Kingdom Proclaimers Report
Gathering the Lord’s “Other Sheep” in Australia
“I WILL rock all the nations, and the desirable things of all the nations must come in,” wrote the prophet Haggai over 2,500 years ago. (Haggai 2:7) Today, such desirable ones have truly been flocking to Jehovah’s house of worship. Sometimes, though, they may not at first appear so desirable outwardly, as shown by this experience from Australia:
◻ A brother traveling in his car to the meeting one Sunday did something he had never done before: He stopped to pick up a hitchhiker. The brother did not know why he did it, as the young man had long, unkempt hair and a beard, was shabbily dressed, and did not even thumb a ride. The brother just suddenly had a feeling he should stop and pick him up. When the young man got into the car, he said: “You’re going to church, aren’t you?” Surprised, the brother replied: “Well, yes, I’m going to the Kingdom Hall.” “I’m coming with you,” said the young man.
Because of his appearance, the brother tried to talk him out of it. But the young man insisted on going and told this story: He had left home at 16 years of age and had since become heavily involved in drugs and immorality. He had been living under a sheet of plastic behind the sand dunes near the beach. While there, he began to think seriously about the meaning of life. He did not like what he had become, so he prayed to God for help. He said that he told God he would go out on the road and prayed that He would direct someone to pick him up and take him to the right church. Cars seldom travel along this lonely road. Only three came by in several hours, and none stopped for him. He was about to give up when our brother came by and picked him up.
He attended all the meetings that week and began to clean himself up. He even removed the cross he had been wearing around his neck. He decided to return to his home in Tasmania, where he spent a month reading the Bible and praying. Realizing that he needed personal help to progress further, he went to the Australian branch office of the Watch Tower Society. Some pioneers were sent to study with him, and he made rapid progress. The truth from the Bible gave meaning to his life and a hope for the future. (Proverbs 10:28) Within seven months he was baptized and auxiliary pioneering, and he now serves as a regular pioneer in Sydney.
◻ We can “adorn the teaching of our Savior, God,” by adhering to Bible principles in our conduct. (Titus 2:10) This was illustrated in the case of a brother employed at a firm where an industrial dispute erupted over the exporting of sheep and cattle. Each worker was asked to contribute one dollar to help in protesting the dispute. When the brother refused, the union official threatened him with the loss of his job. The brother explained that, conscientiously, he could not support the disturbance being organized. The union official gave him an hour to think it over.
The brother now became the object of ridicule by his fellow workers. He explained to them that it was not a question of the dollar, but that since some of those involved in the dispute had guns and clubs with them, he would become bloodguilty if he supported them and someone was hurt or killed. One worker said he had never heard that point of view before and wanted to know more. In time, the brother was able to start a Bible study with the worker, and in spite of opposition from his wife, this man soon began to attend meetings. Today he is one of our dedicated brothers. As for the union official, he never came back to question the brother.
Truly, those who love God and righteousness will, in one way or another, be exposed to the truth and will recognize it. Jesus said: “I have other sheep . . . I must bring, and they will listen to my voice.” (John 10:16) More than 42,000 of these “other sheep” in Australia have already listened to the voice of the Fine Shepherd, and every day more are being gathered to the right side of Jesus’ favor.—Matthew 25:31-34.
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We can “adorn the teaching of our Savior, God,” by our good conduct