Watch Your Associations in These Days

ASSOCIATE WITH THOSE WHO LOVE JEHOVAH

Although bad associations spoil useful habits, good associations produce fine results.   Consider Noah, who lived in an evil world but had no desire to make its inhabitants his close friends. At that time, "Jehovah saw that man's wickedness was great on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time."  (Genesis 6:5) God therefore determined to wipe out that evil system and its supporters by means of a global deluge. However, "Noah was a righteous man.  He proved himself faultless among his contemporaries.  Noah walked with the true God.' -Genesis 6:7-9.

Noah certainly did not seek the companionship of ungodly people.  He and the seven members of his family occupied themselves with the doing of God-given work, which included building an ark.  Meanwhile, Noah was also "a preacher of righteousness." (2 Peter 2:5)  Noah's preaching, his work on the ark, and his association with his family kept him busy with doing good things that pleased God. As a result, Noah and his immediate family survived the Flood. We should be grateful to them because all of us today are the descendants of those who served Jehovah-faithful Noah, Noah's wife, sons, and their wives. Similarly, loyal and obedient first-century Christians kept themselves separate from ungodly people and survived the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish system of things in 70 C.E. -Luke 21:20-22.

As worshippers of Jehovah, we need to imitate Noah and his family and obedient first-century Christians.  We must keep separate from the wicked system of things around us and seek upbuilding associates  among the millions  of our faithful brothers  and sisters. Sticking with those who are guided by God-given wisdom will help us to "stand-firm in the faith" during these very difficult times.  (1 Corinthians 6:13; Proverbs 13:20) And just think of our wonderful prospects!  If we watch our associations in these last days, we may personally live right through the end of this evils system and into Jehovah's righteous new world now so near at hand! 

Next time: What We Can Learn From Joanna

From the Watchtower magazine