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Running the Race Without StumblingThe Watchtower—1958 | September 15
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in spirit, and who trembles at my word.” “For thus says the high and exalted One, who dwells enthroned for ever, and whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell enthroned on high, as the Holy One, but with him also that is contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble.’” How foolish for the runner to deny himself God’s reviving strength because of pride! How can the proud receive strength from God? Even if they pray their prayers are hindered, as Jesus showed in the case of the Pharisee whose prayer reflected the pride that originates in self-righteousness.—Isa. 66:2; 57:15, AT; Luke 18:10-14.
27. What will humility enable us to do, and what should those reaching out for an office of overseer remember?
27 Running the race according to the rules is no burden when one has true humility. The truly humble are teachable; they benefit from reproof. They realize that they are not competing in the race and that all must run unitedly for God’s loving reward; so they help one another, encourage one another. Humility enables one to “preach the word” to all men, under all circumstances. It enables one to train for the Kingdom ministry, to benefit from the counsel in the ministry school, to learn how to tell the good news from house to house. Humility enables those in positions of responsibility to be like Jesus—humble and always approachable. If any man is reaching out for an office of overseer, let him remember that pride is a barrier to usefulness and greater service privileges in God’s organization, because God detests the proud and opposes them. Let him remember that “before glory there is humility.” Let him remember Jesus’ words: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.”—Matt. 20:26, 27.
28. How does the Christian runner clothe himself for the race, and with what result?
28 So off with pride, the weight that causes stumbling. On with the garment tailor-made for the race. “Gird yourselves with humility of mind toward one another.” “Clothe yourselves,” commands Paul, with “lowliness of mind.” This is the garment for running without stumbling; for “the result of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.”—Prov. 22:4.
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Hard Words for the WorldThe Watchtower—1958 | September 15
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Hard Words for the World
Henry David Thoreau’s book A Week on the Concord and Merrimac Rivers was published in 1849, but it contains a passage up to date for this materialistic world: “It is remarkable that, notwithstanding the universal favor with which the New Testament is outwardly received . . . there is no hospitality shown to it, there is no appreciation of the order of truth with which it deals. I know of no book that has so few readers. There is none so truly strange, and heretical, and unpopular. . . . There are, indeed, severe things in it. . . . ‘Seek first the kingdom of heaven.’ ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth.’ ‘If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.’ ‘For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’ . . . Think of repeating these things to a New England audience! . . . Let but one of these sentences be rightly read, from any pulpit in the land, and there would not be left one stone of that meeting-house upon another.”
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