"Buy Truth and Never Sell It" - WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN UP TO BUY TRUTH?

Time.  This is a price everyone who buys truth must pay.  It takes time to listen to the Kingdom message, read the Bible and Bible literature, have a personal Bible study, and prepare for and attend congregation meetings.  We must 'buy out,' or take, that time from other less important activity.  (Read Ephesians 5:15, 16.) How much time will it take for us to gain an accurate knowledge of basic truth about Jehovah's wisdom, ways, and works.  (Romans 11:33)  The first issue of The Watchtower likened the truth to "a modest little flower" and stated:  "Be not content with one flower of truth. Had one been sufficient there would have been no more. Gather ever, seek for more."  We might ask ourselves, 'How big is my bouquet of truth?' Even with an eternity of time, we can always learn more about Jehovah.  Today, the important thing is that we use our time wisely so as to buy as much truth as our circumstances allow.  Consider an example of someone who longed for the truth.  

 Mariko, a young Japanese woman, came to New York City, U.S.A., to attend school.  At the time,  she followed a religious movement that started in Japan in the late 1950's.  A pioneer sister met Mariko in the house-to house ministry.  When she began to learn Bible truth, he joy was so great that she asked the pioneer to study the Bible with her twice a week.  In spite   of having a busy school schedule and holding down a part-time job. Mariko immediately  began to attend congregation meetings.  She also stopped spending time on some social activities in order to buy out time to learn the truth. Making such sacrifices contributed to her rapid spiritual progress. Within a year, she got baptized. Six months later, in 2006, she began to pioneer, and she is still serving as a pioneer.

Material advantages.  To buy the truth, we might have to give up a lucrative job  or career.  When the fisherman Peter and Andrew were invited by Jesus to become "fishers of men,"  they "abandoned their nets." (Matthew 4:18-20)  Of course, most of those who learn the truth today cannot simply walk away from their jobs.  They have Scriptural obligations.  (1 Timothy 5:8)  However, individuals who learn the truth must often change their attitude toward material things and adjust their priorities.  Jesus stated this clearly when he said: "Stop storing up for yourselves treasures on the earth . . . Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven."  (Matthew 6:19, 20) Consider the example of one young woman.

Maria was swinging a golf club even before she was old enough to go to school.  She continued to develop her golfing skills during high school and eventually earned a scholarship.  Golf was her life, and her goal was to enjoy a lucrative career as a professional golfer.  Then Maria started to study the Bible, and she loved the truth she was learning.  She was pleased with the changes that the truth helped her make in her life.  She said:  "The more I adjusted my attitude   to the Bible's standards, the happier I became."  Maria realized that it would be difficult for her to purse both spiritual and material riches.  (Matthew 6:24)  She paid the price of giving up her lifelong goal of becoming a professional golfer and the prospects of gaining riches and fame.  However, as a result of buying truth, she now serves as a pioneer and enjoys what she describes as "the happiest, most meaningful life possible. 

Next time: "Buy Truth and Never Sell It" - Continue with WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN UP TO BUY TRUTH?

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