ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR DEDICATION?

Modern Examples of Dedication

In modern times, thousands of thousands of faithful Christians have zealously stuck to their dedication in spite of not surviving to witness Armageddon. One such individual was Ernest E. Beavor of England. He became a Witness in 1939 at the beginning of World War II, and he gave up a flourishing press photography business in order to take up the full-time ministry. Because of maintaining his Christian neutrality, he went to prison for two years. His family stood by him and in 1950 his three children attended the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead for missionary training, in New York. Brother Beavor was so zealous in his preaching activity that friends called him Armageddon Ernie. He loyally lived up to his dedication, and right down to his death in 1986, he proclaimed the imminence of God's war of Armageddon. He did not view his dedication as a limited-time contract with God! -1 Corinthians 15:58.

Another example of undiminished zeal comes from Spain. During the Franco regime (1939-75), hundreds of dedicated young Witnesses took a stand as Christian neutrals. Many of them spent ten years or more in military prisons. One Witness, Jesus Martin, even accumulated sentences that amounted to 22 years in prison. He was severely beaten while being held in a military prison in North Africa. None of this was easy, but he refused to compromise.

Most of the time, these young men had no idea when, if ever, they would be released, for they were subject to multiple, consecutive sentences. Yet, they kept their integrity and maintained their zeal for the ministry while in captivity. When the situation finally began to improve in 1973, many of these Witnesses, then in their early 30's were released from prison and went straight into the full-time ministry, some becoming special pioneers and traveling overseers. They lived up to their dedication in prison, and most have continued to do so since their release. What about us today? Are we being faithful to our dedication like these loyal ones? -Hebrews 10:32-34; 13:3.

Next time: Proper View of Our Dedication

Watchtower, 2001