God Welcomes All the Nations- Helping All the Peoples of the Earth

Helping All the Peoples of the Earth

Solomon prayed to Jehovah about non-Israelites who would come to worship at the temple in Jerusalem.  He petitioned:  "May you yourself listen from the heavens, your established place of dwelling, and you must do according to all that for which the foreigner calls to you; in order that all the peoples of the earth may get to know your name."  (1 Kings 8:41-43)  Thousands of Kingdom proclaimers in many countries today echo those feelings.  They meet people like the Ninevites who, spiritually speaking, 'do not know the difference between their right hand and their left.'  And Kingdom preachers are eager to have a share in the fulfillment of prophecies concerning the gathering of true worshipers from many different nations. -Isaiah 2:2, 3; Micah 4:1-3.

Just as people from Christendom have accepted the Bible's message of hope, people from other religious backgrounds are doing so.  How should this affect you personally?  Examine yourself honestly.   If you feel that prejudice is deeply rooted in you, get rid of it with love.   Do not reject people whom God is willing to accept. -John 3:16.

Prepare yourself mentally before you talk to people from another background.  Get acquainted with their beliefs, their concerns, and their way of thinking; then search for common ground.  Manifest goodness and compassion toward others.  Avoid confrontation, be flexible and positive.  (Luke 9:52-56)  Doing so, you will be pleasing Jehovah, "whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth." -1 Timothy 2:4.

How delighted we are to have in our congregations people from a wide variety of backgrounds!  (Isaiah 56:6, 7) How heartwarming it is  to hear today not only such names as Mary, John, Stephen, and Tom but also such names as Mamadou, Jegan, Reza, and Chan!  Truly, "a large door that leads to activity has been opened" to us.  (1 Corinthians 16:9)  May we seize the opportunities before us to extend the invitation offered by the impartial God, Jehovah, to welcome people of all the nations! 

Next time: Never Too Old to Learn

The Watchtower, 2002