How Much Do You Care?
DO YOU really care about life? Are you concerned about living with your family and neighbors in peace, free from fear? Do you appreciate what a blessing good health can be? Do you enjoy the natural beauties to be found on this earth, its bird and animal life?
Your caring about these things indicates Godlike qualities. For God made man “in his image,” and His Word shows that He himself highly values life, peace and freedom. He created man to recognize and appreciate beauty, even as He does.—Gen. 1:27; Eccl. 3:11.
The question is: How much do you care? And how can you show the genuineness of your concern?
Some today criticize God for a lack of care toward mankind. Yet they themselves treat life as if it were cheap. Knowingly, they misuse and, in effect, slowly poison their own bodies, as with tobacco or other drugs; they invite sickness by indulging in excesses in food, drink, sex; they take unnecessary risks for thrills or because of a love of speed or just out of impatience; and at the same time they place the life or health of others in jeopardy.
Doubtless, for many this is simply because they have no real hope, no real goal in life to make it genuinely worth living. They say with the ancient Greeks of Corinth, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.”—1 Cor. 15:32.
But if we really care about life and appreciate it, we will be willing to investigate the hope of life that the Bible sets before us. We will not say we are “too busy” or have no time for making the effort needed to find out what that Word really contains. We will recognize, too, the “danger” signs now visible over all the earth and that are fulfilling Bible prophecies that point to our generation as the one in which an old order of suffering and corruption will end and be replaced by a righteous new order. (Matt. 24:3, 7, 8, 21, 22, 34; Luke 21:25-33) We will not take lightly Jesus’ counsel found at Luke 21:34-36:
“But 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.”
Sincere Concern for Others
How much do you care about other people? How keenly do you feel their sufferings and regret the oppression or injustices they endure?
Some blame God for being cold-hearted and unconcerned about the sufferings of people, and yet their own daily lives often show them to be self-centered or concerned about only their own families or their own race. In their businesses or employment they may follow the world in general in a “dog-eat-dog” way of dealing, using “sharp” practices at the expense of others, misrepresenting, falsifying. Many are nationalistic or highly prejudiced toward people of a different skin color or language. All of this is totally contrary to the personality and ways of God, as shown in his Word, the Bible.
One may say, “What does it really matter how much I care? What can I do about it?” True, you cannot feed and clothe the hungry and poor of the world, you cannot abolish crime, end sickness, stop pollution or bring enduring world peace.
But you can show that you are not in harmony with the selfish view of life that is responsible for so much human suffering and show that you recognize the failure of human rule independent of God. You can put yourself firmly on the side of God, who is fully able to remedy all these things and who promises that he will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth,” doing so for his own name’s sake and for the benefit of all righteous-hearted persons. Then, indeed, the meek or mild-tempered ones will “inherit the earth” and be able to enjoy it free from oppression.—Rev. 11:18; Matt. 5:5.
God has already demonstrated on a small scale his ability to bring health and life to the ailing people of mankind. He showed this through his Son Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who healed people of all kinds of diseases and even raised persons from the dead.—Matt. 8:13; Luke 6:18; John 11:38-44.
Of God’s Son, the Bible says, “On seeing the crowds he felt pity for them, because they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:36) What did he do on their behalf? The parallel account at Mark 6:34 says: “And he started to teach them many things.” He taught them about the Kingdom, the government that God will use to accomplish his will on earth; he built up their faith and confidence in God’s care for them. (Matt. 6:9, 10, 25-33) We today can help others in similar ways. There is no greater or more enduring source of comfort.
By getting better acquainted with the Bible you can equip yourself to care for the most vital needs of your family. Applying its principles can contribute measurably to the family’s peace and happiness, protect it from being steadily torn apart by the divisive influences that are on the increase today. These same principles can help you to live more peaceably with your neighbors, even in these unsettled times. (Heb. 12:14) Knowing why conditions are as they are and knowing what the future holds can give you the patience, long-suffering and forbearance that make for peaceful, pleasant relations with others.
Most importantly, a knowledge of God’s purpose toward this earth and mankind on it can enable you to develop a genuine love for God. Coming to appreciate his qualities, you can develop the faith, not only that he is, but “that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Heb. 11:6) You can then put yourself in position to be among those who really take hold of the provision that God spoke of to Abraham, saying: “By means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves.” (Gen. 22:18) The receiving of that blessing is up to you.
Jehovah’s witnesses place themselves at your service to aid you in finding the answers to your questions as to the contents of God’s Word the Bible. They will gladly and freely give of their time to assist you to learn of God’s provisions for life in his new order of peace and life. Rather than follow an independent course or rely on the wisdom of imperfect human leaders of this world, follow the counsel of the inspired apostle when he urges: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, . . . while you throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.”—1 Pet. 5:6, 7.
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Some persons slowly poison their own bodies with tobacco or other drugs; some take unnecessary risks. Though they themselves show a lack of care for the preciousness of human life, they criticize God
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How many persons who complain about a lack of care by God have sincere concern for others? Many of them practice dishonesty and show a self-centered attitude
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The promise of Gods righteous new order enables us to find joy in living now and gives a grand hope for the future