Maintain Your Loyalty to God's Kingdom

TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE LOYAL TO JEHOVAH

In most parts of the world, communities are close-knit.  They are united by a common history, culture, and language in which the local people take great pride. In such settings, Christians have to train their mind and conscience  to respond appropriately when neutrality-related issues arise.  How can they do this? 

Take for example, Mirjeta from a region of the former Yugoslavia. She was raised to hate Serbians. On learning that Jehovah is impartial and that Satan is responsible for inciting ethnic problems, she strove to rid herself of nationalistic sentiments. Yet, when ethnic violence broke out in her area, old hatreds began to resurface  in her, causing Mirjeta to find it difficult to preach  to Serbs.  She realized, though, that she could not just sit back and hope that such unwholesome feelings would go away.  She begged Jehovah for help not only to overcome this challenge but also to increase her service  and qualify to become a pioneer."  I have found that focusing on the ministry is the best help ever," she says.  "In the ministry, I try to imitate Jehovah's loving personality, and I have seen my negative feelings melt away. " 

Consider another example, that of Zoila. Originally  from Mexico, she now attends a congregation in Europe. She noted that in the congregation, some brothers were from certain parts of Latin America  made tactless and disparaging remarks  about her homeland, its customs, and even its music. How would you have reacted?  Understandably, such comments made Zoila uncomfortable.  But commendably, she sought Jehovah's help to quash any negative reaction that arose in her heart.  We have to admit  that some among us are still struggling to deal with similar issues.  Never would we want to say or do anything that could foment divisions or promote inappropriate loyalties among our brothers-or among anyone else for this matter.-Romans 14:19; 2 C0rinthians 6:3. 

Next time: Maintain Your Loyalty to God's Kingdom - Conclusion of TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE LOYAL TO JEHOVAH

From the Watchtower magazine, 2015