and that Jehovah would provide for those serving him. (Luke 9:58; 10:4, 7) These men were among the most outstandingly successful of their time. They recognized the fleeting value of material possessions, and so chose the course leading to spiritual riches and favor with God.

20. What modern-day examples of men of faith do we have?

²⁰ What worked for these men will work for us today. Ask anyone in the full-time ministry as a missionary, circuit servant or district servant, Does Jehovah provide what you need? What will the answer be? Of course, he does! Ask them, Which are the most rewarding and enjoyable years of your life? and they will tell you, The years devoted to the full-time ministry. Throughout the world there are almost 30,000 persons active in the full-time ministry, men and women who are putting trust in their Creator to supply the food and shelter they need day by day and who receive great happiness because of putting Kingdom interests first in their lives. Such full-time workers may be without much material wealth, but they have a security that only Jehovah can give, real life insurance.

THE GREATER RICHES

21. What questions should each one consider?

²¹ Is such a course possible for you? It may be that you have family obligations that hold you back. If so, do you encourage your family to value spiritual riches? Do you encourage the children to consider the full-time pioneer service? Do you set aside time for regular Bible study and for attending meetings to build up spiritual knowledge? Those putting Kingdom interests first will never be disappointed. Recently one of Jehovah’s witnesses in the full-time ministry was invited to attend the Kingdom Ministry School for a month of special instruction in congregational oversight. He lived several thousand miles away and had to provide for his family, including two children. The time came for him to leave, but careful figuring showed he was just a little short of funds to make the trip and be sure the family had sufficient during his absence. Just then a person with whom he had been studying came by the home and left $20 to help with expenses—just what he needed. Money cannot buy friends like this, but those who share spiritual riches with others can often recount such blessings.—1 Cor. 9:14.

22. What is of greater value than silver and gold? Why?

²² The great value of spiritual riches is well described at Proverbs 3:13-18: “Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold itself. It is more precious than corals, and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. Length of days is in its right hand; in its left hand there are riches and glory. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace. It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy.”

23. What good counsel does Paul give us?

²³ If you want to be among the happy ones on the roadway of pleasantness and peace with the prospect of everlasting life, then keep a good balance between material and spiritual needs for yourself and your family. Remember Paul’s warning to Timothy against the love of money: “Flee from these things. But pursue righteousness, godly devotion, faith, love, endurance, mildness of temper. Fight the fine fight of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called . . . Give orders to those who are rich in the present system of things not to be high-minded, and to rest their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment; to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share, safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, in order that they may get a firm hold on the real life.” This is good counsel, for certainly money cannot buy God’s favor and the blessing of eternal life.—1 Tim. 6:11, 12, 17-19.

24. What warning does Ezekiel give?

²⁴ Do not be deceived by the seeming advantages of wealth for the present, for the time is not far off when the prophecy of Ezekiel 7:19, 27 will be fulfilled: “Into the streets they will throw their very silver, and an abhorrent thing their own gold will become. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury. . . . and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.” No, money cannot buy God’s protection at the coming catastrophe of Armageddon.

25. How can we heap up treasures in heaven?

²⁵ Let us show we put spiritual riches first by our words and by our actions, enjoying to the full, the many provisions that Jehovah has made, the meetings, the service and the good brotherly association. If we do these things, heaping up for ourselves “treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal,” we will be able to enjoy those things of greatest value, the prospects of lasting life in health in the new world, peace and service with our brothers, and the favor of Jehovah. Make the Kingdom interests first in your life, not the temporary wealth of the old world which is soon to pass away. Find the true spiritual riches based on accurate Bible knowledge that can transform your life and give purpose to it. Do not be moved by love of money, but by love of Jehovah our Creator. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”—Matt. 6:19-21.

Appreciating Spiritual Treasures

IT MIGHT well be said that those who truly are conscious of their spiritual need appreciate the value of spiritual treasures. Among those who do appreciate spiritual treasures are the following:

● Not many persons would put the obtaining of a Bible and Bible literature ahead of their obtaining a pair of shoes, but that is what a certain German woman in Paraguay did. Feeling her need for Bible knowledge, she came into town in search of someone to teach her the Bible. Her sister, worried because of her restlessness, directed her to a neighbor who was one of Jehovah’s witnesses.

Impressed by what she heard, she began studying the Bible with this neighbor of her sister and attending the meetings of the Witnesses, walking one and a half miles to town for these. Hearing the Witnesses call one another “Brother,” she asked how she could become part of this family. The field ministry was explained to her, and within ten days of her first hearing of the Witnesses she accompanied one of them in the field ministry. She stopped smoking and became so zealous that in the first three months she devoted 97 hours to the ministry, placing 180 Bible magazines and obtaining eighteen subscriptions. In spite of her poverty she budgeted what little funds she had: First she got a Bible, then a subscription for The Watchtower, and after that she got a pair of shoes. No question about her appreciating spiritual treasures.

● In Surinam a person of goodwill toward God has many obstacles to overcome in order to attend the congregational meetings of the Witnesses. He must walk more than an hour through a heavy forest where poisonous snakes abound, and during the rainy season he literally has to swim his way through the swamp. How does he manage? He leaves a set of dry clothes at the house of a friend, and before and after the congregational meetings he changes his clothes. Truly he also appreciates spiritual treasures!