Thursday, March 17
With humility consider others superior to you.—Phil. 2:3.
We appreciate it when people are straightforward yet tactful when approaching us. How can we extend the same courtesy to those we meet in our ministry? In many territories, we need to make the purpose of our visit clear to the householder. True, we have valuable information the householder does not have, but suppose we did not really introduce ourselves and merely began our presentation abruptly with a question like this: “If you could solve any problem in the world, what would it be?” We know that the purpose behind such a question is to find out what is on the person’s mind and then direct the conversation to the Bible. However, the householder might wonder: ‘Who is this stranger, and why is he asking me this question? What is this all about?’ So we should try to put the householder at ease. How can we do so? The key is to adjust our presentation to the way that people in our area likely want to be approached. w14 5/15 2:14-16
What I noticed immediately is that the comments on the text are not even in harmony with what the text says. In fact, it is the complete opposite! Congrats once again to the WT writing committee for taking a scripture and completely twisting & misapplying it!
What does it actually mean to consider another person as superior? We treat them with utmost respect, listen to what they have to say, and readjust our thinking if necessary
Since the comments highlight the ministry but do not properly apply the words of the text to it, I came up with some questions which do:
1. Do JW's actually consider the householder to be superior to them or is it the other way around?
2. If the householder says that they are busy or have just woken up, do JW's show understanding & leave or do they try to stall the householder further?
3. Do JW's humbly listen to what the householder has to say or are they just waiting to continue what they have to say?
4. Do JW's always listen patiently while the householder is talking or do they at times rudely interrupt the householder?
5. Do JW's humbly & graciously concede if the householder brings up a valid point which they are unable to refute or do they arrogantly insist that they are right or try to downplay what the householder has brought up?
6. Do JW's make fun of the householders behind their backs after they have left the door, criticising them for their beliefs / non-belief or other things?
7. Do JW's judge householders, saying that certain ones are goats which would be destroyed at Armageddon?
8. Do JW's have a callous attitude, talking about which of the houses in the territory they would like to have for themselves after Armageddon when the householders have been destroyed?
9. Which is more superior to JW's - "saving the lives" of the householders / getting their hours in / status? If report slips were done away with, pioneer ranks abolished, & preaching is not made compulsory for all JW's, would most JW's still be going out in service?
10. If the householder accepts a Bible study, makes progress, gets baptized, then one day chooses to leave the religion as there are some things which they cannot believe in, will their decision be respected or will they be ostracised & shunned?
So do JW's really apply the words found in today's text? You be the judge!