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Be Whole-​Souled in Your Service

¹ As Jesus’ disciples, we have been assigned to preach the good news about God’s Kingdom and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) There is no other work on this earth that compares in urgency or importance. The lives of millions of people are involved. It deserves our very best effort. Paul’s admonition well applies: “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-​souled as to Jehovah.” (Col. 3:23) “Whole-​souled” is defined as having “ardent enthusiasm or single-​minded devotion.” Are you whole-​souled in your service?

² What does being whole-​souled require of us? Jehovah referred to acceptable service as a tithe, or tenth part. (Mal. 3:10) Rather than designating a specific amount, the tenth part represents the time and effort we devote to Jehovah’s service as an expression of our love for him and in recognition of our dedication to him. (w92 12/1 p. 15) Our activity should reflect the depth of our devotion and love for Jehovah. A person who is whole-​souled feels impelled to serve Jehovah as fully as possible to the extent his health and circumstances allow.

³ Paul spoke highly of Christians “working hard and exerting” themselves on the basis of hope. (1 Tim. 4:10) They are rewarded with Jehovah’s blessing, which ‘makes them rich.’ (Prov. 10:22) In contrast, those who give in a sparing or grudging manner fail to experience the happiness that comes with giving. (Acts 20:35) Neglecting to give our best actually robs Jehovah of “the tenth parts” due him.​—Mal. 3:8.

⁴ Giving Our Best: When we share in field service and turn in our report, is the report accurate? The Our Ministry book, page 104, states: “Your field service time should start when you begin your witness work and end when you finish your last call in each witnessing period. Time taken for refreshments or meals during a period of field service is not to be counted.” Good planning and effort are needed to accomplish the most during the time we are in field service.

⁵ Giving our best means that we do as much as we can when we share in service. One who is whole-​souled would not purposely limit his preaching to occasional attempts at informal witnessing rather than sharing in the door-​to-​door work. A whole-​souled, youthful, unbaptized publisher would not go out preaching only at the insistence of his parents, demonstrating little interest in going to the doors or sharing in giving the presentation.

⁶ Paul urges us to maintain our industriousness in order not to become sluggish. (Heb. 6:11, 12) What a joy to be able to review our personal service and have no reason to be ashamed​—because we have been whole-​souled! (2 Tim. 2:15) Our greatest joy will be realized when we see among the survivors of the great tribulation those individuals we have personally assisted. To be sure, Jehovah richly rewards those who serve him whole-​souled.