also confess union with him before the angels of God.”—Luke 12:8.

17. Despite difficulties, of what can one who is dedicated to Jehovah be sure?

¹⁷ What a cause for joy to have the Son’s favor! So, one who enters into a dedicated relationship with Jehovah and who accepts Jesus as his Mediator automatically receives responsibilities; one also receives many blessings and much joy. Such one recognizes that Jehovah is his strength and source of help, the One who saves and shepherds his people. (Ps. 28:7-9) He finds that, far from being a burden, the service he performs to Jehovah brings him much happiness and is a source of refreshment to him. (1 John 5:3) Even though one may be under much pressure from family or friends, or though circumstances are difficult for the time, the one who continues to find a place for Kingdom interests in his life, making first place for Jehovah and his service, will find the way smoothed for him. This was true for the returning captives of Zion, and it is true for spiritual Israelites today. As Psalm 126:5, 6 declares: “Those sowing seed with tears will reap even with a joyful cry. The one that without fail goes forth, even weeping, carrying along a bagful of seed, will without fail come in with a joyful cry, carrying along his sheaves.”

18. What should an unbaptized person do, and with what goal in view?

¹⁸ What a privilege it is to know the truth and have some share in advancing the Kingdom interests in these “last days.” For those of you contemplating baptism, now is the time to prepare for it by careful study, by bringing your life into conformity with Jehovah’s righteous requirements, and by prayer to Jehovah for his guidance. Then do not hold back, but, like Jesus, move ahead into greater service and receive Jehovah’s approval. And for those who have taken this step, let each one live up to the responsibilities that come with dedication to Jehovah, knowing that “loving-kindness belongs to you, O Jehovah, for you yourself pay back to each one according to his work.” (Ps. 62:12) Show to all that you have moved over from the old system to the new, that you have learned and can now teach the pure language of truth under the direction of Christ the King because you willingly accept the responsibilities of a baptized Witness.—Luke 9:59-62.

A Magazine Found in the Street

One day, in Mexico, a lady picked up a copy of The Watchtower that she found lying in the street. She began reading it, and what she read aroused her interest so much that she was moved to go to an Evangelical Temple to ask if this was the place where The Watchtower was distributed. They told her that it was not, but they mentioned that they thought it was distributed on a certain street. For two days this interested lady hunted up and down this street, asking everyone she met.

Locating the meeting place of Jehovah’s witnesses, she waited on Sunday from 11 a.m. till the meeting time came. When the meeting began she was in the audience, enjoying very much the method of Bible study carried on. Arrangements were made for her to be given personal instruction by means of a Bible study. Soon what she was learning began to move her to make changes. After learning that Jehovah God is invisible and that making images of him is really impossible, she removed the images from her home. She regularly came to the meetings prepared to participate by commenting in the Watchtower study. She legalized her marriage and stirred up her husband’s interest in God’s purposes. She told her relatives about God’s truth, and some of them came to the meetings. All this because a lover of God’s truth picked up The Watchtower lying in the street.