Are You Self-Indulgent​—or Self-Sacrificing?

“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and continually follow me.’”​—Matt. 16:24.

1. What is the attitude of increasing numbers of persons today?

FOR many people in the world today, the thought of making personal sacrifices for someone else, or for a cause, does not have much appeal. Indeed, the attitude of increasing numbers of persons is to want more material things, more pleasures and more freedom to do whatever they desire, with little regard for God or man. Even the willingness to sacrifice for the sake of one’s own family has diminished in recent years, as family breakdowns and divorces have reached record highs in nation after nation.

2. Why is this self-indulgent trend no surprise to Bible students?

² This self-indulgent trend does not come as a surprise to those who have kept alert to God’s inspired Word, the Holy Bible. Accurately that prophetic Word foretold that in these “last days” many would be “lovers of themselves,” “lovers of money,” “lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” So intent are some people in pursuing their self-indulgent ways that the Bible says they are “without self-control.” This can also be seen in the huge increase of alcoholism, drug abuse and sexual immorality in recent years.​—2 Tim. 3:1-4.

3. What opposite attitude exists, and who recommends it?

³ However, there exists also the opposite attitude, that of self-sacrifice. It is a course recommended by no less an authority than the Almighty Creator of the universe, Jehovah God himself. But such a course of self-sacrifice​—is it not outdated in these modern times? Why should anyone want to be interested in that when more and more people are not?

WHAT IS INVOLVED

4, 5. How did Jesus speak of a course of self-sacrifice, and what did he mean by his words?

⁴ It is very important that we have the right view of this matter of self-sacrifice as opposed to self-indulgence. Regarding this, Jesus Christ said: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake day after day and follow me continually. For whoever wants to save his soul will lose it; but whoever loses his soul for my sake is the one that will save it. Really, what does a man benefit himself if he gains the whole world but loses his own self or suffers damage?”​—Luke 9:23-25.

⁵ Jesus was here describing a course of self-sacrifice. And he took the lead in demonstrating what this meant. He said: “I seek, not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 5:30) Thus, the reason Jesus undertook a course of self-sacrifice was so that he could fully accomplish the will of his heavenly Father, Jehovah. That course is the one Jesus recommended to his followers. He said that they should be willing to “disown” themselves, meaning that they should subdue their own personal desires and make the doing of God’s will the main thing in their lives.

6. (a) What cost can be involved in a course of self-sacrifice? (b) By doing God’s will, how can one ‘save his soul’?

⁶ True, such a life of self-sacrifice is not easy. It involves a cost, which includes time and effort. In some cases it may even mean the loss of one’s life at the hands of those who persecute God’s servants. However, as Jesus showed, the one doing God’s will would ‘save his soul,’ or life. In what way? In that he would gain Jehovah’s approval and the eventual reward that God promises all those who serve him, for he is “the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Heb. 11:6) For most of God’s loyal servants, that reward is eternal life in a righteous new order here on earth: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Ps. 37:29) And “they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Ps. 37:11) Nor can death itself stand in the way of this reward, because Jehovah guarantees that there is going to be “a resurrection of life.”​—John 5:29.

7. Why is the future that Jehovah promises worth any cost to us?

⁷ Yes, life is at stake in this matter of self-sacrifice as opposed to self-indulgence! And what a marvelous life​—living forever amid paradise conditions that will make every day an “exquisite delight”! Truly, that will be the real life. No course of life you could now choose in this world, no amount of hard work at any trade or profession, no acts of loyalty to any human or organization of this world could ever produce a future such as Jehovah promises those who serve him. Surely, then, it is well worth whatever sacrifices may be involved.

THE NEED TO KEEP AWAKE

8, 9. Why do we need to intensify our efforts to keep awake and to make sacrifices now?

⁸ As we progress deep into the “last days” there is an ever greater need to keep wide awake spiritually and to intensify our willingness to make sacrifices to serve God acceptably. One reason for this is the fact that Satan the Devil knows that he has only “a short period of time” left before he is put out of the way. (Rev. 12:12; 20:1-3) Since his time by now is very short, we can expect him to intensify his insane efforts to corrupt and destroy. He would like nothing better than to influence Jehovah’s servants to dull their spiritual perception and to lose their sense of urgency regarding these critical times. And he would certainly be most pleased if they would diminish, or abandon altogether, their telling of the “good news of the kingdom” of God to others.​—Matt. 24:14.

⁹ We should not underestimate Satan’s capacity for deception and harm. Jehovah’s inspired Word warns: “Keep your senses, be watchful. Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone. But take your stand against him, solid in the faith.” (1 Pet. 5:8, 9) If a wise person knew that a crazed lion was on the loose in the neighborhood, he would take every possible precaution to protect himself and his family, would he not?

10, 11. (a) What warning did Jesus give about over-indulgence? (b) Why do Jesus’ words apply even to some within Jehovah’s organization today?

¹⁰ Jesus spoke of the need for alertness when he said regarding the coming destruction of this present wicked system of things: “Pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of all the earth. Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man.”​—Luke 21:34-36.

¹¹ To whom was Jesus talking? In this case he was talking to his followers. Yet he warned them that, unless they stayed awake, even some of them could be caught off guard when Jehovah’s day of destruction came. What would lead to their getting caught off guard? They would become too involved with the everyday cares of this life, or with overindulging themselves in pleasures. Those cautioning words of Jesus are a real warning for us today. Because this system’s end has not yet arrived, some who are serving Jehovah may be tempted to slack off in their desire to make sacrifices for him. They may think that his new order is too far off in the distant future to regard this present situation with urgency. They may feel that they should be more concerned with leading a so-called “normal” life.

12. Does it make sense to search for a “normal” life in this system?

¹² Yet, from God’s viewpoint, can any way of life in this system of things be “normal”? This world is under the influence of Satan and his demons, dominated by harsh political systems, greedy commercial interests and selfish false religions. It is filled with fear, hatred, violence, immorality, corruption, economic difficulties, sickness and death. All of this is far from the normal life that Jehovah has purposed for mankind, which includes perfect health, complete security and happiness, as well as eternal life, and all of this on a paradise earth. Hence, life now is far from normal. It is very abnormal, and it will stay that way until Jehovah crushes out of existence this entire wicked system, paving the way for his glorious new order. So it is a self-delusion to search for normality in an abnormal world.

13. What are some examples of persons overreached by Satan because of self-indulgence?

¹³ What a calamity it could be, at this late date, for a Christian to ignore Jesus’ warning, relax his guard and endanger his relationship with Jehovah! Such a one could leave himself wide open to fall into “the snare of the Devil . . . caught alive by him for the will of that one.” (2 Tim. 2:26) This is just what happened in the first century to Demas, once a Christian. Of him, the apostle Paul said: “Demas has forsaken me because he loved the present system of things.” (2 Tim. 4:10) Lot’s wife was another who fell into Satan’s trap. She disobediently looked back at Sodom when it was being destroyed and ‘lost her soul.’ For good reason did Jesus say: “Remember the wife of Lot.” (Luke 17:32) Then there was Esau, who gave up his birthright for a temporary material advantage. What poor judgment that was! (Gen. 25:29-34) Another was Achan, who thought more of money and fancy clothes than he did of Jehovah’s purpose. (Josh. 7:1, 20-25) Sadly, all such ones paid heavily for having the spirit of self-indulgence instead of the spirit of self-sacrifice. No, being overreached by self-indulgence is not rare. It has happened to some of God’s servants in the ancient past, and it has happened to some in modern times. It can happen again.

“AS A SNARE”

14. How is the coming world destruction likened to a snare?

¹⁴ When Jesus spoke of Jehovah’s day of destruction coming, he said it would come “as a snare.” (Luke 21:35) A snare closes in on an unsuspecting animal when the animal walks heedlessly in the pathway of danger. So, too, this system’s end will come suddenly, when most people do not expect it. Such people could include some who have started on the “road leading off into life,” but who have allowed themselves to become absorbed in worldly pursuits, and have strayed too far in the wrong direction.​—Matt. 7:14.

15. Is a less-threatening world situation proof that this system’s end must be far away?

¹⁵ Yet, would not a less-threatening world situation, or an outward appearance of prosperity in various places, give some justification for feeling that the end is not close? Actually, it could mean just the opposite. Note Jesus’ words: “For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” That is why Jesus also cautioned: “On this account you too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that you do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.”​—Matt. 24:37-39, 44.

16. What expressions did Paul and Peter make about the suddenness of this system’s end?

¹⁶ The apostle Paul, too, noted the suddenness with which this system would come to its end, unexpected by most people. He said: “For you yourselves know quite well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them.” (1 Thess. 5:2, 3) The apostle Peter also spoke of the fact that “Jehovah’s day will come as a thief,” unexpected by those not spiritually awake. (2 Pet. 3:10) That is why Paul counseled: “Let us not sleep on as the rest do, but let us stay awake and keep our senses.”​—1 Thess. 5:6.

17. Why should we not feel that Jehovah has delayed his day of wrath?

¹⁷ The day of Jehovah’s wrath against wickedness will come exactly as he has scheduled it. It will not be delayed an instant. Therefore, no person who loves Jehovah should ever get into a frame of mind or into a pattern of life that suggests disbelief in Jehovah’s purpose to rid this earth of wickedness and establish a righteous new order. If one were to adopt such a negative attitude, he would be much like those described in 2 Peter 3:3, 4, which says: “In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’”

18. (a) What evidence is there that our day is indeed very different from “creation’s beginning”? (b) Why should our main efforts be directed toward doing Jehovah’s will?

¹⁸ True, the original processes of life have gone on till now. However, in this century, all the evidence of the “last days” is on us in full measure. Most of the greatest calamities in history have been concentrated in this century. And now man has the capability of destroying all life on this earth. Surely, all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy shows that this world is moving relentlessly toward its end. And when that comes, it will mean a period of unparalleled trouble for mankind. Jesus called it “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matt. 24:21) During that period all this world’s political, economic and false religious systems will be demolished. Thus, all the time, effort and expense that went into sustaining those systems will have come to nothing. Surely Christians will not want to direct their main efforts toward those things that will not last. Their main loyalty and sacrifices should be directed to that which is eternal. “The world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”​—1 John 2:17.

19. During the “great tribulation,” what need will there be for sacrifices, and who are more likely to make them?

¹⁹ During the coming “great tribulation” there will undoubtedly be much occasion for Jehovah’s servants to demonstrate the spirit of self-sacrifice. They will need to help fellow Christians in many ways, including sharing with them material necessities. (Heb. 13:16) Because of the great upheavals that will then take place in the political, social and economic systems, God’s servants may even lose some, or all, of their possessions. Hence, those who at this time put Jehovah’s interests first in their lives, and who already have the spirit of self-sacrifice, will likely find it easier to make the sacrifices needed then.

20. Just how serious is the matter of self-sacrifice?

²⁰ We cannot escape the fact that the question, “Are you self-indulgent​—or self-sacrificing?” is a life or death matter when viewed from Jehovah’s standpoint. If we love life, and want to live the perfect life in God’s new order, then we need the spirit of self-sacrifice to serve Jehovah acceptably now.

Cultivating the Spirit of Self-Sacrifice

“I entreat you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.”​—Rom. 12:1.

1. Why is Jehovah worthy of our sacrifices for him?

FOR humans to want to make sacrifices, the object of such sacrifices must be worthy, held in high esteem. In all respects, Jehovah God is certainly worthy of any sacrifices that we make for him. He is the Creator of the awesome, magnificent universe and the source of all living things. He is also the Maker of a new order of righteousness that will remedy all mankind’s problems. Appropriately, the Bible says: “You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11) Because Jehovah is so worthy, we are urged to ‘present our bodies as a living sacrifice’ to him.​—Rom. 12:1.

2. What is included in the word “sacrifice”? (Read Hebrews 13:15, 16.)

² Just what does being a living sacrifice to Jehovah involve? One definition of the word “sacrifice” is “to surrender something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered to have a higher claim.” An additional meaning of “sacrifice” is “the offering of life to a deity.” Since Jehovah does not ask us to be killed literally on some altar, the offering of our lives would be in service to him. When speaking of the coming destruction of this system, the apostle Peter urged that Christians be persons distinguished by “holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion.” (2 Pet. 3:11) So acceptable sacrifice to God involves positive acts, as well as abandoning practices that Jehovah disapproves or that could interfere with our service to him.

3. Does Jehovah approve of all sacrifices involving worship?

³ Does a course of self-sacrifice mean that God is asking people to become fanatics, to do unreasonable things? For instance, some persons crawl long distances on bloodied knees to church shrines, thinking that God is pleased with such sacrifices. Others may deliberately undertake a life of poverty and begging. Some refuse to eat certain foods as part of their worship. But Jehovah does not ask his servants to bring themselves into hardship deliberately. He disapproves of man-made decrees that have “an appearance of wisdom in a self-imposed form of worship and mock humility, a severe treatment of the body.”​—Col. 2:23.

4. What does it mean to sacrifice for Jehovah’s interests today?

⁴ The kind of reasonable self-sacrifice that Jehovah requires is for us to limit our personal desires so that we can serve his cause more fully. That cause centers around God’s incoming government for all the earth, his heavenly kingdom in the hands of Christ. Since that government will soon be earth’s only ruling authority, all who want to live under its righteous administration need to learn its laws, principles and purposes. They also need to promote its interests, ‘preaching this good news of the kingdom’ among mankind today. Thus, sacrificing for Jehovah’s interests means to obey his laws and to put his kingdom first in our lives: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness,” said Jesus.​—Matt. 6:33.

5. Should a course of self-sacrifice be considered too difficult?

⁵ Is a course of self-sacrifice an easy one? No, it is not. But it is Jehovah God and Christ Jesus who invite us to this course. That means that such a course is possible, since the loving Father and his Son, who created humans, know what people can accomplish. Furthermore, since Jehovah and Christ have such great love for humans, we can be certain that they would not ask anything of us that would be damaging to our best interests. Too, when we consider the grand rewards that lie ahead, it can be said with confidence that making sacrifices to serve Jehovah is the only worthwhile course of life today. All else will sooner or later end in disappointment.​—Matt. 19:26; Rom. 9:33; 1 John 4:16.

6, 7. (a) What kind of sacrifices did Noah have to make? (b) Did Noah become discouraged with the passing of time?

⁶ We can be greatly encouraged in our course of self-sacrifice when we examine Bible history and see how other ordinary people successfully pursued such a course, and the blessings they received for doing so. For example, Jehovah asked Noah to sacrifice things so that he could do a work that the world of his day considered foolish. He was instructed to make a huge vessel, an ark. Yet there never had been any pouring rains or floods. Furthermore, Noah was not a shipbuilder, and he had family responsibilities as well.

⁷ Building such a huge ark would require Noah to take time from things that he may have preferred to do. Indeed, had he put that same time and energy into increasing his material wealth, he no doubt could have been more comfortable. Too, he had to sacrifice some of his reputation with neighbors, since his work on the ark opened him up to ridicule. Did he get discouraged or quit because that work took many years while he awaited the end of that system? On the contrary, Noah patiently continued his course of self-sacrifice. This included his being “a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Pet. 2:5) He understood that he did not live in a “normal” world, but one that was “ruined in the sight of the true God and . . . filled with violence,” one that would eventually be destroyed. Thus, the Bible says: “Noah proceeded to do according to all that God had commanded him. He did just so.”​—Gen. 6:11, 22.

8. How did Noah’s obedience affect all of us?

⁸ We should be very happy that Noah refused to be on the side of the self-indulgent ones of his day. Because of his obedience, we are alive today, all of us being descendants of Noah. Those who were self-indulgent lost everything​—homes, possessions, their so-called “normal” way of life. They also lost their very lives and their children’s lives, as “the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water.”​—2 Pet. 3:6.

9. How was Abraham blessed for his willingness to make sacrifices?

⁹ Abraham was another who appreciated the need to make sacrifices for Jehovah. Jehovah instructed him: “Go your way out of your country and from your relatives and from the house of your father to the country that I shall show you.” (Gen. 12:1) Abraham did not hold back because Jehovah was asking him to leave a secure way of life for something so uncertain. He had confidence that whatever Jehovah required of him was right and for his own good. “At that Abram went just as Jehovah had spoken to him.” (Gen. 12:4) True, that meant considerable sacrifices for many years. But Jehovah greatly blessed his willingness to serve: Abraham saw many of Jehovah’s marvelous acts in behalf of himself and his family; he did not lack material necessities; he came to be called “Jehovah’s friend.” (Jas. 2:23) Also, God promised Abraham that an entire nation of people would come from him. Significantly, the Bible says of this: “After Abraham had shown patience, he obtained this promise.” (Heb. 6:15) Further, he was privileged to be an ancestor of Jesus.

10. What contrast in attitude was there in the first century, with what results?

¹⁰ In the first century of our Common Era, many ordinary men and women sacrificed some of their own interests for the sake of Jehovah’s interests. Yes, they worked hard and underwent difficulties, but their contentment was great in knowing that they were doing the right thing and pleasing God. Also, they had the confidence that Jehovah would remember their faith and works in his behalf and would surely give them a fine reward in the future. And what about those who were too self-indulgent, who wanted to preserve their “normal” way of life and who rejected Jesus out of fear that ‘the Romans would come and take away both their place and their nation’? (John 11:48) In that very generation their way of life ended anyhow. Roman armies devastated the land, with enormous loss of life and property. But self-sacrificing Christians heeded Jesus’ teachings, fled the area and preserved their lives, although leaving behind homes and almost all material possessions. They are counted as truly “happy.”​—Luke 21:20-24; 22:28-30; Rev. 20:4-6.

SACRIFICES IN OUR TIME

11. (a) Are Christians today required to give up all possessions? (b) How does sacrificing for Jehovah involve our activity toward others?

¹¹ Is this to say that all servants of God today must give up homes and other material possessions as part of their sacrifices for God? No, that is not the point, although with the examples noted regarding Noah, Abraham, and the first-century Christians, there has been the willingness to do that if necessary. The main thing is one’s willingness to put God’s interests first in his life, making whatever sacrifices might be necessary to do that. It is not so much what a person has or does not have, but where his heart is. Is it toward Jehovah’s interests first, or is it toward personal interests first? And part of Jehovah’s interests includes doing things for other people, as God’s Word says that we should be “keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon just your own matters, but also in personal interest upon those of the others,” and “not to be pleasing [just] ourselves,” but “let each of us please his neighbor in what is good for his upbuilding.”​—Phil. 2:4; Rom. 15:1, 2.

12. Why should we appreciate the self-sacrificing course of others in modern times?

¹² Do we see such a spirit of self-sacrifice in modern times? We certainly do. In fact, the several million persons now enjoying Bible truths and Christian fellowship in association with the more than 40,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the earth are benefiting from the sacrifices made by loyal servants of God earlier in modern times. Back in the late 1800’s and in the first part of the 1900’s many self-sacrificing persons worked hard to teach others Bible truths and to establish the foundation for Jehovah’s modern visible organization, from which we now receive the truth about Jehovah, as well as so many other benefits.

13. What sacrifices are many making to serve Jehovah more fully?

¹³ Right now, throughout the earth, many tens of thousands of devoted men and women are making unusual sacrifices to serve God. Some have literally sacrificed homes and possessions so that they could work full time for Jehovah’s interests in missionary work, in Bethel homes, or as traveling representatives serving congregations. Others are making sacrifices to do special, regular or auxiliary pioneering work so they can more fully teach others about Jehovah’s incoming new order.

14. How does Jehovah view those whose service to him is more restricted by their circumstances?

¹⁴ However, not all who are devoted to Jehovah are free from responsibilities to the extent that they can do such full-time work. Many have to struggle hard in a difficult economic system to make a living for their families, appreciating that if they did not they would be “worse than a person without faith.” (1 Tim. 5:8) Christian parents also have the responsibilities that come with having children. They understand that they must sacrifice some of what they might prefer to do so that they can spend time bringing up their children “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.” (Eph. 6:4) Too, there are some who, because of poor health, advanced age or other limitations, can offer very little in direct service to Jehovah. In this, they are like the needy widow who could offer at God’s temple only “two small coins of very little value.” (Luke 21:1-4) Yet all such persons who do what they can to help others to learn of Jehovah are surely making sacrifices that please him. He loves them for their willingness to endure difficult conditions and yet make some offering of service to him, as their situation permits.​—Jas. 5:11.

EXAMINE YOURSELF

15. What questions are good to ask ourselves?

¹⁵ Do you have the spirit of self-sacrifice? Or, do you tend to be self-indulgent? Are you serving Jehovah as well as your circumstances allow? Why not examine yourself to see if your Christian service to God could be improved?

16. How might we ‘buy out the opportune time’? (Read Romans 10:9, 10.)

¹⁶ For instance, could you devote more of your time to personal Bible reading? If you have a family, do you have regular Bible discussions with them? Could you take more of your spare time to call on people in your neighborhood to tell them about the “good news”? Or, could you devote some time to assist the sick, the elderly, or others by performing Christian acts of kindness and love? Perhaps you could compare the amount of time you spend on, say, recreation, such as watching television, with the time you spend serving Jehovah in one sphere of his activity or another. Is it balanced?​—Eph. 5:15.

17. Why is it important for parents to examine what they ask their children to do?

¹⁷ Are you a parent? Examine your relationship with your children. Appreciate that the best time for your young ones to begin learning a course of self-sacrifice is in childhood. Give your children some useful work around the house. Get them to see that play is not all there is to life, that it involves work, sacrifice. Perhaps in your own childhood you had poor clothing, little recreation or not enough good food. You may feel that you do not want your child to be deprived as you were. But, on the other hand, giving your child everything he wants might cost him his life! It might make him think that life is easy, that things come easy, that doing Jehovah’s will is easy, and so later he might be unwilling to make sacrifices for Jehovah. As you adults already know, life is not easy, things do not come easy, and doing Jehovah’s will is not necessarily easy. So help your children to get a balanced view of life. Teach them that while there is time for recreation, there must also be time for work, for Bible study, for sacrifice. Discipline your sons and daughters in a course of reasonable self-sacrifice. The fruitage of this discipline could well be one of the most valuable things they will inherit from you. (Eph. 6:4; Heb. 12:11) And your own good example will be the best reinforcement of the verbal instructions that you give.

18. If we cannot devote more of our time to serve Jehovah, what improvements can we still make?

¹⁸ Whether you are married or single, it may be that an honest self-analysis will show that you are spending as much time as you reasonably can in serving Kingdom interests. Is there still something else that you can do? Yes, there is. You can work to make yourself a better Christian, learning to display in fuller measure the fruitage of God’s spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.” (Gal. 5:22, 23) Furthermore, you can work to improve the quality of your service to God.

19. Why should we want to cultivate the spirit of self-sacrifice? (Read Hebrews 6:11; 1 Corinthians 15:58.)

¹⁹ In the future, in God’s new order, how satisfying it will be for you to look back and know that when it really counted in this time of urgency, you put your ‘shoulder to the wheel,’ made the necessary sacrifices, and did your part in serving Jehovah. Yes, be willing to set aside personal interests for Jehovah’s interests, keeping in view the thrilling rewards ahead. Cultivate the spirit of the psalmist when he said: “In willingness I will sacrifice to you. I shall laud your name, O Jehovah, for it is good.”​—Ps. 54:6.