"Keep Your Senses, Be Watchful!" - WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PAY ATTENGTION TO OURSELVES?

 Some dangers we might avoid include flirting, heavy drinking, overeating, engaging in hurtful speech, as well as viewing violent entertainment, pornography, and similar things. (Psalm 101:3) Our adversary the Devil, is constantly looking for opportunities to damage our friendship with Jehovah.  (1 Peter 5:8) If we are not watchful, Satan can plant in our mind and heart seeds of envy, dishonesty, greed, hatred, haughtiness, and resentment. (Galatians 5:1921) At first, these inclinations may not be very strong.  But if we not take immediate steps to uproot them, they will continue to grow like a poisonous plant and cause trouble. - JAMES 1:14, 15.

One subtle danger is bad association.  Consider this scenario.  You work secularly with someone who does not share your Christian beliefs.  You want your workmate to have a good impression of Jehovah's Witnesses, so you are kind and helpful.  You might also agree to have lunch with this person now and then. Before long, you so on a regular basis. Occasionally, the conversation turns to immoral subjects, which you try to ignore at first.  With time, you become so use to such talk that you are no longer offended by it. Then one day,  your workmates invites you to have a drink after work, and you accept.  Eventually, you begin to think like your workmate.  At this point, how long will it take before you act like him?  Of course, we kind and respectful to all, but we must remember that we will be strongly influenced by those with whom we choose to spend our time. (1 Corinthians 15:33)  If we pay attention to ourselves, as Jesus urged us to do, we will avoid unnecessary association with those who do not live by Jehovah's standards. (2 Corinthians 6:15) We will  see the danger and steer clear of it.

Next time: "Keep Your Senses, Be Watchful!" - MAKE THE BEST USE OF YOUR TIME

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