1) With summer just ahead, what plans have you made to increase your share in praising Jehovah? Family heads who are entrusted with their families spiritual welfare, will do well to encourage their mates, and children to make the most of any extra time they may have away from the workplace. How? By increasing their share in the ministry. Family heads can help by leading by example in this life saving work, by way of perhaps increasing their own share in the ministry. What better way to spend any available free time during this summer season than to spend it helping rightly disposed ones along the road to everlasting life. Have you made room for it?
How will you spend your time?
2) Some have falsely reasoned.."Summer is the only time of the year when we can go on vacation. I want to have some fun this year with my family". True, SOME recreation can be beneficial in helping families to refresh themselves so that they may continue to go on praising our Creator in this critical time of the end, IF it is done in moderation. We MUST maintain balance in this regard. If it becomes absolutely neccessary that we must travel this summer, we must always keep utmost in our minds that we "never take a vacation from Jehovah".
3) We will all most certainly be busy this summer with the district conventions, circuit overseers' visits, pioneering, auxillary pioneering, and personal study. But if time is taken for wholesome family recreation away from our home congregations on vacation, will you remember to plan ahead so that you may attend ALL FIVE congregation meetings wherever you are visiting? And most importantly not beg off your responsibility to share in the Kingdom preaching work while away from home? Sharon, a young witness of Jehovah, noted the joy in sharing the Kingdom Good News with others while on vacation visiting her sick Grandmother. "Everywhere we stopped on our trip I handed out magazines to everyone that would take time to listen to the Kingdom message... Rest areas, gas stations, restaurants, etc. My worldly relatives were impressed, when while they were having a barbacue, which I avoided due to my Christian conscience, I retired to my sleeping quarters to study the Watchtower lesson. How rewarding it was to know that I made a stand, and thusly pleased my dear Heavenly Father."
Is It Neccessary?
4) As loyal Christians we do well to ask ourselves if it IS REALLY NECCESSARY to go on vacation at all this summer? We do not want to fall into Satans' snare of self indulgence. We know from our study of the Scriptures that recreation is "good for a little", but we would not want to take an extreme view in this regard.
Avoid worldly relatives
5) Worldly relatives may ask us to participate in questionable activities, that cold steer us from our Christian course. Will you follow the "course of wisdom" in this regard? The Bible clearly states that we should not even "eat" with such evil doers who do not share in our Kingdom hope. Will you follow the Bible's advice in this matter?
6) Remember that we must always put Jehovah and His Organization first. Even if we MUST have moderate recreation this summer, we do well to keep in mind, and not beg off from our "usual routine". (Prov 21:5).