The Watchtower, August 15, 1985

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The Watchtower — August 15, 1985

Source: jw.org

Contents

The Pursuit of Equality

All Men Are Equal—How?

Trips to Jerusalem

Insight on the News

Youth’s Greatest Opportunity

Train With Godly Devotion as Your Aim

Train Your Child to Develop Godly Devotion

Annual Meeting—October 5, 1985

Bermuda Rejoices in Kingdom Increase

Do You Remember?

The Pastor Forgot to Go to Church

The Pursuit of Equality

NO ONE likes to feel inferior. “I am as good as the next man” is a common saying. Do we not find an air of superiority distasteful? Basically, it is reassuring to feel equal to others. However, it is easier to think and talk about equality than to attain it, as many have experienced. Consider this example.

In 1776 the English colonies in North America asserted their claim to self-government. Their famed Declaration of Independence proclaimed among “truths to be self-evident” that “all men are created equal.” They further declared that it was the right of all citizens to enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

At the time that the 13 colonies broke from Britain, their population was about three million. Of these, more than half a million were slaves. It took almost a hundred years to abolish slavery in the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson, a prime mover behind the Declaration, remained a slave owner throughout his life. The aims of that Declaration were noble, yet time was needed for even part of such fundamental equality to be realized.

Around the earth many still lack much freedom, or they suffer discrimination. Realizing this, various individuals devote their lives to trying to remove all sorts of injustices and inequalities. One recent United Nations publication on the subject of freedom refers more than a dozen times to being equal and to the need of equality. Evidently it is still an elusive goal. Why?

The problem is that equality has many facets and is not an easy thing to define. People look for equality in different ways, depending on their circumstances. To what extent, then, can it be said that men are equal? What may we reasonably expect, both now and in the future, as to equality with our fellowman?

Equality—How Real Today?

A prince and a pauper may be born in the same city on the same day, but the silver spoon of wealth and privilege will likely favor the one just as poverty will affect the other. This is just one aspect that shows why it cannot be said that all people today are born equal.

Much depends upon the community in which we live and the degrees of equality it has developed over the years. The Encyclopædia Britannica sums it up nicely:

“All societies necessarily make arrangements for the sharing of wealth, power, and other values. Among individuals and groups these arrangements exhibit all degrees of equality and inequality.”

In any community, every individual has something to give that is unique to him. Some have thus sought to draw on the individual talents and abilities of all and equitably to distribute wealth and the means of production. Hence the communistic dictum: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Also: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his work.” Despite the seeming appeal of such philosophies, though, inequalities persist under all human governmental systems.

The fact is that, rather than advancing the cause of equality, some political systems have sought to capitalize on supposed racial inequalities. Recall the Nazi emphasis on a “master race.” Yet the existence of any master race has long since been discredited. Aside from evident differences in physical characteristics, “the possible existence of true racial differences in behaviour and intelligence becomes difficult to establish,” to quote again from the Encyclopædia Britannica. Such racial equality is basic.

Education and Ability

Education can be a great equalizer when its facilities are readily available, but it does not always work out that way. In many countries, hard-earned money still must be paid for even the most rudimentary aspects of learning.

For example, in one country of the southern hemisphere, only 20 percent of the people are literate. It is not uncommon there to find a family in which the two oldest children are reasonably well educated but the rest receive no education at all, simply because the family budget will not allow for it. Other developing countries face similar problems.

This situation tends to sustain inequality because, in our modern society, possible advancement is economically weighted in favor of the educated. Still, degrees from some universities are more sought after than those from others because the former carry greater prestige. So education is by no means the final answer to today’s problem of inequality.

Fundamental Rights

Genetic factors may determine that humans can never be identical in every respect, yet do you not agree that in certain fundamentals equality should exist? Would not mankind be much better off if progress could be made in these areas:

RACIAL EQUALITY: How can we ever overcome the stigma so often attached by one race or class to another? Resentments go deep and cause many problems. What can be done to ensure the treatment of individuals as equals, according them the dignity they deserve?

FOOD: When you see pictures of starving children and read of the millions who die each year of malnutrition or its related illnesses, how do you react? It is well established that there could be enough food for the world’s population. Why, then, should there not be a more equitable distribution of it to alleviate such suffering?

WORK: Unemployment can bring heartache and frustration—even suicide. Is it not possible for all to be gainfully employed? Can there not be equal opportunity of work for all?

EDUCATION: Should not all individuals have access at least to basic education, so that illiteracy could be eliminated? Rather than tending to increase the differences between classes (‘the rich getting richer and the poor, poorer’), could not education help to improve the condition of all? That would especially prove to be so if education covered more than technical matters, if it included morality and principles for quality human relations.

Certainly, you will agree that the pursuit of equality has a long way to go!

All Men Are Equal—How?

IS IT possible for men and women of all nations to view one another as equals—and act accordingly? Not if the present world order is anything to go by. Yet we can take heart that it is possible. Why? Because there are millions of Christians who have proved it to be so.

It is well known that true Christianity has been linked with equality. For example, the apostle Paul wrote: “We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same—we are Christians.” (Galatians 3:28, The Living Bible) But was this just idealistic talk? How did it work out in practice for the early Christians living in a world rife with inequalities?

Much has been written of the tremendous impact that the early Christians made upon the world of their time as they developed the brotherhood taught by Jesus Christ. Eberhard Arnold says in his book The Early Christians After the Death of the Apostles:

“The equal esteem in which the Christians held all their fellow-men as brothers, sharing the same judgment and the same call as themselves, resulted in equality and fellowship in all things. This equal esteem resulted in the equal title of all, the equal obligation to work, and equal opportunity in life for all. . . . The mutual esteem in which the Christians of that time held each other resulted in a social solidarity, which was founded on love, on a basis of complete equality of birth.”

What a splendid testimony to a God-given unity!

Equals in a United Body

Individuals in the early Christian congregation had various natural abilities and capacities. Some may have excelled in music, while others had better memories or stronger muscles. Aside from such variety, the holy spirit imparted differing gifts and abilities, though these complemented one another. Paul could thus write: “For just as the body is one but has many members, and all the members of that body, although being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. For truly by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free.” (1 Corinthians 12:11-13) All were preachers, even though there was rich variety in the “gifts in men,” as those who shepherded the congregation were prophetically described.—Ephesians 4:8; Psalm 68:18.

The overseers were spiritually mature and called e·piʹsko·poi in Greek. Writing of the related verb e·pi·sko·peʹo (to take oversight), W. E. Vine states: “The word does not imply the entrance upon such responsibility, but the fulfilment of it. It is not a matter of assuming a position, but of the discharge of the duties.” Working along with these appointed overseers were di·aʹko·noi, a Greek word translated “ministers,” “ministerial servants,” or “deacons.” W. E. Vine says that this word “primarily denotes a servant, whether as doing servile work, or as an attendant rendering free service, without particular reference to its character.” For either office, the privileges of service were the main thing. The position was not emphasized, for as worshipers of God they had equality and were all his servants.

Although Jesus chose 12 men to be his apostles, women also enjoyed association with him. They were very active, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna being specifically spoken of as ministering to Jesus. Women, too, received the gifts of the holy spirit at Pentecost 33 C. E. They were thus able publicly to talk in foreign tongues and witness about the truths of their Christian faith. Christian sisters, however, did not take the lead in teaching in the congregations, but they shared along with the brothers in publicly preaching God’s Word.—Luke 8:1-3; Acts 1:14; 2:17, 18; 18:26.

On a more personal level, too, the Christians set a precedent in helping one another. For example, when visitors to Jerusalem came in contact with the miraculous work of the apostles at the time of Pentecost 33 C.E., they stayed longer than they had intended and ran short of both food and money. Yet the Scripture record states: “There was not one in need among them; for all those who were possessors of fields or houses would sell them and bring the values of the things sold” for free distribution under the apostles’ direction. What a fine spirit, revealing the love and equality of those first Christians to be a practical reality! It could be said that “they had all things in common.”—Acts 4:32, 34, 35.

Practical Equality Today

Amid the divisions and social structures of the world today, attempting to imitate those early Christians is not easy. But to do so has always been a goal of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That they have had considerable success is apparent. The Encyclopedia Canadiana observes:

“The work of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the revival and re-establishment of the primitive Christianity practised by Jesus and his disciples during the first and second centuries of our era. . . . All are brothers.”

Just as it did 1,900 years ago, this Christian brotherhood today gives practical aid in times of trouble. When, in November 1980, parts of Italy were rocked by a severe earthquake, the first truckload of supplies prepared by the Witnesses arrived in the stricken area the same evening. An official report reads:

“The brothers were amazed at how quickly the necessary help arrived. We immediately set up our own kitchen from which food cooked by sisters was distributed to the brothers every day. The other inhabitants of the town had yet to receive assistance and were doing the best they could for themselves. Of course, the brothers were not selfish, and food was shared with many non-Witnesses.”

Following the death of Swaziland’s King Sobhuza II in August 1982, Jehovah’s Witnesses, because they would not share in traditional religious mourning customs, were subjected to persecutions. In Britain two Witnesses, one white and the other black, made joint representation to the local Swaziland High Commission in seeking to alleviate the situation. After listening for a while, the Swazi official turned to the black Witness, a well-educated executive, and asked: “But why are you here?” Came the reply: “Because I am concerned about the well-being of my Christian brothers in your country.” The official found it difficult to understand how such an affluent man could equate himself with Africans living in a country he had never even visited.

Why not attend a meeting at your local Kingdom Hall or a larger convention and see for yourself? You will find a society in which you are welcome whether young or old, rich or poor, whether you have had a college education or you have had no schooling at all. Each one is called brother or sister, and the individual is not measured by race, background, or secular position. Each is appreciated for his Christian personality and qualities.

With appointed elders and ministerial servants, the pattern of teaching is based on the structure of the first Christian congregation. And the meetings reflect equality, or harmony, earth wide. Commented one Church of England clergyman:

“Every meeting, whether formal or informal, is a meeting for intensive instruction. Members are expected to prepare for their Sunday meetings by reading through the Watchtower article, checking Bible references and working out answers to the questions of which they have advance knowledge. At the meetings themselves, there is good congregational participation. They are supported by the knowledge that the same teaching is being promulgated everywhere in the world at the same time.”

If you take this issue of The Watchtower with you to the local congregation on the dates listed on page 2, you will be able to follow such a discussion.

These discussions often embrace the hope of those in the congregation: life on a paradise earth where wars will cease and people will put their talents to constructive activity, truly enjoying “the work of their own hands.” All obedient humans will live under the rule of the Kingdom of God. Starvation will be gone as food in abundance is provided for all from a bountiful earth. The scourges of disease will also be things of the past, all of earth’s inhabitants enjoying equally the vitality of perfect health.—Isaiah 2:4; 33:24; 65:22, 23; Zechariah 8:11, 12.

Yes, this Christian hope is real, as is the knowledge that the present structure of the Christian congregation will be carried through into the earthly Paradise. The solid foundation already laid for the complete removal of all class and national barriers will be enlarged. How can we be sure? Because the Bible foretells that Christians “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” will then continue their true worship of Jehovah God. They will have an equal standing before him. You and your family can be among them.—Revelation 7:9, 10.

[Picture on page 7]

At meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you will observe equality

Trips to Jerusalem

Jesus’ Life and Ministry

Trips to Jerusalem

SPRING has arrived. And it is time for Joseph’s family, along with friends and relatives, to make their yearly trip to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As they leave on what is about a 65-mile (105-km) journey, there is the usual excitement. Jesus is now 12 years old, and he looks forward with special interest to the festival.

To Jesus and his family, the Passover is not just a one-day affair. They also stay for the following seven-day Festival of Unfermented Cakes, which they consider part of the Passover season. So the entire trip from their home in Nazareth, including the stay in Jerusalem, takes about two weeks. But this year, due to something that involves Jesus, it takes longer.

The problem comes to light on the return trip from Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary assume that Jesus is in the group of relatives or friends traveling together. Yet he does not show up when they stop for the night, and they go hunting for him among their traveling companions. He is nowhere to be found. So Joseph and Mary go all the way back to Jerusalem to look for him.

For a whole day they hunt but without success. The second day they cannot find him either. Finally, on the third day, they go to the temple. There, in one of its halls, they see Jesus sitting in the midst of the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

‘Child, why have you done this to us?’ Mary asks. ‘Your father and I have been terribly worried, looking for you everywhere!’

Jesus is surprised that they did not know where to find him. ‘Why did you have to look for me?’ he asks. ‘Did you not know that I must be here at my Father’s house?’

Jesus cannot understand why his parents would not know this. At that, Jesus returns home with his parents and continues subject to them. He goes on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men. Yes, from his childhood on, Jesus sets a fine example not only in seeking spiritual interests but also in showing respect to his parents. Luke 2:40-52; 22:7.

◆ What springtime trip did Jesus regularly make with his family, and how long did it take?

◆ What happened during the trip when Jesus was 12 years old?

◆ What example did Jesus set for youths today?

Insight on the News

Predicting the Future

“The future certainly isn’t what it used to be!” states an editorial in a recent issue of Compressed Air Magazine. It referred to predictions made from the 1930’s to the 1950’s, when “the thinkers of the period had virtually a blind faith in government and science, and foresaw the creation of a nearly Utopian lifestyle before the year 2000.” The editorial says that “most of these grand visions never come close to reality.” Why not? It was assumed after World War II that “all . . . problems were behind us,” and, admittedly, “astounding technological advances were made.” Yet the years following the war brought “repeated human, political, environmental and financial upheaval.” Now, says the article, “we are wiser, and no longer embrace government and technology as panaceas for all social ills.”

Such “blind faith” in human achievements has been avoided by serious Bible students who have heeded the advice: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.” (Psalm 146:3) Based on the Bible’s unfailing prophecies, these Bible students announced that conditions of this age would worsen, until God stepped in and replaced all human rulerships with his Kingdom.—Daniel 2:44; Matthew 24:6-8, 14.

Although faced with the same social upheavals around them, servants of God do not have the “uncertain resignation” that the writer mentions. Rather, they follow Jesus’ advice: “Raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.”—Luke 21:28.

Still Room for More

Earth’s population, recently estimated at 4.5 billion, is expected to increase to 6 billion by the year 2000, and even reach 10.5 billion by the year 2110. “Are 4.5 billion people many? Too many? Are 10 billion unbearable or would the earth be able to support them all?” asks Hans W. Jürgens, professor of anthropology and demography at the University of Kiel, Federal Republic of Germany. Writing in the magazine Geo, he states that the earth has enough “space for many more billions of people,” who could live tolerably well if corresponding changes in living and economic conditions were made. Nationalism, he says, stands in the way. “As long as we permit and even promote national egotism—and the United Nations organization unintentionally plays a disastrous role in this matter—we will scarcely be able to utilize our earth to the full capacity that, in principle, is altogether possible.”

One need not wonder, then, if the earth can support the large number of people who, in God’s due time, will be released from mankind’s common grave. (John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:12, 13) They will be brought back, not to an earth divided by selfish, nationalistic interests, but to one that is righteous, peaceful, and capable of providing abundant food for all.—Psalm 72:7, 8, 16.

“Religious Wasteland”

People in television dramas face “the same problems and dilemmas that ordinary people walking down the street face each day.” So says novelist Benjamin J. Stein, writing under the above title in The Wall Street Journal. “But one of the major decision-making factors in reality is entirely absent from television: religion.” While some incidence of religion can be found in the movies, Mr. Stein notes, “on prime-time network television, there is virtually no appearance of religion at all. Whenever a problem requiring moral judgment appears—which is on almost every show—the response that comes is based upon some intuitive knowledge of what is good and evil, the advice of a friend, a remembered counsel, or, more likely, the invisible hand of circumstance.”

Parents especially ought to be wary of a medium where “no one . . . ever even talks about religion as a guide in his own life,” as Mr. Stein points out. Young minds are impressionable and tend to imitate the actions and views of celebrities that they watch. Certainly it would be the prudent course to monitor carefully what is watched on TV. Even more important, parents do well to train their children to use the Bible as their guide. Children need to be brought up “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.”—Ephesians 6:4; Philippians 4:8.

Youth’s Greatest Opportunity

“Godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come. Faithful and deserving of full acceptance is that statement.”—1 TIMOTHY 4:8, 9.

1, 2. (a) What do many youths consider important opportunities, and what questions are raised? (b) Why are there special pressures on today’s youth?

WHAT is the greatest opportunity that life holds out to you? Recent surveys of a cross section of young people reveal that the majority consider “getting a job that I enjoy” and “being very well-off financially” to be their most important goals. Increasing numbers of youths are career-minded, and in some places they are entering universities in record numbers in a quest for well-paying jobs. Many look to such material opportunities to find security, strength, and fulfillment in life. If you are a youth, is that how you feel? And how do you who are adults, especially parents, really consider such opportunities? Are these the key to the “good life”?

2 If ever young people needed strength and fulfillment, it is now during these “last days” when times are “hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Today’s young folks have grown up under stresses that would have been unimaginable a generation ago. The rapid changes in society, such as the breakdown of family life and morals, have caused great emotional turmoil.

The Need for Strength and Fulfillment

3, 4. What evidence shows that many youths lack inner strength, and why do material advantages not provide such?

3 More and more young people find that they lack the inner strength to cope with the pressures of life. (Compare Ephesians 3:16.) A recent National Institute of Mental Health report concludes that one out of five youths is seriously depressed.a From 1961 to 1975, the rate of juvenile suicide in the United States more than doubled! In that one land nearly 8,000 youths die by their own hands annually, yet 50 times that number attempt suicide. Some authorities call the problem a pandemic. Reports also show that a surprising number of youths are being admitted to mental hospitals.b

4 Of course, not all young people live in circumstances that offer material opportunities. However, when you consider that the reports mentioned earlier involve a major country where material opportunities abound, it is clear that such alone do not help young people to ‘remove vexation from their heart and calamity from their flesh.’ (Ecclesiastes 11:9, 10) Material advantages supply little strength to a person whose heart is plagued with discouraging self-doubts, insecurities, or guilts. The Bible observes: “Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty.”—Proverbs 24:10.

5, 6. Will gaining material things bring the “good life” in the future? Illustrate.

5 But will laying hold on material things eventually bring satisfaction, the “good life”? Wealthy King Solomon admitted: “I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish, and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:3-11) Though his attainments brought him some pleasure, he still sensed a feeling of emptiness, of vanity.

6 Many today herald higher education as one of the keys to the future “good life.” One former U.S. state governor even called such schooling “a necessity for strength, fulfillment and survival.” Is it really? Well, 846 graduates from a prestigious university compiled a “class report” about how they were faring ten years after being graduated. “While jolly good cheer spreads through the report,” observed one class member, “there is an underlay of pessimism, bitterness and even despair.” After 25 years, one graduate had achieved “certain financial goals,” but he admitted: “The failures in my own personal life so outnumber the successes that both will mercifully go unreported.” Is this the best that life offers?

The Greatest Opportunity

7. For what careers could Timothy have trained, but what did Paul recommend?

7 In his inspired letters to the Christian disciple Timothy, the apostle Paul pointed to something much better. This young man had been assigned to serve in Ephesus, one of the greatest commercial centers in ancient times. What careers he must have seen! He himself could have striven to become a prosperous merchant or sought fame either at the school of Tyrannus or in the local theater. (1 Timothy 1:3; Acts 19:1, 9, 29) Timothy could no doubt have trained for a lucrative secular career, but Paul wrote: “Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim. For bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” Yes, godly devotion is “beneficial for all things.” This was not mere speculation, for Paul added: “Faithful and deserving of full acceptance is that statement.” From personal experience, Paul knew what would open up the best way of life.—1 Timothy 4:7-9; 2 Corinthians 6:10.

8, 9. (a) What is godly devotion? (b) What is your greatest opportunity, and why is effort needed to take advantage of it?

8 What is this godly devotion? It is personal attachment to God springing from a heart stirred by deep appreciation of his appealing qualities. While “godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28) means primarily reverential dread of doing anything displeasing to God, “godly devotion” is a response of the heart that will move you to live in a way that pleases God because you love him.c Such a quality of the heart leads to an “intimacy with God,” a personal relationship wherein you sense his approval and help. (Job 29:4) The opportunity to have this personal friendship with God is more valuable than anything else that may be offered to you.—Compare Jeremiah 9:23, 24.

9 Does having godly parents or getting baptized as a Christian automatically bring about this relationship with God? No, because sincerity of heart must be cultivated, along with other Christian virtues. (2 Peter 1:5-8) You must become a person ‘whose heart impels’ him to render “deeds of godly devotion.” (Compare Exodus 36:2; 2 Peter 3:11; Colossians 3:22.) Though reared from infancy in the way of the truth, Timothy had to develop godly devotion. Today, too, rigorous effort is necessary, yet this godly devotion will prove to be “a means of great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) How so?

An Elevated Way of Life

10, 11. How did godly devotion elevate Timothy’s life?

10 In Ephesus, Timothy pursued godly devotion among people who were ‘walking in the unprofitableness of their minds.’ (Ephesians 4:17) What filled their minds was of no real profit but was vanity. “What a picture!” states Bible scholar R. C. H. Lenski about Ephesians 4:17. “Men with thinking, willing minds, rational creatures, walking and walking on and on throughout life, following the dictates of a mind that leads them at every step and at the end to nothing, to monumental, tragic failure!”

11 Timothy could see that the Ephesians’ course of life was vain and debasing. Many worshiped the goddess Artemis, but their fanatical worship was directed to a lifeless image. It included wild orgies and ceremonial prostitution. (Acts 19:23-34) Timothy’s way of life, though, was elevated above that of the nations, who were “alienated from the life that belongs to God . . . [and] past all moral sense.” (Ephesians 2:6; 4:18, 19) His godly course in living “the life that belongs to God” had given him the greatest Friend in the universe! The opportunity to develop this relationship with the living God through godly devotion is most precious indeed! Can you lay hold on it?

12. What did one Christian youth say about the “great gain” of godly devotion? How do you feel about that?

12 Many today worship sex, pleasure, riches, and higher education with the same intensity that the ancient Ephesians did Artemis. (Matthew 6:24; Ephesians 5:3-5; Philippians 3:19) However, those pursuing godly devotion enjoy a superior quality of life. “I look at the kids I used to run around with before I began to study the Bible,” reports one 24-year-old Christian. “Half of them are in jail. Most are on drugs, and many of the girls have illegitimate babies. Their lives are a mess. Several are even dead. I am so thankful to be able to look at my life and be proud of what I see.” Other Christian youths heartily agree!

13. Why does following the command at 2 Timothy 4:5 add meaning to life?

13 Those who live with godly devotion have the treasure of the ministry. (2 Corinthians 4:1, 7; 2 Timothy 4:5) This provides real purpose and challenge. Rather than the pseudo excitement of some fictional TV or movie drama, Christians involved in the ministry visit the homes of real people to help them. They deal also with real problems. What indescribable joy as they see people who have lived immoral, violent, or hopeless lives respond to Bible instruction and put away former bad habits, develop self-respect, and serve Jehovah. No other career is as meaningful or produces such lasting good!

Contentment and a Clean Conscience

14, 15. How does godly contentment as to money make for a better life?

14 “To be sure, it is a means of great gain, this godly devotion along with self-sufficiency. . . . So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things. However, those who are determined to be rich . . . have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10) In 1981 a survey by Psychology Today revealed that young people think “much more” about money than any other age group. However, half the group of respondents who were most concerned about money (including wealthy and poor) complained of “constant worry and anxiety.”

15 A young man in Japan succeeded in going from ‘rags to riches,’ but in doing so he damaged his health. Later, with the help of a Bible study, he developed godly devotion. “When I think back to when my chief goal in life was to become wealthy, there is no comparison as to how much happier I’ve been since I changed my goal,” he concludes. “Truly there is nothing that can match the contentment and satisfaction that come with using one’s life in the service of the Grand Creator.”d—Proverbs 10:22; Ecclesiastes 5:10-12.

16. What is the result to those who fail to ‘hold a good conscience’?

16 Paul urged Timothy to ‘hold a good conscience.’ How? One way was for him to treat women “with all chasteness.” (1 Timothy 1:19; 5:2) However, chastity has all but vanished from among many youths as their consciences have become seared. (1 Timothy 4:2) But immorality does not bring inner peace and satisfaction. One study considered the sexual attitudes and conduct of several hundred adolescents. Concerning those who were the most sexually promiscuous, the report stated: “They believe they are functioning with little purpose and self-contentment.” Nearly half of these felt: “The way I’m living right now, most of my abilities are going to waste.”

17. Why does ‘love out of a good conscience’ help us to get the best out of life?

17 If, in time, a couple pursue honorable marriage, they will be benefited by showing “love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience.” (1 Timothy 1:5) In 1984 the Journal of Marriage and the Family reported that a study of 309 recently married couples showed that premarital sex was associated with “significantly lower marital satisfaction for both spouses.” But what a contrast with those who are chaste! “It is such a beautiful feeling looking back and knowing I am clean,” states one young Christian wife who has now been happily married for seven years. Yes, a clean conscience is a rich reward to youths who “become an example . . . in chasteness.”—1 Timothy 4:12.

Inner Strength

18, 19. (a) Timothy had to deal with what pressures? (b) How did God help him?

18 No doubt Timothy met with many pressures in Ephesus. The temptations of the prosperous and immoral city with its emphasis on ‘fun and games’ could bring external stress. Timothy’s apparent diffidence as well as his “frequent cases of sickness” certainly created pressures within him. (1 Timothy 5:23) But Paul reminded him: “God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind.”—2 Timothy 1:7.

19 Indeed, how many of your peers yearn for such strength! One young woman fully overcame a life of prostitution and drug addiction. “It was only by Jehovah’s help,” she said. “There are certain times I will get those old feelings back, but I just start praying—immediately. The ability to overcome these problems is more exciting than anything I have ever accomplished in my life!” No question about it, God can ‘infuse power’ into you and give you the inner strength to cope with any pressure and to make sound decisions.—2 Timothy 4:17.

20, 21. (a) Relate some of the benefits of godly devotion. (b) What will be considered in the following article?

20 So godly devotion brings you a host of benefits. Your “course of life” takes on a purpose that towers over the goals of those who reach only for material opportunities. (2 Timothy 3:10) As one Christian youth who gave up a college scholarship and became a full-time evangelizer exclaimed: “I have the best career anyone could want, being a teacher of the good news and helping others to learn of our loving Father! And the ‘fringe benefit’—my own improved personality—is better than anyone could offer. Add to that the reward of living in a paradise forever with no more sorrows. Now ask: What better life could anyone ever want?”

21 You may say, ‘How can I develop godly devotion?’ For an answer, read the following article.

[Footnotes]

“A number of experts in adolescent development and behavior see such depression as a major contributing factor to serious teen problems such as truancy and trouble at school, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual acting out, pregnancy, running away from home and suicide,” reports author Kathleen McCoy in Coping with Teenage Depression.

While in the United States the number of admissions of all age groups has declined during a 13-year period, the 15-24 age group increased 19 percent, and the under-15 group increased 158 percent!

“The spontaneous feeling of the heart [toward God]” is how the Lexicon by Edward Robinson defines the original Greek word eu·seʹbei·a. J. A. H. Tittmann, in his Remarks on the Synonyms of the New Testament, adds: “[Godly devotion] expresses that reverence for the Deity which shows itself in actions, . . . but [godly fear] indicates that disposition, which dreads and avoids the doing of any thing contrary to right, . . . [godly devotion] is the energy of piety in the life.”

Read the life story of Shozo Mima, “Finding Something Better Than Wealth,” in The Watchtower of March 1, 1978.

Do You Recall?

□ Why are material opportunities of limited value?

□ What is your greatest opportunity?

□ What does godly devotion provide that helps you to get the best out of life?

[Picture on page 12]

What will make you genuinely happy?

[Picture on page 14]

Timothy trained with godly devotion as his aim. This elevated his life above that of the immoral Ephesians

Train With Godly Devotion as Your Aim

“Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim.”—1 TIMOTHY 4:7.

1. Why did one good runner fail to win?

SHE was the best runner on the team in her event. Previous victories had given her a national rating. So it was expected that she would win at this distinguished track meet. However, to the disappointment of her coach, teammates, and herself, she ran the worst race of her career. Why? “I slouched off in practice and stopped training hard,” admitted the young woman, deeply embarrassed. “My coach tried to push me to do harder workouts and warned me, but I did not listen.” Her failure to train properly cost her the victory for which she was aiming.

2. In what way must Christians train, and why should all want to know how?

2 As a Christian, particularly if you are young, you also have a vital training. “Be training yourself with godly devotion as your aim.” (1 Timothy 4:7) The Greek word for “be training” (gy·mnaʹzo) described the strenuous and often painful exercises that athletes performed in the gymnasium. Therefore, regarding godly devotion and its rewards, the apostle Paul added: “To this end we are working hard and exerting ourselves.” (1 Timothy 4:10) This essential quality is not something that just comes naturally or that rubs off from godly parents. But what steps must you take? Christians of all ages should want to know.

Good Communication With God

3. (a) Why is personal study so important? (b) What qualities of God draw you to him?

3 Since godly devotion involves heartfelt appreciation for Jehovah’s qualities, you need to know what he is really like. Jehovah communicates this in the Bible. But you must carefully study his Word and Bible-based publications, thereby being “nourished with the words of the faith and of the fine teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:6) Such study will help you to see “the pleasantness of Jehovah.”—Psalm 27:4.

4. What experiences show the value of personal study, and what questions should you seriously consider?

4 “It makes you feel closer to Jehovah the more you learn about him,” states a 22-year-old, full-time evangelizer (pioneer). “When I read prophecies and see how they are fulfilled, it makes me stand in awe of him. Personal study is what really helps me.” A 16-year-old, who had been severely depressed, wrote about one of the articles in the series “Young People Ask” that appears regularly in the Awake! magazine: “Just when I had given up all hope, this article came out. I was so excited I could not put it down! It made me feel so much closer to Jehovah, and I realized that he understands and cares very much. I feel now I can cope.”a Do you make it a point to read each issue of our journals? Though it requires exertion, do you make time to nourish your mind and heart by personal Bible study? By doing your own research, you can really prove for yourself that you have the truth. When such knowledge reaches the heart, it almost certainly will motivate you, for it is “the teaching that accords with godly devotion.”—1 Timothy 6:3; Romans 12:2.

5, 6. What kind of prayers draw you closer to God? Illustrate.

5 Good communication with God also involves heartfelt and specific prayers. These help toward building a personal friendship with Jehovah. When you make mistakes, be willing to plead as did David: “The sins of my youth and my revolts O do not remember.” (Psalm 25:7, 11) And know that he will forgive you if you are repentant. Learn to linger in prayer, pouring out your heart. One youth, though reared in a godly home, had allowed a speech impediment to hinder her involvement in the true religion. “Then one night,” revealed this 22-year-old, “I begged Jehovah, ‘Help me to want to serve you, and not just because the elders or my parents want me to.’” How her life began to change! Despite her stuttering, she became fully involved in the ministry. Joyfully she declares, “I trust in Jehovah a whole lot more now because I know he always comes through.”—Psalm 62:8.

6 One young Christian prayed specifically regarding her plans to pioneer. When her prayers were answered, she exclaimed: “I knew Jehovah was real and that he cares for us! Before this I thought I had a relationship with him, but now he is more like a friend—my best one.” Jehovah will not always answer in some spectacular way, but if you are earnest and work in harmony with your prayers, you will come to appreciate his loving guidance.—Psalm 145:18.

Hold a Good Conscience

7. What is the conscience, and why must you hold a good one?

7 When Paul urged Timothy to continue “holding . . . a good conscience,” the apostle knew that it would require determined effort. (1 Timothy 1:19) Why so? Our conscience is our God-given capacity to examine ourselves and pass judgment on what we have done or contemplate doing. It can either ‘accuse’ us, painfully condemning our course, or ‘excuse’ us, approving what we do as right. (Romans 2:15) But if it becomes warped, it can send out defective messages. Some with defective consciences can act like ruthless animals, yet the ‘inner voice’ does not ‘accuse’ them. They can even “publicly declare they know God” but “disown him by their works.” How can you guard against developing a defective conscience?—Titus 1:10-16.

8. How did some in the first century “thrust aside” a good conscience.

8 Paul had told Timothy that some Christians had “thrust aside” their good conscience by ‘paying attention to false stories’ and “empty speeches that violate what is holy.” (1 Timothy 1:4, 19, 20; 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16-18) Because they listened to these things, their faith was subverted, and this resulted in spiritual shipwreck. Paul, however, showed that other things besides apostate teachings were “in opposition to the healthful teaching.” At 1 Timothy 1:9, 10 he lists such things as murder, fornication, and homosexuality.

9, 10. (a) What can be learned from the example of a Christian couple who failed to hold a good conscience? (b) How can we prevent our conscience from becoming seared?

9 Today violence and sexual immorality pervade movie and TV presentations as well as the printed page. If we feed our mind on such, our conscience can gradually become seared. This happened to a young Christian couple who committed fornication shortly before their wedding day. “I think it had to do with what we had been watching on TV,” admitted the young woman. “You see persons all the time necking and petting, so it does not seem to be serious. You get used to it. So we started doing it. If I had only thought more about how serious it was!” Before she realized it, she lost her good conscience. The young man added: “I also had a problem with masturbation, and this sears your conscience so it is not so hard to engage in necking and petting and then finally in fornication.” Though they seemed to be setting a good example before others, what they watched for entertainment, together with a secret unclean practice, had worked toward deadening the conscience just as flesh is cauterized by repeated touches from a red-hot branding iron.—1 Timothy 4:2.

10 Could your conscience be similarly deadened by what you watch or read for entertainment? Are you really working hard to overcome any bad habit that could defile your conscience? For your protection, you could take positive action by reading—and rereading—Bible-based literature that specially deals with your problem or by discussing the problem with an elder. A good, clean conscience is a precious gift from God that will help you to develop godly devotion. Do not let anything cause you to lose it!

Choose Proper Associates

11, 12. (a) What warning is given at 2 Timothy 2:20, 21? (b) How can you heed that warning?

11 The apostle Paul writes: “In a large house [the congregation] there are vessels not only of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for an honorable purpose but others for a purpose lacking honor. If, therefore, anyone keeps clear of the latter ones, he will be a vessel for an honorable purpose, sanctified, useful to his owner, prepared for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20, 21) Our emotions and conduct are greatly affected by those whom we choose as friends. Obviously, unbelievers are not the best associates. But Paul here shows frankly that even within the congregation there could be persons who are undesirable associates. True, you may find such ones fun to be around, but their influence will never help you to “flee from the desires incidental to youth” or to develop godly devotion. Reach out for upbuilding associates within the congregation. Paul continues in 2Ti 2 verse 22: “Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call upon the Lord out of a clean heart.”—Compare Philippians 4:8, 9.

12 Take the case of one Christian youth who, despite godly training, was always getting into trouble. “It was largely because of the people I was associating with,” she said. When she saw her life becoming a failure, she changed her friends. She concludes: “If you have friends around you who love Jehovah, it helps you to keep a sensitive conscience and stay out of trouble. When they express disgust for wrongdoing, it makes you feel the same way.” By keeping clear of questionable associates, she has become a vessel “useful to [her] owner, prepared for every good work.” Having served for ten years as a pioneer, she adds: “I find that now Jehovah has used me to help others.”—2 Timothy 2:21; Proverbs 15:31.

13. How can you determine who are good associates, and how may they influence you?

13 Hence, realistically consider your associates. Do they pursue righteousness, faith, principled love, and peace? Are they full of Christian zeal? By making such ones your close companions, you yourself may become an example in speaking, in conduct, in love, in faith, in chasteness, just as did Timothy, the close associate of Paul. This does not mean that you should become cold or unfriendly toward less exemplary ones. Your joyful example may stir these, also, to make straight paths for their feet.—1 Timothy 4:12; Hebrews 12:12-15.

Make Sacrifices for God

14, 15. (a) What was required of ancient athletes while training? (b) What work requires sacrifice, and what good examples do we have?

14 During Timothy’s day, while athletes were in training they exercised “self-control in all things,” denying themselves many legitimate pleasures. (1 Corinthians 9:25) They followed a strict diet. According to Horace, poet of the first century B.C.E., they “abstained from women and wine” to “reach the longed-for goal.” Similarly, to train with godly devotion as your aim requires sacrifice. Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else of a disposition like his . . . for all the others are seeking their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But . . . he slaved with me in furtherance of the good news.”—Philippians 2:19-22.

15 Timothy was commanded: “Do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:5) Regardless of how appealing any of his personal interests might have been, he sacrificed these to complete God’s work. Are you willing to do the same? Today some young Christians who are free of heavy Scriptural responsibilities have pursued higher education or high-paying full-time jobs rather than making the Christian ministry their career. One of these was eagerly awaiting such a job. However, before he started work, he accepted the invitation to work with a pioneer couple in the field service all summer. He loved it. As a result, he sacrificed that coveted full-time job and took less interesting part-time work in order to pioneer. With this same Timothy-like spirit, he now serves at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The willingness to sacrifice is evidence of genuine love, and the sacrifices deepen that love, as he found out.

16. What are some sacrifices that young people may have to make?

16 As “a preacher and an apostle,” Paul emphasized the desirability of modesty in dress. Would you be willing to sacrifice a certain style of dress or grooming that could upset others or hinder your effectiveness as a preacher? (1 Timothy 2:7-10) Continuing, Paul wrote: “All those desiring to live with godly devotion . . . will also be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Are you willing to stand up for the truth when it may mean ridicule, sacrificing a favored position with your classmates? All such sacrifices done with the right motive will help you to develop godly devotion and at the same time teach you to rely on Jehovah and consider his feelings above all else.

Keep Advancing

17. In making advancement, how was Timothy an example for young ministers today?

17 Developing godly devotion is an ongoing process. Paul told Timothy: “Ponder over these things; be absorbed in them, that your advancement may be manifest to all persons.” (1 Timothy 4:15) Some, because of being too young to be a ministerial servant or an elder, may feel unable to advance, thinking that progress is measured solely by congregational responsibilities and privileges. True, Timothy had qualified not only in spiritual development but also in years to serve as an elder. But Timothy was to continue applying himself, and in this he set an outstanding example for all young ministers to follow in whatever field may be open to them.—1 Timothy 4:12, 13.

18. In what ways can young Christians make advancement?

18 So, like Timothy, you maturing servant of Jehovah can be “an example to the faithful ones” by letting the truth deeply influence the way you live and by improving in your ministry. Right now you can strive to advance by learning to cultivate such qualities as being moderate in habits, orderly, hospitable, and serious. By making yourself available to the elders and by taking seriously any task they ask you to perform, you can work toward proving your ‘fitness under test.’ (1 Timothy 3:1, 2, 8-10) Even if your progress is not quickly recognized by others, be assured that Jehovah sees. In time, others will also.—1 Timothy 5:25.

19. Despite the effort, why should you train with godly devotion as your aim?

19 Never forget that it is by developing godly devotion that you may attain to an approved personal relationship with Jehovah. Lack of spiritual training results in a loss far greater than that of the embarrassed runner mentioned at the outset of this article. Developing godly devotion is hard work. But all over the world, multitudes of joyful young voices thunder: IT IS WORTH ALL THE EFFORT! Gaining this quality leads to a satisfying way of life now, with no regrets, and it opens up the hope of eternal happiness. So keep training. Continue to do your best, even when it is difficult. Take comfort that “the God of all undeserved kindness . . . will himself finish your training, he will make you firm, he will make you strong. To him be the might forever. Amen.”—1 Peter 5:10, 11.

[Footnotes]

“Why Do I Get So Depressed?” in the August 22, 1982, issue of Awake!, companion magazine of The Watchtower.

Can You Answer?

□ What effort is needed to maintain good communication with God?

□ What is involved in holding a good conscience?

□ How may 2 Timothy 2:20-22 be applied in developing godly devotion?

□ How can young Christians make advancement?

[Box on page 17]

Some Qualities of Our Warmhearted God

▪ He has feelings. Therefore, our actions can cause him either to “feel hurt” or to rejoice.—Psalm 78:40; Proverbs 27:11.

▪ While humans often look just at another’s appearance, he “sees what the heart is.”—1 Samuel 16:7.

▪ He cares for us and invites us to throw our anxieties upon him, and he is “a stronghold in the day of distress.”—Nahum 1:7; 1 Peter 5:7.

▪ He is called “the happy God,” and he “takes delight” in his servants.—1 Timothy 1:11; Psalm 35:27.

▪ He will never act unjustly or show partiality.—Job 34:10; Acts 10:34, 35.

▪ While not condoning wrongdoing, when we repent over a mistake or a weakness, he is “ready to forgive,” not doing “to us even according to our sins” nor bringing “upon us what we deserve.”—Psalm 86:5; 103:8-14.

▪ He is approachable, and he encourages his loyal creatures to use their abilities. Despite his infinite wisdom, he listens to suggestions. “Your own humility will make me great,” wrote King David.—Psalm 18:35; 1 Kings 22:19-22.

[Picture on page 20]

Many Christians find deeper joy in the ministry than in high-paying jobs

Train Your Child to Develop Godly Devotion

“Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.”—PROVERBS 22:6.

1. What must be reached to train a child successfully, and why?

A CIRCUS performer trying to teach her son the art of the trapeze noticed he had trouble getting over the bars. “If you will just throw your heart over the bars,” she suggested, “your body will follow.” Similarly, those who are ‘training up’ their child to develop godly devotion must motivate the heart. This is especially difficult during the teenage years.—Proverbs 4:23.

2. Why are the teenage years difficult, and how can parents help?

2 “For years it was not hard to find out what was going on deep inside my boys,” stated a Christian father in Germany. “But that changed like a bolt of lightning as soon as they entered puberty.” During this time of transition to adulthood, many new and exciting desires, fueled by body and hormonal changes, affect a young person’s heart. Yet all too often such years are marred by painful mistakes. Even faithful Job bemoaned facing “the consequences of the errors of [his] youth.” (Job 13:26) Emotional pressures can create “anxious care in the heart” of a young person. Proverbs 12:25 says that this will cause the heart “to bow down, but the good word is what makes it rejoice.” How can you help your child with good communication during these critical years?

Heart Communication

3, 4. (a) How did the counseling approaches of Elihu and of Job’s three “friends” differ? (b) What will hinder heart communication?

3 Consider the contrast in the counseling approaches of Elihu and of the three “friends” of Job. This will make clear what will, or will not, promote communication. Elihu was a good listener. While the others remained aloof, never acknowledging their own human frailties, he said: “Look! I am to the true God just what you are; from the clay I was shaped, I too.” He urged Job to ‘reply,’ speak his heart, and not to be terrified. (Job 33:5-7) On the other hand, the three “friends” put on an appearance of sympathizing with and comforting Job, but they listened with minds already made up. “Hear, please, my counterarguments, and to the pleadings of my lips pay attention,” implored Job without effect. (Job 13:6) Yes, their approach had raised a barrier.

4 If not careful, a parent can raise similar barriers without realizing it. So hear your child out. (Proverbs 18:13) Think over carefully how your reply will come across. “There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.” (Proverbs 12:18) True, at times the attitude and/or words of a youngster can irritate. But remember, behind such “wild talk” may be a heart laden with turmoil. Thoughtfully use your tongue to heal.—Job 6:2, 3.

5. (a) What will help a parent to draw out the intentions of the child’s heart? (b) How can referring back to the Society’s publications help?

5 Attentive listening, which includes tactful questions, will help draw out the child and make it easier for him to talk about what is bothering him. (Proverbs 20:5) “A lot of times my son would start a conversation at a seemingly inappropriate time and just say one or two sentences, perhaps about an incident in school,” observed the mother of an 18-year-old. “But it was up to me to kindly ‘draw up’ what was in his heart with questions such as, ‘Then what happened?’ Or, ‘How did you feel about it?’ Or, ‘What did you do or say?’ This is what he was looking for, and he opened up with his problem. But this took a lot of time!” Take such time with your child! Perhaps during long walks or while relaxing together, get to know what is on his mind. Many parents have found that, by referring back to information provided over the years in the Watch Tower Society’s publications, they are helped to understand their youngsters better and to have meaningful discussions with them. As a result, heartfelt dialogue has increased among family members. However, more than good communication is needed to develop godly devotion.

Promote Spiritual Nourishment

6, 7. What did Timothy’s mother accomplish, and how can parents imitate her?

6 Timothy’s mother was not passive regarding the spiritual matters that meant life for her son. Of him it was written: “From infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation.” (2 Timothy 3:15) Similarly today, those parents whose children develop godly devotion are intensely concerned about their children’s spiritual nourishment. They teach them to do personal study at an early age.

7 Have you seen to it that your child has his own Bible literature and prepares for the congregation meetings? Do you strongly encourage him to schedule time to dig into the treasures of the Word of God? (Proverbs 2:1-5; 1 John 2:14) While at the meetings, do you sit with him to provide encouragement for his mind—and heart—not to wander? Is he urged to participate? (Hebrews 10:23-25) Do you maintain a regular family study that provides knowledge relevant to your child’s specific needs? Give thought to these questions.—Proverbs 24:5.

“Make Jehovah Real”

8. Where does Deuteronomy 11:18, 19 show that godly devotion must start, and how can parents apply this with a child today?

8 However, simply filling a head with facts may leave the heart and conscience untouched. To develop a good conscience, your child must see that Jehovah is a person who is dynamic and intensely interested in him and in what he does. But first a love for Jehovah must fill your own heart and move you to speak regularly of his loving care and his greatness. You must love and live the truth. When asked how her children, both full-time evangelizers, developed such strong love for God, a mother in England explained: “By speaking to them of how real Jehovah is. He has aided me so much that I could not help but make Jehovah real to them. Everything centers around him.” Train your child, also, to talk to Jehovah “with every form of prayer and supplication . . . [carrying] on prayer on every occasion in spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18) Let the child hear your earnest, heartfelt prayers and discuss with him the contents of his own.—Deuteronomy 11:1, 2, 18, 19; Proverbs 20:7.

9. How can parents use real-life examples to train a child’s conscience?

9 The youthful conscience can be powerfully influenced by real-life examples. (Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10.) From time to time you may hear of individuals who suffer because of breaking God’s laws. In a nonaccusing manner, discuss such examples with your child, thereby helping him to appreciate Paul’s words: “You can’t fool God. Whatever you sow you’ll reap.” (Galatians 6:7, Beck) For a positive example, discuss together the moving Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. You will be helping your child to gain “the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16) But you have to make the accounts live! Encourage the child to visualize the dramatic scenes and to reflect on the masterful way Jesus handled matters. Select material from Bible-based publications that detail Jesus’ life and personal qualities, and to add variety, use these occasionally on your family study.a

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The Watchtower, August 15, 1985