I recently obtained a copy of the April 1, 2001 Watchtower and felt moved to comment on the fine spiritual food provided therein.
Consider the title of the magazine: "The Kingdom Good New--Is It For You?"
This certainly reflects the admonition we receive in the Theocratic Ministry School to avoid using "theocratic jargon" in the field ministry. Undoubtedly householders will immediately grasp what the "Kingdom Good News" is, and they will sense the need to adjust their dress and grooming to more closely follow the 2,000-year-old model of the apostle Peter and the three other Israelites on the cover. A catchy opener!
Here are some more highlights:
Page 3: "Those doing this worldwide preaching and teaching work are all volunteers. From a secular point of view, they may appear to be ill-qualified for the task."
An interesting point, considering the introduction discusses the 700 million pieces of printed material and thousands of audiocassettes and videocassettes Jehovah's Witnesses distributed over the last service year. Should not the high quality of such materials make all Witnesses WELL-qualified? And if so, why does the secular point of view make them appear ill-qualified?
Pages 6 and 7 contain many fine points that all readers would do well to take to heart, applying them no matter what their religious background might be.
"[Rather] than expecting a miraculous revelation from God, why not look at the matter objectively?"
Indeed!
"Ask yourself: 'Do I really know what God's wil is regarding mankind and the earth? What proof can I offer to substantiate my beliefs?'"
Hmmm...
"You have nothing to lose from examining your religious beliefs this way. In fact, you should want to do so..."
Really!
Further on in the magazine, paragraph 16 of the study article "True Christianity Prevails!" states: "The preaching of the good news is directed and backed by Jehovah God and his powerful angels. By just making ourselves available, unexpected opportunities to make disciples sometimes arise. In Nairobia, Kenya, two Christian women in field service had finished working the houses assigned to them. A young woman suddenly approached them and excitedly said: 'I've been praying to meet someone like you.' She implored the Witnesses to come to her home immediately for a discussion, and a Bible study was started with her that very day. Why did the woman approach the two Christians with such urgency? About two weeks earlier, she had lost her baby in death. So when she saw a youngster carrying the tract 'What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?" she wanted it desperately and asked the boy to give it to her. He refused, but pointed to the Witnesses who had given him the tract. Soon the woman was making fine spiritual progress and was better able to cope with the painful loss of her child."
This account clearly demonstrates angelic intervention. Some might reason on matters from a worldly standpoint, saying: "Well, the woman was in great emotional pain and was ready to reach out for anything that might help to alleviate it. She just happened to see the Witnesses, and of course the idea of seeing her child in Paradise sounded very comforting." But should we even contemplate such a possibility? Far from it!
The article "Do You Feel Misunderstood?" contains many valuable reminders. It is certainly to be hoped that the Governing Body considered the article carefully prior to approving its publication, and that they would support the application of its counsel to both themselves and ALL whom they might come in contact with.
Finally, I enjoyed the life story of Sister Melba Barry, the Australian wife of the Governing Body member Brother Lloyd Barry.
Consider the following expression of loving concern and care from Jehovah's spirit-begotten organization, in a passage dealing with the couple's missionary service in Japan:
"[On] one of his visits to Tokyo, Nathan H. Knorr from world headquarters said to me: 'By the way, do you know where your husband is going on his next zone trip? Australia and New Zealand.' He added: 'You can go, too, if you pay your own way.' What excitement! After all, it had been nine years since we left home."
I believe this passage speaks for itself.
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