Other Modern-Day Examples

Over the past few decades, countless others have shown themselves to be good examples.  What of the thousands of self-sacrificing missionaries who have "left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands" to fulfill the Christian commission in foreign fields?  (Matthew 19:29)  Consider, too, the traveling overseers and their wives, the men and women who serve as volunteers at the offices of the WatchTower Society and the pioneers who minister to the congregations. Can such examples  motivate others? One Christian evangelizer in Asia recalls a missionary from the eighth class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. He said that this faithful brother was "willing to face the swarms of mosquitoes and the oppressive humidity. . .More impressive still was his ability to make presentations in both the Chinese and Malay languages though he was from England."  The effect of this fine example?  The brother said:  "His calmness and confidence inspired me to want to become a missionary when I grew up."  Not surprisingly, this brother did become a missionary.

The Watchtower publications Index contains a list of dozens of life stories that have appeared in the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. These stories tell of individuals who have forsaken worldly careers and goals, overcome weaknesses, made dramatic personality transformations, maintained a positive disposition in the face of adversity, and displayed industriousness, endurance, loyalty, humility, and a self-sacrificing spirit.  One reader wrote regarding these accounts:  "They make me a more humble and thankful Christian as I read what others have gone through, and they have helped me not to think too much of myself or be selfish." 

In addition, do not forget the fine examples in your own congregation: Family heads who unfailingly care for the material and spiritual needs of their families; sisters-including single mothers-who handle the pressures of child-rearing while still having an active share in the ministry; aged and infirm ones who continue faithful in spite of increasing frailty and impaired health. Are you not moved by such examples? 

Granted, the world is full of bad examples.  (2 Timothy 3:13) Nevertheless, consider Paul's exhortation to Christians living in  Judea. After recounting the exemplary behavior of many ancient men and women of faith, the apostle  Paul urged them:  "So, then, because we have so  great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also . . .run with endurance the race that is set before us, as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfector of our faith, Jesus." (Hebrews 12:1, 2) Christians today are also surrounded by a 'great cloud' of good examples-both ancient and modern-day.  Are you truly  benefiting from them? You can if you are determined to be "an imitator, not of what is bad, but of what is good." -3 John 11. 

Next time:CHRISTIAN SHEPHERDS 'Open Wide Your Heart'! 

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000