of satisfaction, a cause for gratitude? And be encouraged by reports that show how undedicated persons have been deeply impressed through attending only one assembly. One friendly, undedicated man, for example, wrote to Witnesses who were guests at his home during an assembly: “The manner in which you conducted yourselves, the happiness, the fact that you did not preach at me all the time, the talks at the convention, the conduct of the people there—I believe it was all this that made me come to the conclusion that this is a pretty fine thing.”

The public lecture, on the subject “The Approaching Peace of a Thousand Years,” is specially suited to newly interested ones and even those who profess to have little interest. Your marriage mate, though undedicated, is likely to find that from one quarter to one half of the audience at this particular session is made up of persons not professing to be Jehovah’s witnesses.

There are others, too, who might be invited to come along. What about those relatives and acquaintances who have shown themselves to be favorably disposed toward the Kingdom message? A weekend visit to the convention might be something they would really enjoy. But the invitation should be given well in advance so that they will have time to make their plans. And it may aid them to reach a favorable decision if you can mention some other interesting things to do or see while visiting the assembly city. What is true of these friends is true also of your own mate. Help them to have an enjoyable time, so that they will want to come to some future assembly too.

You love your marriage mate. No need, then, to take it for granted that he or she will not want to accompany you to the assembly city. Why not open the door? A cordial invitation may suffice. But whatever the outcome, you will have the satisfaction of having tried.

Keep Faith Growing by God’s Word

What causes the faith of some to stop growing and even to wither and die?

God’s Word says that “faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Heb. 11:1) Many point to materialism as the cause of failure to have such faith. Others say that it is pleasure-seeking, and still others that it is fear that causes faith to stop growing but instead to wither and die. While such things may be involved in causing the faith of some to weaken, when one looks a little closer one finds that this condition is basically due to a failure to keep on feeding on God’s Word.

Yes, “faith follows the thing heard,” and to be a fine minister one must be “nourished with the words of the faith.” One must pay “more than the usual attention” to God’s Word if one would not drift away. This is what the Thessalonian Christians did, and for this reason the apostle Paul could write them: “Your faith is growing exceedingly.”—Rom. 10:17; 1 Tim. 4:6; Heb. 2:1; 2 Thess. 1:3.a

How can one check to see that his own faith keeps on growing exceedingly by God’s Word?

Just as a home requires continual maintenance if it is to be kept in good repair and serve its owner well, so with one’s faith. To keep on growing exceedingly in faith one must keep testing whether one is in the faith.’ (2 Cor. 13:5) How can this be done? By asking oneself such questions as: “Am I or my family studying less? Do I find my explanations of Bible subjects a little hazy in understanding? Is my public ministry a hurried, get-it-over-with program? Has Bible truth become commonplace with me because it is so easy to obtain?”

If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, then DO something about it! Call to mind the zeal you once had and put Kingdom interests first in your life! Establish a dependable program for taking in spiritual food, buying out the time for Bible reading, for preparing lessons and your assignments in the Theocratic Ministry School, service meeting or for a public talk. Jehovah says: “‘My righteous one will live by reason of faith,’ and, ‘if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’”—Heb. 10:38; 12:2.

[Footnotes]

Giving Thanks Always for All Things

GRATITUDE is very scarce in this era wherein selfishness has gone to seed. Parents often neglect to set a good example and train their children in this respect. Even in the presence of visitors some children will loudly and bitterly complain when things do not go right, but when matters improve they can seldom be heard expressing appreciation. Lacking good, sound counsel, the children turn out to be ungrateful for whatever they do receive, taking it all more or less as something due them.

If there is any material giving, to charities for instance, it is because there is need to salve a conscience, or because one’s reputation is at stake. There is very little giving of the kind referred to by Christ Jesus when he counseled: “Do not let your left hand know what your right is doing.” (Matt. 6:3) God’s Word, the Bible, foretold that “in the last days . . . men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . . unthankful.”—2 Tim. 3:1, 2.

In view of these conditions that have come upon the world it is truly refreshing to hear about the four-year-old whose mother had taught him to appreciate God’s provisions for humankind, for the present and for the future. He wanted to do something to demonstrate his appreciation. When a hen in their backyard hatched a brood of chicks, this little fellow set one of them aside, saying: “This one is for Jehovah.” He guarded it and raised it until it was marketable. Then he sold it and brought its price—the equivalent of 75c (U.S.)—with the request that it be forwarded to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society as his very own contribution toward the spread of Bible education throughout the world. His little face beamed with joy and contentment at having some share in supporting the Society’s activities.

Without yet fully understanding it, that youngster was in fact complying with God’s counsel given by inspiration and expressed by that zealous servant of Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul: ‘In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ give thanks always for all things to our God and Father.’—Eph. 5:20.

CAN YOU PROMOTE THANKFULNESS?

What moved this little child to such an expression of appreciation? Example.