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Walking in Good BehaviorThe Watchtower—1954 | November 1
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MILDNESS
20. How are mildness and its associated qualities seen to inhere in Jehovah?
20 Next comes the fine quality of mildness, which is closely linked with lowliness and humility. At this point, someone may question whether this quality is seen to inhere in Jehovah, bearing in mind his supreme authority, his sovereign will and highly exalted position. But listen to what Jehovah himself says in that very connection: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” What unexpected undeserved kindness, that the Almighty should, so to speak, come right down to our level!—Isa. 57:15, AS.
21. Why is this aspect of the spirit’s fruitage so refreshing and desirable?
21 This aspect of the spirit’s fruitage is one that is most refreshing to come in contact with and, after all, that is the great attraction regarding fruit, is it not, even more than its food value? It is so refreshing. Do your brothers and sisters find your company refreshing, with never a fear of finding you harsh or unsympathetic, as if you were on a higher level than they? Mildness and lowliness are specially desirable, too, when witnessing to others, many of whom are full of weariness of spirit. Do you remember what Jesus said about this? “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and become my disciples, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls.”—Matt. 11:28, 29, NW.
22. Why is mildness needed by those in responsible positions?
22 Mildness is also needed by those in any position of responsibility, for, as Paul wrote to the Galatians: “Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to restore such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted.”—Gal. 6:1, NW. See also 2 Timothy 2:25, NW.
SELF-CONTROL
23. With what is self-control closely related, and in what respects do we need to be keenly alert?
23 Finally, we turn our attention to self-control. That is opposite to the spirit of the world these days, where violence and fits of anger and ready indulgence in fleshly desires and passions are the order of the day. (2 Tim. 3:3) Self-control may not be mentioned in Scripture so often as the other qualities, but when we remember it is closely tied in with discipline we know that it has strong Scriptural support. Due to imperfection we are apt to go to extremes, either becoming headstrong or easing off and becoming slack. Remember that a fruit tree that is allowed to get out of hand soon ceases to bear fine fruit, but it becomes degenerate and an easy victim of corrupting influences and disease. Therefore we need to be alert at all times, not only to the unique Kingdom privileges and prospects that are ours, but also to the dangers both from within and from without. We are engaged in a contest and, as Paul says: “Every man taking part in a contest exercises self-control in all things.” Hence, as he goes on to say: “I browbeat my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.”—1 Cor. 9:25, 27, NW.
24. What other aspect of discipline contributes to good fruitage?
24 Later, in the same letter, after drawing attention to the sad results of a lack of self-control and the consequent need for self-scrutiny, he mentions the other aspect of discipline, namely, that administered by Jehovah. He says: “If we would discern what we ourselves are, we would not be judged. However, when we are judged, we are disciplined by Jehovah.” Every true son needs and receives such discipline, as Paul points out in his letter to the Hebrews. “True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.”—1 Cor. 11:31, 32; Heb. 12:11, NW.
25. How and under what different figure does Paul exhort us at Colossians 3:12-14?
25 To conclude our study, we remind you what the apostle wrote to the Colossians. True, the illustration of fruitage is not used, but rather that of clothing, for the purpose of identification. However, the same idea obtains. We do not have to make up the pattern ourselves for the different garments and then cut them out, all bits and pieces. Instead, God provides the clothing according to his own pattern and it is up to us to put it on and wear it. It is a lovely description: “Accordingly, as God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering. Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Even as Jehovah freely forgave you, so do you also. But, besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union,” keeping us closely united as Jehovah’s gathered people.—Col. 3:12-14, NW.
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To Listen and Learn?The Watchtower—1954 | November 1
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To Listen and Learn?
● One small-town newspaper recently told of children going to church with comic books. The paper said it was sure that the preacher did not mind the children’s doing this, but it jokingly accused a mother of reading the comic book too. Her reply: she was listening to the sermon, but the child wanted an explanation of every picture. Do you approve of your child looking at pictures, or perhaps taking a paper and pencil and drawing during congregational studies? Or does the child go for the entirely different reason that God instructed the Israelites to take their children? “Call the people together, the men and the women and the little ones and your temporary resident who is within your gates, in order that they may listen and in order that they may learn, as they must fear Jehovah your God and take care to carry out all the words of this law.” (Deut. 31:12, NW) For which reason do your children go?
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“On the Other Side of the Elbe”The Watchtower—1954 | November 1
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“On the Other Side of the Elbe”
● The first eight paragraphs of an article in the newspaper Il Tempo, Rome, Italy, of August 8, 1954, deal with the case of Otto John, who fled into the Russian zone. The ninth paragraph states: “In the meantime, on the other side of the Elbe, the wave of arrests continues. The religious organization ‘Jehovah’s witnesses,’ an evangelical sect that the Russians have been persecuting for various months, declares to have lost 1,334 of their members, all arrested and sentenced to a total of 8,466 years of imprisonment. Twenty-four of the arrested men are said to have died in prison. It is calculated that in the political prisons on the other side of the Elbe there are at present 23,000 persons, almost entirely German citizens, while the number that is convicted and deported in Russia or in the other countries of the Iron Curtain is said to be 28,000.”
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