Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024
Thursday December 26, 2024
He was not ashamed of my chains of imprisonment (2 Tim. 1:16).
Onesiphorus did everything he could to find the apostle Paul, and when he found him, he gave him the help he needed. He risked his life for him! What is the lesson? Do not let fear of others prevent you from supporting brothers who are enduring persecution. Do everything you can to defend and help them (Prov. 17:17). They need our love and our support. Think about what our brothers and sisters in Russia do when they imprison their beloved fellow Christians. When some of them go to trial, many brothers appear in court to give them their support. What is the lesson? If brothers with responsibilities are slandered, arrested or persecuted, do not panic. Pray for them, care for their families, and find ways to support them (Acts 12:5; 2 Cor. 1:10, 11). w22.11 17 paras. 11, 12.
WHEN THEY MAKE FUN OF US
How can mockery damage our trust in Jehovah and his organization?
(1 Pet. 4:4) Some unbelieving family members, co-workers, or schoolmates may mock us because we preach or uphold Jehovah’s high moral standards. (1 Pet. 4:4) Maybe they tell us: “I like you as a person, but your religion is too strict and old-fashioned.” Maybe some will criticize us for the treatment we give to those expelled and tell us: “How can you say you love people?” Comments like this can sow doubts in our minds and cause us to wonder: “Could Jehovah expect too much of me? And will your organization be too strict?” If you are in a situation like this, what can you do to not distance yourself from Jehovah and his organization?
How should we react if others mock us because we respect Jehovah's standards? (Psalm 119:50-52).
Strongly support Jehovah's standards. Job was a man who supported Jehovah's standards even though others mocked him. One of his false friends even tried to convince him that God did not care whether Job respected his laws or not (Job 4:17, 18; 22:3). But Job did not believe those lies. He knew that Jehovah's standards of right and wrong were correct, and he steadfastly supported them. He did not allow others to make him give up his integrity (Job 27:5, 6). What is the lesson? Do not let mockery cause you to doubt Jehovah's standards. Think about how life has turned out for you by obeying them. Haven't you seen the benefits time and time again? Strongly support the organization that upholds those standards. Thus, no matter how much people mock, they will never be able to separate him from Jehovah. (Read Psalm 119:50-52.)
Why did Brizit have to endure the ridicule of his family?
Let's look at the experience of Brizit, a sister from India. Because he was a Witness, he had to endure the ridicule of his relatives. She was baptized in 1997, and soon afterward her husband, who was not a Witness, lost his job. So he decided that they and their daughters would move with his parents, who lived in another city. But Brizit's problems did not end there. With her husband still out of work, she had to work full time to support the family. And on top of that, the nearest congregation was about 350 kilometers (220 miles) away. Unfortunately, her husband's relatives turned against her for being a Witness. Things got so bad that Brizit and her family had to move again. Then something unexpected happened: her husband died. Then one of his daughters died of cancer at only 12 years old. And, if all this were not enough, Brizit's own family blamed him for all those tragedies. They told him that if he had not become a Jehovah's Witness, none of this would have happened. But she continued to trust in Jehovah and stayed close to his organization.
What blessings did Brizit receive by staying close to Jehovah and his organization?
Because Brizit lived so far from the congregation, a circuit overseer encouraged her to preach in his area and hold meetings in his home. At first she thought it was too much for her. But he followed the superintendent's suggestions, and began to preach, hold meetings at home, and have family worship with his daughters. What was the result? Brizit was able to start many Bible courses, and a good number of his students were baptized. And in 2005 she became a regular pioneer. His trust in Jehovah and his loyalty to the organization were rewarded. Their daughters are faithful servants of Jehovah and there are now two congregations in the area. Brizit is sure that Jehovah gave her the strength to endure the trials and mockery of her family.
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