ministered. He did not brush aside children as too young to hear, or the rich as too proud to be worth his time, nor did he turn away the poor and blind and crippled. His heart went out to the people; he “felt tender affection for them, because they were skinned and knocked about like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:36) Even when he was tired and needed to rest up a bit, he did not turn away those who sought him out. Paul, too, felt “tender affection” for those to whom he preached. (1 Thess. 2:8) We must have the same viewpoint.

15. What experience illustrates a mature Christian view of the ministry?

¹⁵ That feeling was well demonstrated by a pioneer sister who shared in the field ministry while visiting a friend in another congregation. During the morning’s service she met a young woman who showed some interest and accepted the Bible literature offered. The sister had no opportunity to call back, since she was there for only a very brief visit, but her heart went out to that person of good will and when she got home she began to write to her to encourage her to study. A Bible study was conducted by mail, and interest developed so rapidly that the sister soon arranged to make a special trip back to see the young woman again and to get her acquainted with the local congregation. She is now having a share in the service herself! Surely that pioneer sister was not out in the service just so she could report time spent preaching. Her desire was to honor Jehovah by finding and feeding those of sheeplike disposition toward him. That is how every mature minister views the service.

RIGHT VIEW OF DEDICATION

16. Although one may be a regular participant in the field ministry, what further step does God require, and why?

¹⁶ Once we have located these sheeplike individuals and helped them to become publishers of the Kingdom good news our job is not done. No one should feel that being associated with the New World society is in itself assurance of divine approval, or that participation in preaching the Kingdom message is all that God requires for one to survive Armageddon. Not at all! As long as anyone does not say to God, ‘Serving you is my purpose in life. I delight to do your will, and my life is dedicated to your service, no matter what it may be,’ his service is not whole-souled. Perhaps he does not want to take the responsibility that goes with dedication to God, but by evading it he is not going to be in a more favored position. If anyone who could do so does not follow the example of Jesus Christ, making a dedication to serve God and symbolizing it by water immersion, he is not yet on the narrow way that leads to life. In a way, he has held onto the thinking that is characteristic of the members of the religious organizations of Christendom. They, too, accept some of the Bible principles as a guide in life. But they reserve to themselves the right to draw the line; they sit as judges of God, making their own decisions as to the things in his Word that they want to accept. If one knows what Jehovah requires but determines in his own mind that not all of it is important enough to comply with, then he has not really accepted Jehovah as his God; so how can he expect God to accept him for life in the new world? Concerning those who fail to perform what they know God requires, James, the brother of the Lord, says: “If one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.” (Jas. 4:17) Such persons need the help of mature ones to get a right view of their service to God. They need to acquire, not only a knowledge of God’s Word, but an appreciation of his requirements.

17. (a) Are dedication and baptism guarantees of survival into the new world? (b) What does God look for in those who serve him?

¹⁷ Of course, dedication and baptism are not in themselves guarantees of life in the new world, Having made a dedication, one must use his life as he has promised to God. No one can expect to get into the new world “under the wire,” so to speak. Those who endeavor to get by with as little service as possible have already violated the very greatest commandment. Having been questioned on the matter, Jesus said that, to gain everlasting life, “‘you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind,’ and, ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:25-27) Jehovah God, who is our Judge, sees more than what men see. “All hearts Jehovah is searching and every inclination of the thoughts he is discerning.” (1 Chron. 28:9) He knows not only what we do, but our motive. He knows whether we really do exert ourselves wholeheartedly in his service and whether our love for our neighbor, our desire to see him gain salvation, is as great as for ourselves. Now, before God passes final judgment, is the time for us to examine our own hearts, to review our own ministry, to see if we have the right view of the vital work that God has given us to do.

Enlarging Your Privileges of Service

1. (a) What did Jesus forcefully illustrate in the parable of the minas, and how? (b) Who is the one that has received kindly power, and what interests has he entrusted to his servants?

THE need for us to be productive in the service of our Master was forcefully illustrated by Jesus in a parable. He told of a certain man of noble birth who was about to travel abroad to secure kingly power and who called his servants to him and, entrusting each one with a mina, he told them