Presenting the Good News—With Kindness
1 When sharing in the field service, have you ever awakened someone from sleep? How did you handle the situation? Or, if a householder is very busy and cannot listen, what do you do?
2 Showing kindness in the above and similar circumstances would certainly be in order. We personally appreciate receiving someone at our door who is polite and cheerful, and asks in a sincere way, “How are you?” So if we realize that we have called at an inconvenient time, it would be the kind thing to excuse ourselves for the disturbance, and not to insist on giving a lengthy presentation. Possibly a handbill or magazine could be left and arrangements made to call again.
3 Unexpected opportunities may present themselves to show kindness. Perhaps a woman is having difficulty in carrying heavy shopping bags. Might not an offer to help be appreciated and lead to giving a fine witness?
4 Jesus Christ set an excellent example for us in showing kindness. On one occasion, after having helped many people spiritually, he said: “I feel pity for the crowd, because it is already three days that they have stayed with me and they have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away fasting.” (Matt. 15:32) Yes, Jesus took into consideration how people felt and was alert to respond to their needs.
5 The value of kindness is well illustrated by the following experience from Canada: “One Saturday afternoon during the circuit overseer’s visit, my husband and I were making our last call in the field service for the day. The lady who lived next door was just locking up her house to go away. We asked her if she would like a ride, as we were going to Andover, and it turned out that this lady was going to Andover also to visit some friends. When we arrived there, we found that her friends were just leaving to go across the border to a funeral and would not be back that night. As a result this lady was stranded. So we invited her to go to the meeting with us and indicated that after the meeting we would take her home. She enjoyed the meeting so much that she went with us to the public talk the next week and has expressed the desire to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” What a blessed result from an act of kindness!
6 While carrying out our vital witnessing in a way that reflects dignity and seriousness, we should not approach people in a cold, businesslike manner. Be friendly. Greet people as the opportunity arises. (Matt. 5:47) Be polite and thoughtful. Your friendliness and kind approach may provide the opening for an extended witness, to Jehovah’s praise.