They Listened to the Family’s Founder
ALTHOUGH happiness in the family is something that many persons desire, family problems are increasing everywhere. However, man’s Creator, the founder of the family, has provided the necessary direction for achieving happy family life. Following this direction, many persons have found satisfaction in life. A housewife in Japan relates her experience in regaining real unity with her husband:
“Even in the remote place where I live, Jehovah’s Witnesses called. They talked to me about child training and a study was arranged with my child. I thought that the child might behave better by studying the Bible. The conductor came regularly to our distant home. A close friendship developed, and my child looked forward to the studies each week.
“It was during one of these times that the Witness opened the book ‘Good News—to Make You Happy,’ while explaining: ‘The secret of how to become a good wife is written here.’ Those words ‘good wife’ caught me. The next week I, too, sat in on the Bible study and started to participate. On the first study I heard the Bible’s words at Proverbs 27:15: ‘A leaking roof that drives one away in the day of a steady rain and a contentious wife are comparable.’ When I heard what the Bible says about headship, I realized that it was my own headship that I upheld more than my husband’s. I felt a pain in my heart.
“By this time my husband and I were drifting apart. The source of the problem was with me. A few years earlier I had gotten the idea to repair our store, but my husband was opposed to the idea. I went ahead and had the repairs made. From this time on I went ahead and did what I wanted without consulting him. My husband, seeing this, said: ‘You don’t need me, you can get along on your own. Let’s just go our separate ways. I can’t take any more of this.’ Our relationship suddenly turned cold. My husband turned to gambling and drinking. Because our child was young, we did not get a divorce but were a couple in name only.
“This was our situation when I learned from the Bible how foolish I had been. In my heart I apologized to my husband and during the study I began to cry. Then the scripture at 1 Peter 3:1, 2 gave me hope. ‘You wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, in order that, if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect.’ With this scripture supporting my heart, I felt it was not too late. Now I learned a different Bible promise, that is, the provision for everlasting life. Having become convinced of Jehovah’s existence, I could go to him in prayer. Every day I prayed that my husband might learn the truth with me, if it was God’s will.”
How did the husband respond to his wife’s efforts? He himself tells:
“At first when my wife started to study I felt it would be as usual, that she would quit after a short time. Before, when my wife started learning something, the longest she continued was three months, then she quit. But this time there was no indication of quitting; rather, she became more zealous as the days passed. After 10 months of study I noticed that her attitude toward me had changed. She became submissive and stopped talking back. I could see the effort she was putting forth and I was puzzled that the Bible could have such power, so I too started to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. When I learned what God’s will and purpose for us was, I decided to live in accord with his will. The result was that our divided household became united. Even before the paradise has come, our family has truly tasted happiness.”
This couple studied the Bible, acted on the things learned and were able to improve their family life. Yes, following the lead of the founder of the family, Jehovah, who is the “happy God,” brings a happy life.—1 Tim. 1:11.