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Conquering the Evil with the Good in Modern TimesThe Watchtower—1969 | September 15
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25:21, 22. The 1967 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses presented this good illustration:
“By showing hospitality Jehovah’s witnesses sometimes have the opportunity of helping persons to come to a knowledge of the truth. (Heb. 13:2) The following example is proof of this: Returning to her home after conducting a home Bible study, a sister met the mother of a young woman with whom she conducted a study. Seeing that this woman was pale and trembling, and thinking that she was ill, the sister invited her into her home and showed her as much kindness as possible, even though this woman was opposed to the truth.
“Suddenly this lady burst into tears and said to the sister: ‘Why do you treat me like this? . . . If only you knew . . . ’ The sister replied that as one of Jehovah’s witnesses she was trying to show love to her neighbor, and believing her to be sick, she was trying to give her some care. Then this woman cried out: ‘I am not sick. I came here to kill you because you have stolen the love of my daughter who prefers God.’ The sister explained to this woman that the Bible exhorts children to honor their parents and, rather than separate mother and daughter, the Bible only draws them nearer to each other. After a moment of reflection, the woman replied: ‘You deprive me of my daughter’s presence one afternoon each week, because you go to see her.’ The sister then suggested that this lady attend the study, made an appointment for the following week and then took her home.
“The sister had some trouble at the beginning, but she did get some results. This woman is now a Witness and so is her husband. Being elderly, this sister cannot move around as she would like, but she makes herself useful taking care of her daughter’s children, thus allowing her daughter often to take up the vacation pioneer service. And what is more, her love of the truth has enabled her to help one of her neighbors who has also become a Kingdom publisher.”
18 Had the sister failed to do good even though the woman in the case was opposed to the truth she would not have been in harmony with the counsel of Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. But by her not returning evil, but showing love to even an enemy, she was blessed with good results. There are good reasons why Jehovah wants us to prove that we are his children by loving our enemies.
19. How do we show that we have not been conquered by the evil of these “last days”?
19 Surrounded though Christians may be with all sorts of evil in these closing days of Satan’s rule over this system of things, let us keep conquering the evil with the good. Let us not be sidetracked by evil from doing our assigned benevolent work as Christians, telling about the good news of God’s kingdom. Think about Paul’s words: “Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.” According to this, the only way one would be conquered by the evil is if one lets oneself be so conquered. So it is something that we can control with the help of Jehovah, and we should continue praying for his help. Therefore, do not be conquered by evil. Return evil for evil to no one.—Rom. 12:17-21.
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Who Is Really Poor?The Watchtower—1969 | September 15
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Who Is Really Poor?
◆ That materialism had not warped the thinking of the early post-apostolic Christians can be seen from what one of them wrote: “That many of us are called poor, this is not our disgrace, but our glory; for as our mind is relaxed [weakened] by luxury, so it is strengthened by frugality. Yet who can be poor if he does not want, if he does not crave for the possessions of others, if he is rich towards God? He rather is poor, who, although he has much, desires more.”—The Octavius of Minucius Felix, chap. 36, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 4, p. 195.
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