Help Students to Share “Healthful Words”
1 The apostle Paul wrote words containing wise and beneficial counsel for the blessing of God’s people in the first century. These are part of the inspired Word of God, and they greatly benefit the Christian congregation today. Paul knew that what he wrote had the direction of God’s holy spirit and would be helpful to those reading and applying the counsel. To Timothy, he said: “Keep holding the pattern of healthful words that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in connection with Christ Jesus.”—2 Tim. 1:13.
2 How was Timothy able to do that? For one thing he was advised by Paul: “You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14) Paul and others nurtured young Timothy in the way of the truth. He grew up to become a fine minister of the good news, a close companion of Paul, one that could be relied upon to assist others also to “keep holding the pattern of healthful words.” Do you think Timothy would have been the outstanding Christian man he proved to be if he had not listened, learned, and then practiced such things that make up the Christian personality? Hardly! So what does that tell us today about our responsibility to teach healthful words to others?
3 We should make every effort to sound down the truth into the hearts of Bible students. If we accomplish that, their motivation for doing Jehovah’s will can be based on the right desire, to please Jehovah and to make known to others the wonderful promises of his Word. To sound down the truth into the hearts of others demands that we ourselves be firmly grounded in the truth. Are we? The fine example we set by our conduct is an evidence of our firm foundation. (1 Tim. 4:12) If our language is pure and our attitude toward our brothers is exemplary, we reflect the new personality and give further evidence that the truth is in our hearts. (Eph. 4:29, 31, 32) Having put on such new personality, we are able to recommend the Christian way of life to others.
DIRECT INTEREST TO THE ORGANIZATION
4 Do you have a program of assistance for your Bible students? Once you have started a Bible study do you direct the interested ones to the organization on a regular basis? There are a number of ways to do this. You can inform them of the meetings at the Kingdom Hall and explain their purpose. Progressively you can outline the reasons for such meetings—the Public Meeting one week, the Watchtower Study another, and so on—whetting their appetite for further Bible knowledge. As time passes you can emphasize that we do not want to be content with just learning the good news ourselves, but we want to share it with others. Encourage Bible students to talk to their neighbors, relatives, friends, and others. Prepare them for the day when they too will engage in the house-to-house ministry. Show that coming to know the truth is only the beginning. Others need to hear this good news of the Kingdom too.—Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20.
5 From now on, it would be appropriate to invite Bible students and interested ones to the Memorial celebration. Just think, last year the Memorial attendance in this country alone came to 1,611,310! That gives evidence that many are responding to the invitation to come and drink the water of life.—Rev. 22:17.
6 Of course, what is said about helping Bible students applies with equal force to helping our children. We want to build up in them a heartfelt appreciation for Jehovah, his Word, and his organization so that they too will “keep holding the pattern of healthful words.”
7 Although February is a short month, and may bring inclement weather in some places, good work can be done even as in past years. Recognizing our responsibilities and trusting in Jehovah, we can be sure his blessing will be with our efforts. In February we continue offering the Watchtower subscription for a contribution of $4.00. The Watchtower contains healthful words leading us to the Bible for direction, and we can rest assured that others of honest heart will hear and will want to join us in the all-important Kingdom work.