ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR DEDICATION?

Making Each Day Count

After giving counsel to wives, husbands, children, parents and slaves, Paul writes: "Whatever you are doing, work at it wholesouled as to Jehovah, and not to men, for you know that it is from Jehovah you will receive the due reward of the inheritance. Slave for the Master, Christ." (Colossians 3:23, 24) We are not serving to impress men by what we accomplish in Jehovah's service. We are trying to serve God by following the example of Jesus Christ. He carried out his relatively short ministry with a sense of urgency. -1 Peter 2:21.

The apostle Peter too demonstrated a sense of urgency. In his second letter, he warned that in the last days, there would be ridiculers-apostates and doubters-who, according to their own wishes, would raise questions about Christ's presence. However, Peter said: "Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. Yet Jehovah's day is certain to come. Therefore, we should make it our daily concern as to how certain and solid our faith in God's promise really is. -2 Peter 3:3, 4, 9, 10.

To live up to our dedication in a conscientious manner, we should use each day to Jehovah's praise. At the end of each day, can we look back on it and see how we contributed in some way to the sanctification of God's name and the proclamation of the Kingdom good news? Perhaps it was by our clean conduct, our upbuilding conversation, or our loving concern for family and friends. Did we use available opportunities to share our Christian hope with others? Have we helped someone to think seriously about God's promises? Let us accrue something positive in a spiritual sense each day, building, as it were, a healthy spiritual bank account. -Matthew 6:20; 1 Peter 2:12; 3:15; James 3:13.

Next time: Keep Your Vision Clear

Watchtower, 2001