DAILY TEXT, Today Thursday, November 21, 2024, All who desire to live with devotion to God in union with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12).

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Thursday, November 21, 2024

All who desire to live with devotion to God in union with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12).

Our enemies spread lies or inaccurate information about responsible brothers in Jehovah’s organization. (Ps. 31:13) Some brothers have been arrested and accused of being criminals. Something similar happened in the first century. The apostle Paul was wrongfully accused and arrested. When he was arrested in Rome, some Christians deserted him. (2 Tim. 1:8, 15; 2:8, 9) Think of how Paul must have felt. He had endured so much and even risked his life for them. (Acts 20:18–21; 2 Cor. 1:8) May we never be like these Christians who deserted Paul. Let us not be surprised when responsible brothers become targets of Satan’s attacks. His goal is to cause them to lose their loyalty to Jehovah and to cause us to cower. (1 Pet. 5:8) May we continue to loyally support responsible brothers. (2 Tim. 1:16–18) w22.11 16, 17 pars. 8-11.

What can we learn from our brothers and sisters in Russia?

Think of what our brothers and sisters in Russia do when their dear fellow Christians are imprisoned. When some of them go to trial, many brothers show up at the court to support them. What is the lesson? If responsible brothers are slandered, arrested, or persecuted, do not panic. Pray for them, care for their families, and look for ways to support them. (Acts 12:5; 2 Cor. 1:10, 11)

How can ridicule damage our confidence in Jehovah and his organization?

Unbelieving family members, coworkers, and schoolmates may make fun of us for preaching or for upholding Jehovah’s high moral standards. (1 Pet. 4:4) They may say, “I like you as a person, but your religion is too strict and old-fashioned.” Some may criticize us for our treatment of disfellowshipped people, saying, “How can you say you love people?” Such comments can raise doubts in our minds, causing us to wonder, “Does Jehovah expect too much of me? Is his organization too strict?” If you are in such a situation, what can you do to keep from drifting away from Jehovah and his organization?

How should we react if others make fun of us because we follow Jehovah’s standards? (Psalm 119:50-52)Books of Jehovah

Strongly support Jehovah’s standards. Job was a man who supported Jehovah’s standards even though others made fun of him. One of his false friends even tried to convince him that God did not care whether Job followed his laws or not. (Job 4:17, 18; 22:3) But Job did not believe these lies. He knew that Jehovah’s standards of right and wrong were correct, and he stood firmly by them. He did not allow others to make him give up his integrity. (Job 27:5, 6) The lesson? Do not let ridicule make you doubt Jehovah’s standards. Think about how you have fared in your life by obeying them. Haven’t you seen the benefits time and again? Strongly support the organization that upholds those standards. Then, no matter how much people mock you, they will never succeed in separating you from Jehovah.—Read Psalm 119:50-52.

Why did Brizit have to endure his family's mockery?

Let's look at the experience of Brizit, a sister from India. Because she was a Witness, she had to endure ridicule from her family. She was baptized in 1997, and soon after, her husband, who was not a Witness, lost his job. So he decided that they and their daughters would move in with his parents, who lived in another city. But Brizit's problems did not end there. Since her husband was still unemployed, she had to work full-time to support the family. And the nearest congregation was about 350 kilometers (220 miles) away. Unfortunately, her husband's relatives turned against her because she was a Witness. Things got so bad that Brizit and her family had to move again. Then something unexpected happened: her husband passed away. Then one of her daughters died of cancer at just 12 years old. And, as if all this were not enough, Brizit's own family blamed her for all these tragedies. She was told that if she had not become one of Jehovah's Witnesses, none of this would have happened. But she continued to trust in Jehovah and stayed close to his organization.

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