Preserving a Clean Conscience

● At times strong faith is needed for one to act in a way that will not defile one’s conscience. This was the experience of one of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses in Ghana. Her husband, not a Witness, was out of work, and the whole family depended upon her for their livelihood. However, she came to appreciate that her continuing to sell tobacco products was out of harmony with Bible principles. Determined to have a good conscience before God and men, she commended herself to Jehovah’s care and closed the tobacco store.

Did her family suffer as a result? No. The very next week she was approached by a bulk-goods dealer who was looking for someone honest to sell her goods and share in the profits. Soon thereafter a second person gave her a contract to sell a local product called “shea butter,” as many had proved to be untrustworthy in handling the work. These business opportunities opened up because this Witness had a fine reputation. Because of her interest in having a clean conscience, she soon had a business that was even better than the one she had given up.