parents are going. Some may ask, then, Would it be proper for me in my early teens to make such a dedication vow and symbolize this by water immersion? Since many children are baptized each year at circuit assemblies and other conventions of Jehovah’s people, can it be said that this is the proper course for these young ministers to take? Of course, if they do not know in their own mind what they are doing, then they are not ready to take this vital and important step. The definite age as to when baptism or dedication is appropriate cannot be designated. If a child has sufficient knowledge of Almighty God, Jehovah, and his righteous purposes and adheres faithfully to the upright principles set down in his Word, if the child has reached the age of accountability and desires to make a dedication to Jehovah, it is in order for him to do so and it is then proper to take the step of baptism by water. Taking this essential and direct step toward life, the young minister will not be found in the position of the unrighteous. Dedication is an essential step and necessary to gain the approval of Jehovah God. Take note of the wise counsel of Solomon in this respect: “Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come. . . . Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”—Eccl. 12:1, 13, 14, AS.

16. What responsibility falls on the shoulders of youth?

¹⁶ So, then, as parents, let us take heed to God’s Word. As children, take heed willingly, gladly to obey! Even before you are twenty-one, try always to show good sense and strength and keep your guard up. You boys of seventeen and eighteen, remember that you are now entering manhood; you must make right decisions. You are becoming tomorrow’s men and each of you can be ready as a man today.

Careful Living Helps Avoid Life’s Pitfalls

“Banish wayward words; . . . keep a clear path before you, . . . spurn not the Eternal’s schooling, never be weary of his discipline.”—Prov. 4:24, 26; 3:11, Mo.

1. What questions arise relative to cultivating good habits for children?

MANY parents argue that they have tried everything to apply the admonition of Jehovah in training their children to understand their proper place in the New World society, but to no avail. Have you? Have you tried habit, for instance? How about the good habit of discussing the daily Bible text each morning? Can you picture what a firm groove that would imbed in the child’s mind and how it would help to keep before the child the purposes of God? Then, too, how about having a regular Bible study right in the home for the benefit of the entire family? Does your family study The Watchtower together some evening before the meeting? This also can become a good habit for children and parents alike, resulting in much joy to all. How about the regular habit of meeting attendance? Being present at every Watchtower study can become such a strong habit that it will not be jeopardized by light excuses for staying away from this important meeting. Other congregation meetings also are important and should be included in the weekly budget of time and become good habits. Humans are habit-forming; so why not cultivate good habits very early in life?

2. (a) What is required of children while attending meetings? (b) What example do we have illustrating proper discipline at meetings on the part of parents, and what is the reaction on the part of the child when given chastisement?

² Just having our children with us at the meetings, however, is not adequate. Here they will be expected to pay attention and not play, draw pictures or have side attractions. They should be taught that there is a time for things other than play. It may require the rod of correction to impress the necessity for being quiet and paying attention, but, when properly applied, such measures need not be repeated often. Sometimes a young boy of five or six will begin to get restless in the meeting and start fussing, disturbing many. His father, sitting beside him, will try to quiet him. He continues fussing and the father starts to get up to take the boy out. The boy does not want to go—he has been outside with his daddy before and has lost every round. So now junior becomes quiet for the rest of the meeting. Thus we see that when discipline is firmly and kindly applied so as to be remembered, it will be beneficial. Kind application may not always be soft application. Such discipline is not an indication of hatred on the part of parents, because an obedient child is generally very fond of a father and mother who mete out discipline in the proper way. Most of us have observed how children respect parents who enforce their words—with penalties, if necessary—and do not let their words die as mere idle threats. Most persons have respect for one who makes his word good, and that includes children. Children, be admonished therefore: “Be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous: ‘Honor your father and mother’; which is the first command with a promise.” And, too, you parents who love your children, reprove the children for their good even as ‘those whom Jehovah loves he disciplines, as in fact he scourges everyone whom he receives as a son.’ Discipline is not pleasant at the time, but corrects for righteousness.—Eph. 6:1, 2; Heb. 12:6, 11, NW.

3. How may good manners be included in the cultivation of good habits?

³ Good habits include good manners. Christians should have the best of manners. Parents who display good manners in their daily contact with their children and fellow man will have children who display the same good manners. We are admonished: “Maintain your conduct right among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against you as evildoers, they may as a result of your right works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for his inspection. For the Lord’s sake subject yourselves to every human creation.” This good conduct is, in essence, good manners. It is a politeness that stems from a love of God and neighbor.—1 Pet. 2:12, 13, NW.

4, 5. (a) How is Christ Jesus the proper example of good manners? (b) How should good manners be exercised?

⁴ Parents and children alike can benefit by following the perfect example set by the perfect gentleman, Christ Jesus. He practiced the rule of good manners: ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’ However, his good manners did not come from some rule book written by men, but sprang from a sincere heart and by his cultivating good habits and putting into practice from youth the righteous principles of Almighty God, especially His law of love.—Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31, NW.

⁵ Well-mannered parents set the proper example by being courteous to all, under all conditions. They are respectful to their inferiors (children, the mentally ill, less fortunate ones, etc.), as well as to their equals (their brothers) and those regarded as superiors (servants in special capacity, rulers, kings and governors). Some think good manners are a coat that you put on when you go out to visit people. But a truly well-mannered person is one who behaves properly all the time. The place to teach and to learn the best of manners is in the Christian home.

6, 7. (a) What pitfalls confront youth that may be detrimental if youth is not curbed? (b) What Scriptural counsel is given as to right conduct?

⁶ Often young people are quick to belittle or mock parents or other grown-up men and women, shunning their sound counsel. This is true when they take as their standards the dealings of this world. In following such a course often gossip is resorted to, to undermine and belittle the older and more mature servants of Jehovah. Do you use the malicious instrument of gossip? If you refrain from this practice early in life, it is not likely that you will adopt it later in life. Failing to show proper respect, therefore, is nothing more than a brazen display of rebellion, and it must be avoided by every youthful minister as well as those older and mature in Jehovah’s service. The Scriptural admonition given by the apostle Paul is appropriate for youth and, of course, not to be overlooked by parents: “Only behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ, . . . fighting side by side for the faith of the good news.” “In harmony with that you well know how, as a father does his children, we kept exhorting each one of you, and consoling and bearing witness to you, to the end that you should go on walking worthily of God who is calling you to his kingdom and glory.”—Phil. 1:27; 1 Thess. 2:11, 12, NW.

⁷ By following such a course Christian children will avoid the pitfalls common to undisciplined youth. One who fails to take sound counsel is likened to one who is void of understanding and easily overreached and enticed. The Preacher, Solomon, illustrated how succumbing to temptation leads to a disastrous end: “I looked . . . and I beheld among the simple ones, . . . a young man void of understanding.” He continues, “And he is enticed to follow her, like an ox moving to the slaughter, like a dog cajoled to the muzzle, like a bird fluttering straight into the net—never dreaming its life is in danger, till its heart is pierced by an arrow.” “Now, my son, listen to me, attend to what I say: never let yourself swerve to her ways, never wander on her paths; her house is the road to the grave, it leads down to the chambers of death.” Rather than this, allow your path to be lighted by God’s Word and thus avoid the snares of the Devil. In earnest prayer petition Jehovah: “Oh rescue me, save me, . . . for thou art my hope, O Lord, I have trusted thee from youth, . . . Thou hast been teaching it from my youth. . . . My lips shall ring with joy and praise, even the life which thou hast saved.”—Prov. 7:6, 7, AS; Prov. 7:21-25, 27, Mo; Ps. 71:2, 5, 17, 23, Mo.

WARNING OF IDOLATROUS PRACTICES

8. What happens when idolatrous schemes are not recognized and shunned?

⁸ All Jehovah’s servants today must be alert to the wiles of the Devil. All should be aware and have the ability to recognize the subtle schemes of idolatry and concealed snares that may deliver one into the clutches of the adversary. Lack of heed to God’s Word victimized the children of Israel. Bad associations corrupt good morals, of youth and adults alike. That is why the Israelites were exhorted by Jehovah, who said concerning violent reproachers: “They should not dwell in your land, that they may not cause you to sin against me. In case you should serve their gods, it would become a snare to you.”—Ex. 23:33; Deut. 7:16, NW.

9, 10. Why should children be alerted to snares of idolatry?

⁹ Christian children of the King would consider it unimaginable to follow the course of false religion. But what about the many other shrouded contrivances of false worship that call for us to be equally vigilant? Satan is the god of this system of things and is therefore the god of false worship of any kind, and there are many varieties. ‘You are servants of the one you obey.’—Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13; Rom. 6:16, NW.

¹⁰ For instance, we often see grown-up men and women glorifying science and medicine. We observe them turning to every form of creature worship. Children too idolize, just as their parents do. Even eighteen-year-old boys and girls glory and revel in senseless entertainment many hours and when left to themselves become worshipers of self-satisfying pleasures, just as the pleasure-mad parents, whose example they witness. This is as the apostle Paul foretold: They will be “lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” Some merely glorify movie stars and kings of jazz. Others, taught to revel in deeper sins, glorify crime and sex and become intoxicated with these idol practices of this corrupt world. Deadly bait are all such injurious practices when permitted to seep into the heart and mind of youth, weakening the strong and ensnaring the weak, breaking down the walls of protection provided by the sure Word of God. Death is the penalty for worshiping false gods of any kind. This would include the serving of creatures in a worshipful way; loving pleasure to the extreme and setting one’s affections on those things that would turn us from the true worship of Almighty God. So, then, can even those who are still under twenty-one ignore the sound advice, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols”?—2 Tim. 3:1-4; 1 John 5:21, NW.

LOVE AND DESIRE FOR WEALTH ENSNARE

11. What are some forms of idolatry that are extremely subtle in overreaching youth? What penalty would result?

¹¹ Money, too, has become an idol of this age. Those of this present system of things have become money-mad, and are at a point where they will stoop to any unscrupulous means to attain it. This insatiable desire has become responsible for much of the thievery and many of the other crimes of the twentieth century. Resorting to these crimes is in violation of Jehovah’s right principles as given in his Word, and is not compatible with Christian living. Any person guilty of such crimes would have no place in the New World society. In fact, if one persisted in continuing to share in these wrongdoings it could lead to disfellowshiping from the Christian congregation, regardless of age.

12. (a) How and why has the “love of money” become such a snare to people? (b) How should Christians evaluate the proper position of money and its use in their lives? In their children’s lives?

¹² Inasmuch as the gaining of wealth is the main objective of many grownups of this system of things, children undoubtedly will show the same passion for accumulating money or its equivalent. Hence, again, we see the importance of the proper molding of the minds of the youths in the New World society. While it is true that money is a defense and a convenient commodity to possess, yet the Christian parents should instill in the minds of children true values as emphasized in the Scriptures, namely: ‘Knowledge does more good than money, it safeguards a man’s life.’ Since children will be of the same understanding in this respect as the parents, theocratic parents will have the proper perspective in accumulating wealth, being sure that it is always in subjection to the important thing in one’s life, the ministry. Money should be a means to an end, rather than an objective in life. We can readily observe from this that parents can do severe injury to children if they are too liberal with allowances, giving them too much to spend. Children need to be restrained in this regard for their own good. It may be advantageous for the schoolboy to have a part-time job, earning his own money and thereby learning its actual evaluation and how to handle it judiciously.

13. How valuable are true riches? What sober thought should all have of monetary wealth?

¹³ How much more important are the riches that one lays up for himself in heaven! The Scriptures emphasize in Proverbs: “She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.” In contrast, Paul wrote to Timothy: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” It is not the possession of money that is necessarily evil, but the relative concern and esteem one places upon its possession as an achievement.—Prov. 3:18, AS; 1 Tim. 6:10, NW.

ADVANCED EDUCATION

14. Why should extreme care and thoughtfulness be exercised relative to an individual’s deciding whether to seek education beyond high school or not?

¹⁴ Since the love of money and the advent of materialism have a strong influence on young and old alike, they play an influential part in the decisions made by youth as to their future course of life. Many Christian children see their contemporary graduating classmates planning to enter college, usually with the intent of becoming successful by obtaining either a good position in life or some degree of prominence, which are both measures of success today. But can this be viewed as a course of wisdom directed from a theocratic viewpoint? Frequently the question arises in the mind of youth: “Would it be proper for me to enter college? Will the broadening of my education enhance my capabilities later as a theocratic minister?” Whether a person should or should not seek such higher education is dependent on the individual and what he desires to gain from life, present and future. Up to this point he has been successfully guided by theocratic parents in harmony with godly principles—he is a successful young minister. Now, again, as many times before, he comes to a point in life where he must make a decision, and here too the parents can come to the fore as counselors. Being a sincere young Christian minister, he wants to make a right decision. He must decide whether his ambitions are toward the popular trend of materialism or not—whether he desires to get ahead in the world, to attain a high position and honor and esteem of men which a college education subsequently leads to. In making his decision he must bear in mind the question: How will this affect my position in the New World society and my relationship toward Jehovah God? College is too