Letting Your Light Shine to Fellow Employees
JESUS CHRIST showed that true Christians as a group are “the light of the world.” As such they individually do what Jesus said they should: “Let your light shine before men.” (Matt. 5:14, 16) Many are the opportunities for doing this, yes, even among one’s fellow employees. At the Vancouver United Worshipers District Assembly in 1961 one of Jehovah’s witnesses related the following experience:
● “Some time ago I was working in a tool and die shop along with some 1,200 others. I was looking for opportunity to witness. During lunch period I overheard the conversation between two men who were discussing religion, especially the pros and cons of a certain religion. They were puzzled as to whether they should accept its main teaching. I asked if I might join them in the discussion. They agreed. Looking for an illustration to put my point across, I noticed the precision instruments for making accurate measurements on the table and asked, ‘Why don’t you measure this religion for accuracy, and see if it is genuine?’ ‘Measure it with what?’ was their answer. ‘With the Bible. It is a measuring rod, just as those instruments are that you see before you.’ One of the men had a strong desire for God’s truth and wanted to measure religion by the Bible. He began to attend all meetings, went in the field ministry regularly and witnessed to his family. The family is now an active part of Jehovah’s organization, and he is an appointed servant in it.”
● One’s conduct is also part of the Christian’s light-bearing work. A certain man living in New York city had not heard of Jehovah’s witnesses; then he moved to Texas, where he worked with a group of carpenters who were all Jehovah’s witnesses. He was much impressed by their good conduct. Since he was concerned about learning to be a builder, one of the Witnesses asked him: “Why don’t you learn to live forever, so you can build forever.” He liked the witness he received concerning God’s kingdom and the hope for everlasting life, and he went home and related it all to his wife. In time a home Bible study was started with this man and his wife. Both of them were baptized at the recent Houston United Worshipers District Assembly.
● At the Copenhagen district assembly one of Jehovah’s witnesses related how she learned God’s truth at her place of work: “We were some girls of the same age who would often talk about the problems and politics of the world. At that time I believed that the UN was the world’s only sure hope for peace. But one of the girls told me that she was looking forward to a completely new world of God’s making, a world where people would live in peace forever. It sounded strange to me; nevertheless, I considered the things she told me. From time to time I asked her questions about her hope, to which she gave me logical and plain answers. One day this Witness handed me the booklet Basis for Belief in a New World, encouraging me to study it. I did. After that, a home Bible study was started with me; and today at this assembly I was baptized.”
● At the Paris assembly the conventioners also learned of the good results of letting one’s light shine to fellow employees:
“In 1959 I was a waiter in a café. One day a friend of mine was asked to replace a colleague in the establishment where I worked. This man whom I had known very well began to speak to me about God and his purpose to establish a new world. This upset me, because never had I known this friend to speak of such things. Later this friend, along with his wife, came to my home and we discussed Christendom’s religious doctrines. I accepted a book, a Bible-study aid. Later this friend returned again, this time with another waiter who was also a Witness. We had a discussion about the importance of considering the Bible in a systematic way.
“Later a series of unforeseen circumstances brought my friend regularly to work beside me as a waiter. We often discussed God’s truth, and what surprised me particularly was the way he would hurry to finish his work so he could attend meetings or go out in the preaching work. This greatly impressed me, as in the past he had been mainly interested in pleasure. Then a religious sect announced the end of the world for July 14, 1960. Being perplexed, I sought out my Witness friend. He satisfied me with explanations from the Bible, and I felt a keen desire to learn more. I attended a public talk and agreed to have a home Bible study. My interest grew rapidly, and my family and I attended meetings. Taking advantage of this marvelous national assembly, my wife and I symbolized our dedication to God by water baptism.”