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Consideration for Older Persons and Afflicted OnesThe Watchtower—1962 | July 15
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to the sister’s bedside like worker bees, taking over the housecleaning, shopping and other duties. Exclaimed the grateful convalescent: “I didn’t know so many of my brothers loved me! I will never be able to do enough for Jehovah!” Consider the case of a Christian widow and her two daughters. Shortly after this family moved, the mother died. Who would look after the orphans? The overseer in their new congregation appreciated that these teen-agers needed the benefit of a Christian home and arranged to make them part of his household. In yet another instance, when an elderly faithful woman fell into dire circumstances, a family of newly dedicated Witnesses took the afflicted one into their home, where she has been lovingly cared for over a long period of time. These examples prove that James’ words are still being applied: “The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation.”—Jas. 1:27.
When you show consideration to one of the least of Jesus’ brothers, he counts it as done to himself. Such consideration will be found among the Lord’s “other sheep” who are in line for the blessing of endless life in God’s new world. (Matt. 25:31-46) Even now blessings come to considerate ones, who find the proverb true: “Happy is he who is showing favor to the afflicted ones.” Besides enjoying the superior happiness of giving, you will find that a visit with an older person or afflicted Christian often provides a mutual exchange of encouragement. By observing the integrity of the one in difficulty the visitor gains a valuable lesson in endurance. Elderly Christians are often rich in interesting experiences and eyewitness accounts of outstanding events in the modern history of Jehovah’s congregation. Consideration shown to afflicted ones causes them to remember you in their prayers to Jehovah. These are some of the blessings that are yours when you show kindness to those faithful ones who may be ‘poor respecting the world but rich in faith.’—Jas. 2:5.
In these critical times Jehovah is examining our hearts to see if we have enough love of God and neighbor to qualify for life in his paradise new world. Under this searching inspection may each one of us be able to repeat the statement of faithful Job: “I would rescue the afflicted one crying for help, and the fatherless boy and anyone that had no helper. The blessing of the one about to perish—upon me it would come, and the heart of the widow I would make glad. Eyes I became to the blind one; and feet to the lame one I was. I was a real father to the poor ones.”—Job 29:12, 13, 15, 16.
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“Not a Lover of Money”The Watchtower—1962 | July 15
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“Not a Lover of Money”
✔ One of Jehovah’s witnesses tells how he was attracted to the truth by the attitude shown by the Witnesses who visited the place where he worked: “In the barbershop where I work, Jehovah’s witnesses always called and offered me the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. I always refused, as I was a fervent Catholic and Spiritualist. One day, however, one of my customers took the magazines, giving a certain amount and refusing the change. The Witness replied that he could not keep the change, and this awakened my curiosity.”
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