Practical Guidance That Works
MANY honest-hearted people today recognize that they need help in dealing with their problems. A prominent Florida medical doctor who also is a psychiatrist said: “A high percentage of people are suffering from emotional disturbance as a result of the modern life-style. They think they can deal with drugs, sexual promiscuity, pressures from living beyond their means, changing moral values and the breakdown in family life. But they can’t handle it.” Where, then, can people find the guidance that they so much need?
Noting the practicality of the Bible, statesman Bernard Baruch once observed: “The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are still our best guides.” Why did he say that? Let us consider briefly some principles stated in the famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus there said of man’s needs: “Never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to put on?’ . . . For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. . . . So, never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Sufficient for each day is its own badness.” Later, he noted: “Even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.”—Matt. 6:31-34; Luke 12:15.
Here is stressed man’s normal concern for the need of food, clothing and shelter. However, the materialistic world often emphasizes, not the needs, but the wants of man. Commercialism keeps whipping up the desire for luxuries, so that a person can never be satisfied with what he has. Contentment, therefore, does not come to those whose means are great, but to those whose desires are few. Mankind should put in proper perspective what their needs really are and appreciate the practical guidance required to achieve them.
Bible Guidance Practical Today
Although the Bible was written centuries ago, its guidance is still practical today. Time has changed many things, but human nature has not changed. Humans continue to be confronted with the same problems as their predecessors, except that today these problems are much greater, more far-reaching. As The World Book Encyclopedia notes: “In spite of his scientific and technological progress, man has not been so successful in dealing with human problems.” The only reliable solution to them is found in the Bible. “Who is wise? He will both observe these things and show himself attentive toward Jehovah’s acts of loving-kindness.”—Ps. 107:43.
A Simplified Life a Desirable Thing
Simplicity of life is what God recommends. “He has told you, O earthling man, what is good. And what is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God?” (Mic. 6:8) When a person lives as a human should, as he was created to live, in accordance with these practical guidelines, he can be relatively happy even in this wicked system. When he goes beyond these fundamental recommendations, his life-style may become complicated by many really unessential and unimportant things. These will work to his harm.
Heavy debts, desire for unnecessary things, competition for prestige or position, struggling for social status, trying to live by moral standards that violate the conscience—all these things are contributing to a “mixed-up” society that is suffering from unhappiness, frustration, strife and even suicide. Many people are seeking help from doctors or psychiatrists and are resorting to drugs to relieve tension and to counsel that many times makes the situation worse.
If there were no other proofs of its authenticity and practicality available, the Bible’s righteous principles and moral standards would alone set it apart as a product of the divine mind. Its practicality extends to every phase of daily living. No other book gives us such a rational view of the origin of all things, particularly the origin of mankind, and of the Creator’s purpose toward earth and man. Note how its counsel, if applied, would be effective.
Today, there are great difficulties because of racism and nationalism. The Bible supports no such ideologies, but clearly states that God “made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth.” (Acts 17:26) Recognition of this fact would eliminate many serious problems.
Morality
The Bible refers to sexual relations without the benefit of marriage as “fornication.” The practical guidance is to “flee from fornication,” for “no fornicator . . . has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God.” (1 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 5:5) Also the Bible says that none who “are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion . . . will possess the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9, 10, New English Bible) And how much unhappiness, hatred and disease could be eliminated by heeding this Bible advice!—Rom. 1:24-27.
Marriage and Family Life
On counsel relating to marriage, God’s Word recommends: “Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord.” “Husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies.” “Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous.”—Eph. 5:22, 28; 6:1.
The importance of the united family cannot be overstressed. The Bible devotes much space to counsel on the aspects of husband-wife relations, child training and discipline and family happiness. How practical is such counsel? Dr. Charles W. Socarides, writing in an article “Homosexuality Is a Disorder, Not a Way of Life,” refers to a book written by Dr. Irving Bieber entitled “Homosexuality: A Psychoanalytic Study of Male Homosexuals.” In a report on 106 male homosexuals and 100 male heterosexuals, it was observed that parents of homosexuals frequently were a close-binding, overly intimate mother and a hostile, detached father.
Dr. Socarides goes on to say: “It is my conviction that homosexuality is caused by the failure of a human being to complete the separation-individuation phase of early childhood, normally achieved by age three, which is decisive for gender identity. Such failure results in a deficit in masculinity for boys, with a corresponding intensification and continuation of the primary feminine identification with the mother. Thus begins the course of homosexual development.”
Homosexuality is only one of the many bad fruits partially resulting from refusal to recognize the proper places of husband and wife, father and mother, and children in the family unit. How can there be proper child guidance where family unity, trust, confidence and happiness have disappeared? Broken homes, or homes where there is no communication or loving relationship, where order and discipline are lacking, are a factor producing all forms of crime. Can anyone truly say that the ignoring of Bible instructions on family life has produced good results?
Bad Associations
Though in many cases bad tendencies find their beginning in the family background, there are, of course, other factors that cause the spread of moral perversions. Reading pornographic literature is a form of mental association with the authors of these publications. Also actual association with others of low morals draws those not initially inclined in that direction, bringing them into the low sink of debauchery. (1 Pet. 4:4) The Bible counsels to think on good things and warns that “bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Cor. 15:33; Phil. 4:8) We cannot avoid bad practices if we make our “friends” those who engage in bad practices and dealings. In very straightforward terms the Bible says: “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” (Prov. 13:20) Is this not good, sound, practical advice?
Business Dealings
The Bible gives counsel even in the field of business dealings. It states the principle: “Two sorts of weights and two sorts of ephah measures [one for buying and one for selling]—they are both of them together something detestable to Jehovah,” and, “Do not rob the lowly one because he is lowly.” (Prov. 20:10; 22:22) Furthermore, it condemns the attitude of those who, because they do not want to work, adopt the slogan, “Soak the rich.” The Bible principle is that impartiality should be practiced toward rich and poor alike: “You must not treat the lowly with partiality, and you must not prefer the person of a great one.”—Lev. 19:15.
The practical instruction of the entire Bible on human relations can be summed up in Jesus’ words: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.” (Matt. 7:12) If this principle were followed, think what it would mean to the world! How much happier all would be!
Guidance Essential for Happiness
It is obvious that the Bible’s counsel has not been applied by the majority of people, though many possess Bibles and some read them. Merely this, or even having a religion, is not sufficient. Bible principles must be applied if a person wants happiness. And, though some may be skeptical, the Bible’s counsel can be applied successfully despite the fact that we are living in a corrupt system of things. By doing so now, a person can be assured of improvement in the quality of his life, as the Scriptures say: “Godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8) This is not mere theory, but fact, as abundant proof in the lives of people thoroughly and also convincingly demonstrates.
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Honesty in business dealings makes happy customers