing ear, while another from within the home calls out "We are not interested," and the visit ends.
Yes, the WTS is worried about finding that other person but cares nothing about the people in "untouched territories" getting a hearing.
Our next visit to the home when we preach in that area may provide an opportunity to speak directly to the person who curtailed the earlier visit.
Notice how the WTS characterizes the earlier person who said, "not interested."
The opposer
may have acted with good motives, believing that he should stop the responsive one from listening to the Kingdom message (assuming they really wanted to listen).Yes, he may have been listening to the media.
His views were perhaps shaped by false information about our intentions.
Or maybe he has plenty of true information from sites such as this:
http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/default.htmBut with so many needing even a first witness, what does the WTS say?
But that does not prevent us from persisting
in preaching the Kingdom good news at that home, tactfully (that’s an oxymoron—maybe a tautology–a tactful JW) trying to correct misunderstandings.Yes, the WTS is:
We are interested in helping all to come to an accurate knowledge of God.
Yet
will not be able to reach personally all parts of the earth with the Kingdom message before the battle of Armageddon breaks out.
So why the effort to make a personal witness on all if some will die without it any way?
There are prime times to catch people in a listening mood. What are those?
Yet, circumstances and attitudes change. A sudden illness, loss of a relative, disasters, emotional crises, and countless other factors influence people's reaction to our preaching.
How many of you were called on during such a personal or family crisis? Did "the truth" appeal to you when it had never before?
And the WTS encourages JWs not to have already consigned the householder to Gehenna when it says:
If we have a negative view-that the people to whom we preach will remain unresponsive-are we really looking for the good in them? Why not joyfully revisit their homes on another occasion? We may find a different reaction.
Yes, by then these people may have had "a sudden illness, loss of a relative, disasters, emotional crises, and countless other factors" that will make them easy pickings.
In the Family
The close ties that link members of a family together provide another area in which we can look for the good in others. …
the Bible indicates that Jacob especially loved Joseph. Joseph's siblings reacted jealously, even to the point of conspiring to murder their brother. However, note the attitudes of Jacob and Joseph later in their lives. Both looked for the good in their family.What the WTS leaves out is that Joseph tested his brothers to see if they had changed.
Yes, despite having been the victim of their hatred, Joseph acted in their best interests (but not until Judah offered his life for Benjamin’s).
Jehovah's long-suffering in dealing with the faithless nation of Israel provides further insight into how he looks for the good in his people.
Gomer, Hosea's wife, committed repeated acts of adultery. Despite that, Jehovah instructed Hosea: "Go once again, love a woman loved by a companion and committing adultery."
Surely this is a fine example on which to reflect when faced with family difficulties.Is this suggesting that JW husbands should forgive their adulterous wives and wives must forgive their adulterous husbands?!
Jesus' parable of the prodigal son offers yet more insight …The father treated him mercifully. How did the father react to complaints from the older son who had never left his family? Addressing his older son, the father declared: "Child, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours." This was no bitter rebuff but simply confirmation of the father's love. "We just had to enjoy ourselves and rejoice," he continued, "because this your brother was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found." We can similarly keep looking for the good in others .Are they suggesting that it won’t take a year before people at the KH will start inviting reinstated JWs over for dinner? Are they suggesting that a DF’d JW won’t have to jump through hoops for at least a year by sitting in the back of the KH or in a separate room and avoiding looking anybody in the eye?
In the Christian CongregationTrue, we may accept members of our congregation whose situation differs from ours materially (??!!). But do we have "class distinctions" based on racial, cultural, or even religious backgrounds? (please see last week’s comments on this)Welcoming all who attend Christian meetings gives evidence of our large heartedness. When we take the initiative to speak to new ones who visit the Kingdom Hall.We visited a certain congregation 2 to 3 times yearly when we vacationed. The first year, no one talked to us. The second year, a mentally challenged boy said hi and a sister said hi but disappeared when she found out we were baptized JWs...no new bible study for her that day. The third year, another sister talked to us and was surprised that we had been there so often.
A special needs talk was given at a congregation I attended. The subject, if Jesus visited our congregation would anyone greet him. I guess several new people had been totally ignored and stopped coming. With only 15 minutes before and after the meeting, many JWs don’t want to waste these precious moments on people they don’t know or don’t want to know; only their good friends.
Indeed, some (right 1 person out of 200?) who attend a Christian meeting for the very first time remark: "Everyone was so friendly. It seemed as though everyone knew me already. I felt at home."I brought a Bible student to a Sunday meeting. I tried introducing her to several people and they put us off, saying they were busy. After the meetings, I tried to make some introductions and was put off again. The next weekend I was out of town, my student came and no one talked to her. The next study she had her Bible turned to John 13:34,35 and asked where was the proof of this scripture at the KH. I had no answer for her. She studied for about 2 more months and stopped. We went shopping or to a play after that. I told the elder body how ashamed I was of the lack of love in the congregation. Their response, of course, was "we’re all imperfect."
In some congregations, a few youths may gather together inside or outside the Kingdom Hall at the end of a meeting, shying away from association with older ones.
Think about it! Young people spend all day trying not to associate with the kids at school or in the neighborhood or with their worldly relatives. They come to the KH and now they can’t associate with their peers at the KH?
How might something positive be done to overcome this trend? A first step, of course, is for parents to train their children at home, preparing them for meetings. (??????)They can be given the task of getting various publications ready so that all will have what is needed to take along with them to meetings.What does this have to do with making them not associate with their peers at the KH?????
Parents are also in the best position to encourage their children to share a few thoughts with older and infirm ones at the Kingdom Hall.I never minded talking to the older people at the KH. Many of them knew my grandparents who had died when I was younger. I liked hearing about the old days when my grandma had to carry a toothbrush in her bag because she spent so much time in jail. But I have seen parents march their kids around rather than letting it take place naturally.
But if you want to kill the possibility, then older ones should do as the WTS suggests here:
Young ones could be asked if they enjoyed the meeting and whether there were any points that they especially appreciated and that could be applied.
That’s right, give the kid a Bible quiz. I wonder if their parents would like to be quizzed like this by an "older one"?
Not only a Bible quiz, it is a test for "greater responsibilities," cleaning toilets for sisters and handling mikes for brothers.
The way in which youths interact with older ones in the congregation and the way they take care of simple chores at home will indicate that they can likely care well for greater responsibilities later on in life.Some youngsters progress to the point where their spiritual qualities enable them to receive weightier assignments . Such assignments may 'test as to fitness' brothers who are reaching out to serve as ministerial servants.Their ready participation at the meetings and their zeal in the ministry, as well as their caring attitude toward all in the congregation, enable the elders to discern their potential when considering them for additional assignments.So the motive of younger people (men) for doing good in the congregation is not showing love or looking for the good in all, it is to get a better "position" in the congregation.
Looking for the Good in All" The showing of partiality in judgment is not good,"
Heavenly wisdom dictates that elders avoid partiality when judging matters in the congregation.You would think that would preclude business partners and close relatives being on a JC. No, I have heard brothers say, "that wouldn’t affect me, I can be impartial." Have you had such an experience?
Obviously, while looking for the good in others, elders need to ensure that their judgment is not beclouded by personal relationships or emotions.Accordingly, Christian elders shun any hint of favoritism where matters involving a friend or relative are concerned. In this way they preserve the unity of the congregation and allow Jehovah's spirit to flow freely.
And how does this favoritism manifest itself?
11/15/98 WT p. 28 Beware of Simony!
For example, some might shower excessive praise or generous gifts upon those who can grant them added privileges. Conversely, those who can grant such privileges might show favoritism toward those able—and often eager—to shower them with gifts.12/1/87 WT p. 19
Some may purposely cultivate relationships only with brothers who can help them materially, resulting in favoritism and a reluctance to counsel such ones.
9/1/80 WT p. 27
But, in order to remain chaste, overseers must also exercise good judgment when considering brothers for responsibility within the congregation. Their qualifications must be weighed carefully in the light of Scriptural requirements. Never should favoritism be shown to personal friends or relatives.Have you seen certain people seek out the elders and the COs as friends, giving them money, goods, attention they never give to those "lowly" in the congregation? Have you seen them and their family members treated differently judicially? Have you seen them appointed to positions when their hours do not meet the national average? Have you seen elders’ sons appointed in their father’s congregation who were not reappointed when they moved to another congregation? "Moreover, we have confidence in the Lord regarding you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things we order" (2 Thessalonians 3:4) We will be more inclined to cover over the faults of others when we look for the good in them. We will search out areas in which we can commend our brothers, certainly avoiding a critical spirit.
Yet the message from the platform is Do More, Do More.
And if we DO all these things what is our reward? Knowing we have shown love like our heavenly Father?
Doing so offers us the prospect of redemption and life eternal in the new world now so near.ConclusionWith the "new world now so near" shouldn’t we expect an increase in the number of return visits and bible studies conducted? Do you find that JWs are diligent in returning on those who have shown interest? Shouldn’t more be moving into these untouched areas rather than calling on the same people every six weeks? Shouldn’t more be self-sacrificing and regular pioneering with the elders taking the lead?
We had a special needs talk made once a year in many of the congregations I have attended regarding the lack of diligence in making return visits. How did the service overseer know? Because the number of placements should have been close to the number of return visits; i.e., 2 magazines placed should generate 1 return visit.
Maybe many salve their conscience with this statement:
8/15/97 WT p 14
While the good news will surely be announced throughout the earth, we will not in person reach all parts of the earth with the Kingdom message before Jesus "arrives" as Executioner.
How will those billions on earth "show good to Christ’s brothers" and prove worthy of survival if they never meet one of the anointed or their "companions" the other sheep? If this is how people will be judged per the WTS, will it be a fair judgment?
God sees the good "in" ALL without their having to turn in a time slip.Blondie