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Video above © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

00:00:01 Welcome! Welcome! 00:00:05 Welcome to this month’s broadcast! 00:00:09 Here is a little sample 00:00:12 of what will be contained in our program. 00:00:15 We’ll meet brothers and sisters 00:00:18 who’ve learned to see and treat others impartially. 00:00:22 What helped them? 00:00:24 And how can all of us be united in a divided world? 00:00:29 We’ll find out. 00:00:31 Have you ever needed to muster up courage to do what’s right? 00:00:37 Are you enduring disappointment? 00:00:40 We’ll see what we can learn 00:00:43 from the example of Samuel. 00:00:45 And Jesus showed us how to see the good in people, 00:00:49 to be loving and kind 00:00:52 just like a child. 00:00:54 That’s the message 00:00:56 of our new music video. 00:01:00 Yes, there’s much to look forward to 00:01:03 in this May 2020 edition 00:01:06 of JW Broadcasting®. 00:01:27 “Always Rejoice!” is the appealing theme 00:01:31 of this year’s conventions. 00:01:34 The Governing Body would like to give you a preview of the program. 00:01:39 Let’s take a look. 00:01:44 Everyone wants to be happy. 00:01:47 But we all face problems, 00:01:49 problems that are hard to deal with. 00:01:56 So can you ever really be happy? 00:02:07 At the 2020 convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:02:11 you will learn how to find joy, 00:02:13 even when life is hard, 00:02:18 and how God has made it possible 00:02:20 for us to be happy now and forever! 00:02:27 Happiness might seem hard to find, but it isn’t! 00:02:32 Come and see for yourself! 00:02:41 That preview reminds us 00:02:43 of the wonderful convention program of last year, 00:02:47 including the feature Bible drama 00:02:49 about faithful Josiah. 00:02:53 What was involved in producing that drama? 00:02:56 Please watch the following video 00:02:59 that reveals what transpired 00:03:02 behind the scenes. 00:03:16 Where do you begin an important project 00:03:19 like The Story of Josiah: Love Jehovah; Hate What Is Bad? 00:03:23 You begin with prayerful consideration. 00:03:26 It’s a serious responsibility —part of being loyal to Jehovah and his Word. 00:03:32 Therefore, many hours of careful research goes into the first step: 00:03:36 writing a script. 00:03:38 The script is then visualized through a step called storyboarding. 00:03:47 But it’s not just the script and storyboarding 00:03:49 that requires attention to accuracy. 00:03:52 Costumes must be thoroughly researched so that their components, 00:03:56 styles, colors, and even the types of fabric 00:04:00 appear as historically accurate as possible. 00:04:05 The production must also accurately depict the times 00:04:08 being represented while making the best use of donated funds. 00:04:12 How can this be done? 00:04:14 For The Story of Josiah, 00:04:16 the solution was to film at Bethel locations, 00:04:19 such as the studio spaces at Mount Ebo. 00:04:23 Set construction began early in 2018. 00:04:27 The production team designed and built three flexible sets 00:04:31 so that with easy prop adjustments, 00:04:33 they could be in multiple locations. 00:04:38 Even the exterior Jerusalem city scenes 00:04:40 were filmed indoors. 00:04:50 Many brothers and sisters from local congregations 00:04:53 served as extras for the crowd scenes. 00:04:57 With an eye to Biblical and historical accuracy, 00:05:00 the makeup team transformed the actors 00:05:02 into characters from King Josiah’s time. 00:05:06 There were so many details to get right. 00:05:35 For a large portion of the drama, filming in front of a green screen 00:05:38 enabled the visual effects team to construct accurate environments digitally. 00:05:46 Many layers of character action, called plates, were assembled 00:05:50 with digital environments to produce complex visuals. 00:06:19 For the closing festival scene, 00:06:21 which required 14,000 Israelites 00:06:24 and many sheep, 00:06:26 3D models were made and duplicated to simulate the large crowd. 00:06:35 In July 2018, the production packed up 00:06:39 and moved to an outdoor location 00:06:41 at Watchtower Farms in Wallkill, New York. 00:06:46 And action! 00:07:00 In August, the last scene was filmed 00:07:03 back at the Mount Ebo studio. 00:07:06 After 45 days of filming 00:07:08 and with over 4 terabytes of footage captured, 00:07:11 the team had finished production. 00:07:14 The project moved to the editing facilities at Patterson, New York. 00:07:22 But what more could be done so that the account portrayed 00:07:25 could touch our hearts? 00:07:29 A colorist applied a look to the overall film 00:07:31 to enhance the picture’s quality and mood. 00:07:34 You have to get better. 00:07:36 I’m afraid of being alone. 00:07:37 Additional sound effects, such as footsteps 00:07:40 and the sound of dry grass being rustled, 00:07:43 were recorded to make the on-screen action more natural and compelling. 00:07:48 Finally, the musical soundtrack was composed, 00:07:50 recorded, and added to the movie to enhance the appeal to our hearts. 00:07:58 The work on The Story of Josiah: Love Jehovah; Hate What Is Bad 00:08:01 was done to strengthen Jehovah’s people worldwide. 00:08:06 You’re not alone. 00:08:08 Jehovah is with you. 00:08:12 This powerful story also assists parents as they teach their children 00:08:15 the power of God’s Word and promise. 00:08:20 “These words that I am commanding you today 00:08:23 “must be on your heart, 00:08:25 “and you must inculcate them in your sons 00:08:27 “and speak of them when you sit in your house 00:08:30 “and when you walk on the road 00:08:32 and when you lie down and when you get up.” 00:08:36 “So that it may always go well with you 00:08:38 “and your sons after you, 00:08:41 “because you are doing what is good 00:08:44 and right in the eyes of Jehovah your God.” 00:08:49 The Story of Josiah has proven to be yet another example 00:08:54 of how Jehovah continues to provide abundant spiritual food and support 00:08:58 for his people worldwide. 00:09:05 That video certainly brought the Bible account 00:09:09 to life for us! 00:09:11 You may want to go back and review 00:09:14 the full-feature Bible drama again from our website. 00:09:19 We might mention 00:09:20 that we’ve had just a few parents 00:09:22 write in expressing concern 00:09:25 that some of our videos depict scenes 00:09:28 that could have an effect on children 00:09:31 who’ve been protected from anything 00:09:33 even hinting at an act of violence. 00:09:37 We very much appreciate the concern. 00:09:40 However, when portraying a Bible account, 00:09:45 we cannot ignore the message Jehovah saw fit 00:09:49 to preserve in his Word. 00:09:51 We don’t feel comfortable watering down 00:09:54 the inspired insight that Jehovah 00:09:57 has preserved for the benefit of true worshippers. 00:10:01 However, as you’ve observed, 00:10:04 we do so as tastefully as possible. 00:10:07 We don’t show actual violent acts or bloodshed. 00:10:12 A Scriptural precedent might be found 00:10:16 in 2 Chronicles 20:13. 00:10:20 Jehoshaphat was describing 00:10:23 a great crowd of enemy nations 00:10:25 that were about to launch an attack against God’s people. 00:10:30 He described the possible disaster quite graphically, 00:10:34 referring to the possibility of death by the sword, 00:10:38 by pestilence, or by famine. 00:10:41 Who was he sharing this disturbing information with? 00:10:46 Second Chronicles 20:13 tells us: 00:10:51 “Meanwhile, all those of Judah 00:10:55 “were standing before Jehovah, 00:10:57 “along with their little ones, 00:10:59 their wives, and their children.” 00:11:03 Jehovah wanted all, including the young ones, 00:11:07 to understand what was coming. 00:11:10 Parents likewise need to give their children 00:11:14 a realistic idea 00:11:16 of what we all will face in the near future. 00:11:20 Many parents choose to help their children appreciate 00:11:23 the graphic visual imagery of a Bible-based video, 00:11:28 while at the same time building trust in Jehovah, 00:11:32 who will be with them in times of distress. 00:11:36 This is similar to what they’d do 00:11:39 when reading a graphic Biblical account 00:11:42 to their children from the Scriptures, 00:11:45 such as from the book of Revelation. 00:11:48 Be assured 00:11:50 that we’ll continue to be sensitive 00:11:53 to the feelings of you parents when we produce a video 00:11:57 that’s based on a Bible account 00:11:59 that includes descriptions of warfare 00:12:02 or other incidents of violent actions. 00:12:06 We’ll do so with care, 00:12:09 while not ignoring the powerful details 00:12:13 depicted in the inspired Word of God. 00:12:19 The theme for this program is 00:12:22 “Be Childlike—But Not Childish!” 00:12:28 First Corinthians 14:20 00:12:32 is our theme scripture: 00:12:35 “Brothers, do not become young children in your understanding, 00:12:40 “but be young children as to badness; 00:12:44 and become full-grown in your understanding.” 00:12:49 In this single verse, 00:12:52 we’re told not to be like a young child in one way 00:12:56 and we’re told to be like a young child in another way. 00:13:00 We should not be like a child when it comes to understanding, 00:13:05 and we should be like a child when it comes to badness. 00:13:10 During this discussion, 00:13:12 let’s focus on three ways 00:13:16 we should not be like a child 00:13:18 and then let’s talk about three ways we should be like a child. 00:13:23 Please turn to Hebrews 5:13, 14, 00:13:29 and let’s identify negative trait number one 00:13:34 that we do not want to imitate: 00:13:38 “For everyone who continues to feed on milk 00:13:42 “is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, 00:13:45 “for he is a young child. 00:13:48 “But solid food belongs to mature people, 00:13:53 “to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained 00:13:58 to distinguish both right and wrong.” 00:14:02 So the negative trait that children have 00:14:05 is immature feeding habits. 00:14:09 Think about it: Young children 00:14:12 have a tendency to eat what they like 00:14:16 regardless of its nutritional value. 00:14:19 Most young ones would be perfectly happy 00:14:23 eating ice cream, candy, cookies, 00:14:25 and other sweets for all of their meals. 00:14:29 But now we ask, 00:14:32 What do our spiritual appetites 00:14:35 and feeding habits reveal about us? 00:14:38 Consider: How do we spend our free time? 00:14:43 Do we squander voluminous hours watching television 00:14:47 or reading material that provides little or no spiritual nutrition? 00:14:52 Or do we make wise use of our free time 00:14:57 to take in solid spiritual food? 00:15:01 When we receive a new issue of The Watchtower, 00:15:04 do we merely scan through it, looking at a few highlights, 00:15:09 and then do something else? 00:15:11 Do we take time to research deeper spiritual truths 00:15:16 so as to fully understand them? 00:15:18 Do we take time to really meditate? 00:15:21 Meditation is not daydreaming. 00:15:24 Meditation is bridled, focused thought. 00:15:28 Pause your reading to ask questions such as: 00:15:32 ‘What does this teach me about Jehovah? 00:15:36 ‘With whom could I share this information? 00:15:40 ‘What’s Jehovah telling me? 00:15:43 ‘How does this fit in with other things I know about this subject? 00:15:48 How can I make application?’ 00:15:52 James 1:25 encourages us 00:15:55 to peer into God’s Word. 00:15:58 According to the Reference Bible, 00:16:01 ‘peer’ literally means to ‘stoop beside.’ 00:16:05 To illustrate: Simply reading through the Bible 00:16:09 could be likened to walking quickly through the world’s greatest museum 00:16:14 and periodically glancing at the various displays. 00:16:19 You will learn something. 00:16:22 But meditatively peering into God’s Word 00:16:25 can be likened to stopping all along the museum route 00:16:30 and even stooping down 00:16:32 and closely examining from different angles 00:16:35 the artifacts, exhibitions, and displays. 00:16:40 Now our knowledge and appreciation 00:16:44 are going to be enhanced much more. 00:16:48 Yes, our spiritual appetite and feeding habits 00:16:53 reveal much about whether we have done away 00:16:57 with the trait of a young child, namely, 00:17:00 immature feeding habits. 00:17:04 Now please turn to Ephesians 4:14. 00:17:09 Let’s discern from this scripture negative trait number two 00:17:14 that we don’t want to imitate: 00:17:18 “So we should no longer be children, 00:17:22 “tossed about as by waves and carried here and there 00:17:26 “by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, 00:17:31 by means of cunning in deceptive schemes.” 00:17:37 So, what’s the negative trait? 00:17:39 Young children are easily tricked, or fooled. 00:17:45 This scripture likens being easily tricked about what’s right or wrong 00:17:50 to being tossed about by the waves of the ocean 00:17:54 and blown around by the wind. 00:17:57 If you think of a piece of wood floating in a turbulent ocean 00:18:02 or a piece of paper in a windstorm, 00:18:05 there’s no stability or direction. 00:18:08 Both can be easily maneuvered 00:18:12 to go anywhere—take any position. 00:18:16 Well, that’s true of very young children 00:18:19 who often can be easily deceived. 00:18:23 For example, if given a choice 00:18:26 between a shiny coin of little value 00:18:29 and paper money of great value, 00:18:33 the shiny coin will likely be chosen. 00:18:37 But now, here’s the point: 00:18:39 What do our spiritual choices reveal about us? 00:18:44 Do our choices in regard to music and other entertainment, 00:18:49 clothing, and grooming indicate that we’re being fooled 00:18:53 even slightly by Satan and his world? 00:18:57 Yes, Satan is bent on tricking us, 00:19:00 but Jehovah tells us 00:19:02 at 1 Corinthians 14:20 (the scripture we read earlier): 00:19:08 “Do not become young children in your understanding.” 00:19:15 But now, please turn to Matthew 11:16, 17. 00:19:21 Here we’ll find the third negative trait of a child 00:19:25 that we do not want to imitate: 00:19:29 “With whom will I compare this generation? 00:19:33 “It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces 00:19:37 “who call out to their playmates, saying: 00:19:41 “‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; 00:19:45 we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.’” 00:19:51 Jesus was saying that adult people 00:19:55 were acting like children. 00:19:57 Children love to play. 00:20:01 So the negative trait of young children 00:20:03 is that they prefer play over responsibility. 00:20:08 Think about it: The vast majority 00:20:12 of the waking hours of a small child 00:20:15 are spent playing 00:20:17 —play, play, and more play. 00:20:21 Most of their life is fun and games. 00:20:24 But later, when the child goes to school, 00:20:27 where does he get the time to do so? 00:20:31 He has to take it from his playtime. 00:20:35 But now, spiritually speaking, we can ask ourselves, 00:20:39 ‘How far have we progressed 00:20:42 in buying out time from our playtime?’ 00:20:46 Ephesians 5:16 encourages us 00:20:50 to ‘make the best use of our time.’ 00:20:53 Literally, according to the footnote, 00:20:56 this scripture is telling us 00:20:59 to ‘buy out the appointed time’ 00:21:03 —that is, buy it from less important things. 00:21:07 So the question for all of us is, 00:21:10 Have we bought out the majority of our playtime 00:21:13 for more important spiritual responsibilities? 00:21:18 Now, we’ve discussed three negative traits 00:21:21 of a young child that we want to avoid. 00:21:25 If we had time, we could have discussed 00:21:27 other negative traits to be avoided, 00:21:30 such as how children tend to have a short attention span 00:21:35 (they’re easily distracted), 00:21:38 their curiosity often gets them into trouble, 00:21:42 and they generally need a lot of time and attention 00:21:47 (they’re high-maintenance). 00:21:50 But now let’s briefly discuss three positive traits 00:21:54 of a young child that we do well to imitate. 00:21:58 Positive characteristic number one 00:22:01 is at 1 Corinthians 14:20, which we read at the outset. 00:22:08 That scripture tells us 00:22:11 to “be young children as to badness.” 00:22:16 So, what’s the characteristic that we want to imitate? 00:22:20 Young children are innocent, 00:22:23 inexperienced, when it comes to badness. 00:22:28 Or put another way, 00:22:30 they haven’t done many truly bad things. 00:22:34 Like children, we don’t want 00:22:38 to gain knowledge or experience in what is bad. 00:22:42 For example, when it comes to pornography, 00:22:45 we want no experience whatsoever 00:22:49 in regard to this filthy thing of Satan’s world. 00:22:54 When it comes to television programs 00:22:57 that are designated for a “mature audience,” 00:23:01 remember to tell yourself, 00:23:04 ‘I’m not old enough; I’m a young child.’ 00:23:09 For positive characteristic number two, 00:23:13 let’s consider Matthew 18:2-4: 00:23:20 “So calling a young child to him, 00:23:23 “he [Jesus] stood him in their midst and said: 00:23:28 “‘Truly I say to you, unless you turn around 00:23:33 “‘and become as young children, 00:23:35 “‘you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. 00:23:40 “‘Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child 00:23:45 is the one who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens.’” 00:23:51 What’s the desirable trait? 00:23:53 Young children are humble and teachable. 00:23:57 Young children ask many questions because they want to learn, 00:24:01 but grown-ups are often hesitant to ask questions. 00:24:06 Why? 00:24:08 They don’t want to look uninformed. 00:24:11 But acting like we know something 00:24:14 when we don’t is actually dishonest 00:24:17 and probably motivated by pride. 00:24:21 The point is, 00:24:23 Don’t be afraid to reveal what you don’t know. 00:24:27 Remain humble and teachable like a child. 00:24:34 Now let’s identify desirable trait number three 00:24:38 by going to Matthew 21:15, 16: 00:24:44 “When the chief priests and the scribes 00:24:46 “saw the marvelous things he did 00:24:49 “and the boys who were shouting in the temple, 00:24:53 “‘Save, we pray, the Son of David!’ 00:24:55 “they became indignant and said to him: 00:24:59 “‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ 00:25:02 “Jesus said to them 00:25:04 “‘Yes. Did you never read this, 00:25:07 “‘“Out of the mouth of children and infants 00:25:10 you have brought forth praise”?’” 00:25:13 So, what desirable characteristic can we identify? 00:25:17 Young children are exuberant and enthusiastic. 00:25:23 Well, in like manner, 00:25:25 we want to remain exuberant and expressive 00:25:29 about Jehovah, Jesus, 00:25:33 the Kingdom, and other spiritual things. 00:25:36 Psalm 145:7 encourages us to “bubble over” 00:25:41 and “shout joyfully” because of these wonderful things. 00:25:46 And we never want to lose that childlike enthusiasm. 00:25:52 Well, there we have three desirable traits of a young child 00:25:57 that we want to do our utmost to imitate. 00:26:01 If we had time, we could discuss 00:26:04 several other positive characteristics, 00:26:06 such as how children tend to be trusting, 00:26:11 not prejudiced, and not hypocritical. 00:26:18 But now in review, may each of us 00:26:21 prayerfully strive not to be childish 00:26:25 when it comes to (1) immature feeding habits, 00:26:30 (2) being easily tricked, or fooled, 00:26:36 and (3) preferring play over responsibility. 00:26:41 On the other hand, 00:26:44 may each of us prayerfully strive to be childlike 00:26:48 when it comes to being 00:26:51 (1) innocent and inexperienced concerning badness, 00:26:56 (2) humble and teachable, 00:27:00 and (3) exuberant and enthusiastic 00:27:06 about spiritual things! 00:27:11 The Bible contains many accounts 00:27:13 of faithful men and women. 00:27:16 We can learn from their examples. 00:27:19 In the following dramatization, 00:27:22 notice what a family learns from Samuel. 00:27:35 Samuel was only my age 00:27:37 when Jehovah spoke to him. 00:27:45 He respected Eli, but he had to stand up for what was right. 00:27:59 I never thought that I’d have to do something similar. 00:28:04 I loved my brother, and I always wanted to be like him. 00:28:10 But those pictures of him partying with kids 00:28:12 from school showed he was living a double life. 00:28:18 I didn’t want to get him in trouble. 00:28:30 But I knew I had to say something. 00:28:46 I told him he had to tell Mom and Dad. 00:28:52 He warned me not to tell. 00:29:01 But Samuel was courageous 00:29:03 and “did not hide anything,” 00:29:17 and “Jehovah himself was with him.” 00:29:23 I couldn’t hide this. 00:29:29 Talking to my parents wasn’t easy, 00:29:35 but I knew it was the right thing to do. 00:29:45 Of course, we were proud of Danny. 00:29:48 But . . . 00:29:51 . . . at the time, we were a little distracted. 00:29:54 Maybe, somehow it was all just a misunderstanding. 00:30:10 We needed to know what was going on. 00:30:26 We just wanted to help him. 00:30:37 We couldn’t help but blame ourselves for what was happening. 00:30:50 Then we thought back to Samuel’s example. 00:30:57 Samuel, you need to listen to us. 00:31:01 You’re getting old, Samuel, and your sons are not like you. 00:31:04 They cheat, and they take bribes. 00:31:06 They bend Jehovah’s rules 00:31:10 any way they please. 00:31:12 Even faithful Samuel had sons who deviated from Jehovah’s standards. 00:31:25 We wanted to help our son. 00:31:28 Just as Samuel didn’t alter his course 00:31:31 and Jehovah stood by him, 00:31:33 we knew that if we did things His way, 00:31:39 He’d stand by us. 00:32:04 Did you see the loyalty the younger son showed 00:32:08 by bringing the matter to the attention of his parents? 00:32:12 Did you also notice the loyalty the parents showed 00:32:16 by going to the elders for assistance? 00:32:20 After the parents were able to talk to the elders, 00:32:24 we hope that the older son 00:32:26 was able to get the help he needed 00:32:29 and that the discipline brought him to his senses. 00:32:34 Has your child left Jehovah? 00:32:37 Do you blame yourself? 00:32:39 If so, remember 00:32:42 that Jehovah stood by faithful Samuel, 00:32:45 and He will stand by you. 00:32:47 He’ll help you endure. 00:32:52 Another challenge we face today 00:32:54 is remaining united 00:32:57 in a deeply divided world. 00:33:00 During the 1950’s and 1960’s, 00:33:04 racial tensions in the United States 00:33:07 greatly intensified. 00:33:10 How were Jehovah’s people affected during that period? 00:33:14 And how did they maintain unity? 00:33:18 Let’s look for the answers to those questions 00:33:21 in the following report. 00:33:42 My mother always said, 00:33:44 “Jehovah did not intend for all of us to look alike.” 00:33:50 In those early days, 00:33:52 we would work every house in the county 00:33:56 —black families, white families, any color. 00:34:00 At school, there was pressure there 00:34:04 to be involved with the racial activity. 00:34:08 We would hear about the problems and the issues. 00:34:12 It would be in the news, and you would know 00:34:15 what was going on in the South. 00:34:18 Some may wonder, 00:34:20 ‘How is it that our people, 00:34:26 ‘that is, Jehovah’s Witnesses, black and white, 00:34:29 ‘could maintain such unity 00:34:34 when the world around them was falling apart?’ 00:34:38 I grew up in central New York 00:34:39 —Utica, New York. 00:34:41 And I remember in the Kingdom Ministry back in 1956, 00:34:46 there were articles about serving where the need is great. 00:34:50 They needed some of the black friends to serve in the South. 00:34:56 I married my husband, Earl McGee, 00:34:58 on June 2, 1956. 00:35:01 When we were married, Brother T. J. Sullivan gave a talk 00:35:05 at the Hallandale convention on serving where the need is greater. 00:35:10 He encouraged not only families but, 00:35:13 he said, newly married couples. 00:35:15 And so we planned for it, and he wrote the branch. 00:35:18 We were assigned to Florida, 00:35:21 and then in 1962, we started in the circuit work. 00:35:24 And our first circuit was in Alabama, 00:35:26 and it was not integrated. 00:35:30 We served together, Edna and I did, 00:35:34 in the pioneer work by assignment. 00:35:37 The last assignment was the Society assigning us 00:35:42 to North Carolina and then from there to the circuit work. 00:35:45 After the first circuit, which was in the Carolinas and Georgia, 00:35:50 we were assigned to Gilead. 00:35:56 I got married on April 23, 1949. 00:36:02 I’ve been in full-time service 00:36:04 70 years with my wife. 00:36:07 I was assigned 00:36:09 to Circuit 18 in Alabama. 00:36:14 My first circuit assignment was in Mississippi. 00:36:17 It had the reputation 00:36:20 as the worst state in the Union for race relations. 00:36:23 And then after we got there, there were three civil rights workers 00:36:27 who were killed in Philadelphia, Mississippi. 00:36:31 That was our circuit. 00:36:34 So those were the things we had to deal with. 00:36:39 We were busy in our ministry, 00:36:42 so it didn’t bother us very much. 00:36:45 The black worked the black, and the white worked the white. 00:36:50 So we just obeyed the customary law of staying segregated. 00:36:57 Lots of movements were happening, and people were, you know, very hostile. 00:37:03 When there was a march or any tension 00:37:05 where we were serving there in Alabama, 00:37:08 we wouldn’t go to the town on Saturday afternoon 00:37:11 to do street witnessing because if there was a rally 00:37:15 or something going on, we would just stay in the neighborhood. 00:37:18 A lot were what they used to call back then Freedom Riders, 00:37:22 people getting on buses going south, 00:37:24 and people coming in to register voters. 00:37:27 The fact is, some of the civil rights organizations 00:37:30 were set up in Mississippi and going pretty strong. 00:37:33 So as a result, they would think 00:37:36 that because we were active in going door to door, 00:37:38 we could just incorporate civil rights issues 00:37:41 and things like that into our work. 00:37:44 One of our classmates in the 27th class 00:37:48 was a black brother, a fellow student, 00:37:51 and we became very close friends there. 00:37:53 After we left Gilead, we were going to our assignments 00:37:57 and we stopped at a convention in Alabama. 00:38:00 And the convention was segregated 00:38:04 —one race on one side and one race on another. 00:38:07 And it was very difficult —painful— 00:38:10 for us not to be able to closely associate with our dear friend. 00:38:14 So we had this talk show on the television. 00:38:18 The circuit overseer and I went and also a Catholic priest 00:38:22 and an Episcopal minister. 00:38:24 So the Episcopal minister, a young minister, 00:38:27 asked what were we doing about the marching. 00:38:30 So I told him that we weren’t doing anything about the marching. 00:38:34 Well, that showed a contrast. 00:38:36 I’m black, and he’s white. 00:38:39 They weren’t stopping their marching to help us preach 00:38:42 the good news of the Kingdom, so we weren’t going to stop 00:38:44 preaching the good news of the Kingdom to help them march. 00:38:48 The brothers always were interested in each other. 00:38:53 So if there was a black congregation and a white congregation, 00:38:58 we had interest and fellow feeling for both. 00:39:02 The rule was we were not to meet together, and we couldn’t meet together. 00:39:06 But we could talk to one another, and we could visit one another. 00:39:10 So I think there was great support on both sides, 00:39:13 black and white brothers, back in those days. 00:39:17 If we had a problem getting a facility, for example, 00:39:20 they’d have contacts and they could get certain things done. 00:39:24 So, basically, we worked together. 00:39:27 The congregation started integrating 00:39:29 after certain civil rights laws were passed. 00:39:34 We had a big meeting of all the elders, 00:39:38 and we worked out the territory assignments 00:39:41 and whatever else was necessary 00:39:43 to have integrated congregations. 00:39:47 Some friends would feel, 00:39:49 and maybe rightly so at the time, 00:39:52 that there would be some violence if we integrated. 00:39:56 There probably were some Kingdom Halls damaged 00:39:59 and things like that as a result. 00:40:01 But the fact is, 00:40:03 there was integration going on in other places 00:40:06 —in the schools and things like that and in the universities and colleges. 00:40:10 And so it was obvious that if they could do it, then we even more so. 00:40:14 The process of integration 00:40:17 was successful 00:40:20 because it was under Jehovah’s direction. 00:40:23 Both black and white, 00:40:25 we had the same thing in common: 00:40:28 We loved Jehovah. 00:40:30 And despite us, 00:40:33 Jehovah got it done for us and brought us together. 00:40:38 And we have been unified ever since. 00:40:43 Everyone could see that we were united. 00:40:46 One brother was working from door to door, 00:40:49 black and white, and a lady came to the door (white), 00:40:53 and she said she was happy 00:40:56 to see this unity take place. 00:41:00 She had looked forward to it for a long time. 00:41:04 We have formed, with Jehovah’s help 00:41:07 by means of his holy spirit, 00:41:10 a worldwide brotherhood. 00:41:12 Granted, they have their imperfections, 00:41:15 but it is a brotherhood 00:41:17 and something to be truly marveled at. 00:41:21 The brothers began to feel 00:41:24 what we knew was true: 00:41:26 We’re all one organization. 00:41:30 They began to feel it. 00:41:31 They began to experience it. 00:41:33 We loved Jehovah, and we loved our brothers, 00:41:37 so there you have it. 00:41:40 How could you fail to have unity 00:41:43 when Jehovah had drawn you together? 00:41:49 Satan is the prime one to divide people. 00:41:52 Jesus died for the whole world of mankind, 00:41:57 so who would that exclude? 00:42:00 No one. 00:42:06 Did you notice what helped our brothers maintain unity 00:42:10 during that difficult time? 00:42:12 First: Despite prevailing customs, 00:42:16 our brothers —black and white— 00:42:20 supported each other, helped each other, 00:42:23 and worked together to advance Kingdom interests. 00:42:28 Second: They remained focused on the ministry 00:42:32 and did not get involved with social movements. 00:42:37 They wanted all to know that God’s Kingdom 00:42:40 is the only solution to mankind’s problems, 00:42:43 including the plague of prejudice 00:42:47 and racial inequality. 00:42:49 Third: They demonstrated love for Jehovah 00:42:54 and love for the brothers. 00:42:56 As Brother Benford said, 00:42:58 “How could you fail to have unity 00:43:02 when Jehovah had drawn you together?” 00:43:07 Impartiality, humility, 00:43:11 kindness—these are godly qualities 00:43:15 and childlike qualities 00:43:17 that our new music video illustrates. 00:43:31 Jesus kindly showed us That we must be as young ones, 00:43:41 Remembering that in a world of pride, We need a heart just like a child. 00:43:52 We value others, seeing what God sees through his impartial eyes. 00:44:01 Just like a child, we want to love one another, 00:44:14 With our eyes just seeing the good in each other. 00:44:24 Just like a child, we want to be full of kindness, 00:44:35 With our eyes not focused on what could divide us. 00:44:46 And as we’re getting older In a world that’s getting colder, 00:44:55 We easily could question others’ ways, Their motives, and the things they say. 00:45:07 And seeing others as above us is rare this day and age. 00:45:17 Just like a child, we want to love one another, 00:45:28 With our eyes just seeing the good in each other. 00:45:39 Just like a child, we want to be full of kindness, 00:45:50 With our eyes not focused on what could divide us. 00:46:00 Be just like a child. 00:46:07 While we keep growing, Serving Jehovah, 00:46:13 And finding joy in The part we’re playing, 00:46:19 We must remember That in a world of pride, 00:46:25 We need a heart like that of a child. 00:46:50 Just like a child, we want to love one another, 00:47:02 With our eyes just seeing the good in each other. 00:47:12 Just like a child, we want to be full of kindness, 00:47:23 With our eyes not focused on what could divide us. 00:47:33 Be just like a child. 00:47:41 What a beautiful song! 00:47:44 We need a childlike heart more than ever. 00:47:49 In many parts of the world, 00:47:52 it’s customary to judge people 00:47:54 on the basis of their race or age 00:47:57 or by how much money they have. 00:47:59 In our next segment, 00:48:01 we’ll hear from brothers and sisters 00:48:04 who have successfully resisted such influences. 00:48:20 I grew up in a country where people judge you according to the color of your skin. 00:48:25 There was black, white, mixed race, 00:48:28 but we all kept separate. 00:48:34 I needed to learn, not to see color, but to see people. 00:48:39 Even though it’s such a multicultural area, 00:48:43 there is still this prejudice that exists. 00:48:46 I’ve witnessed times where ones from another country 00:48:49 are often left isolated or are treated in a way that they’re not welcome here. 00:48:54 If we’re not careful, these attitudes could creep into the congregation. 00:48:58 We could have isolated groups 00:49:00 of cultures that maybe would stick together. 00:49:05 In the area where I grew up, 00:49:07 young ones show great respect for older ones. 00:49:11 Older ones, however, do not give much importance to young people. 00:49:18 This attitude, or culture, 00:49:20 has a major impact on recommendations of young ones as elders in the congregation. 00:49:25 We might say, ‘In my opinion, he is too young 00:49:29 to be appointed as an elder in the congregation.’ 00:49:34 In this area, people sort of open up to you when you appear rich. 00:49:39 In some areas, they would even wonder 00:49:41 what you are doing there if you don’t have the right kind of looks 00:49:45 in terms of what you can afford to wear, 00:49:47 what kind of car you can afford to drive, what your profession is. 00:49:51 If we brought that with us into the Christian congregation, 00:49:55 then what Solomon mentions 00:49:57 could be the case —that we actively seek the friendship 00:50:00 of those whom we regard to be rich and abandon those who are poor. 00:50:04 I like the example in Galatians of Peter. 00:50:07 He grew up in an area where there was a lot of prejudice. 00:50:11 It wasn’t something that he overcame straightaway. 00:50:14 If I’m not careful, I think it would be easy for me 00:50:17 to slide back and see people as a different race, 00:50:21 and that would affect the way I view my brothers and sisters in the congregation. 00:50:26 The article mentions that when we use the Bible, 00:50:30 it helps us to make changes. 00:50:33 We need to constantly look at ourselves 00:50:36 so that we can continue to make progress. 00:50:41 In the article, it mentioned about ‘opening our hearts wide’ 00:50:45 —whether it’d be working with them in the ministry 00:50:47 or having them over socially, 00:50:50 not just from the same group that we might be comfortable with, 00:50:53 but actually with different ones from different backgrounds. 00:50:58 Timothy was still a young man, but the apostle Paul 00:51:01 had given him heavy responsibility in the congregation. 00:51:05 The article mentions that ‘the Scriptures do not give an exact age 00:51:10 for recommendation of brothers as ministerial servants or elders.’ 00:51:22 Recommending a younger brother as an elder in the congregation 00:51:26 has been a great blessing to us. 00:51:31 In the article, there was a little phrase 00:51:34 that has become a guiding principle for me. 00:51:37 Jehovah does not judge our relationship with him 00:51:40 by what we possess. 00:51:42 So when I meet new brothers and sisters 00:51:45 and for a moment I’m tempted 00:51:48 to judge, or view, them 00:51:51 according to those sentiments as to whether they are rich or poor, 00:51:55 that principle comes into my mind. 00:51:57 My focus, therefore, shifts to who they really are 00:52:01 in terms of their devotion to Jehovah —their faith. 00:52:05 That is what we build friendships on. 00:52:08 I have friends from different cultures, different races. 00:52:11 And I don’t see them as color, 00:52:14 but I see my brother or my sister. 00:52:17 I’ve got the most amazing friendships 00:52:19 with ones from different backgrounds and cultures 00:52:22 —something I will always, always cherish. 00:52:31 So our congregation is a wonderful place for everybody. 00:52:37 There is no emphasis on who is rich and who is poor. 00:52:39 Friendships are built on the basis of our love for Jehovah. 00:53:01 This month’s program 00:53:03 encouraged us to be childlike. 00:53:07 We learned from the encouraging example 00:53:09 of servants of Jehovah in the past. 00:53:13 We saw that love for Jehovah 00:53:16 and our brothers unites us, 00:53:19 even during times of social unrest. 00:53:23 We were reminded that, like a child, 00:53:26 we want to be impartial, 00:53:29 loving, and kind. 00:53:33 And we heard expressions from brothers 00:53:35 who have learned to treat others fairly 00:53:37 no matter their race, age, 00:53:40 wealth, or anything else 00:53:43 that could divide them. 00:53:46 Now it’s time for our video postcard, 00:53:51 which comes to us from the Czech Republic, also called Czechia. 00:53:55 Czechia is a land 00:53:57 of deep forests, farmland, vineyards, 00:54:01 as well as medieval castles, towns, and cities. 00:54:05 Prague, the capital, was established more than a thousand years ago. 00:54:10 It has a rich religious history. 00:54:14 God’s name can be found on many churches 00:54:17 and structures. 00:54:19 Czechia is home to more than 15,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses. 00:54:24 There are 32 congregations in Prague. 00:54:28 This is the Prague-Dejvice Congregation, 00:54:31 which has 84 publishers, 00:54:34 including 13 regular pioneers. 00:54:37 Their territory is large and diverse. 00:54:40 They preach in the historic center of Prague 00:54:44 in neighborhoods, parks, and on university campuses. 00:54:49 The congregation includes a Spanish-speaking group, 00:54:52 with 12 publishers, 00:54:55 of which 8 are regular pioneers. 00:54:58 This group serves the entire city. 00:55:02 Zbynek and Jarmila Bucifal 00:55:06 helped to secretly produce Bible literature 00:55:10 during the Communist regime, 00:55:12 when the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses was banned. 00:55:16 Zbynek was forced 00:55:19 to work in a coal mine for remaining neutral 00:55:22 and refusing to serve in the military. 00:55:26 After the regime change, 00:55:29 he served as a circuit overseer. 00:55:33 Our brothers and sisters in the Prague-Dejvice Congregation 00:55:38 send their warm, loving greetings 00:55:42 to all of you. 00:55:45 Earlier, we showed you a preview 00:55:48 of this year’s “Always Rejoice!” conventions. 00:55:52 But would you like a glimpse of this year’s feature Bible drama, 00:55:56 which brings to life the story of courageous Nehemiah? 00:56:02 Please enjoy! 00:56:07 Far from Israel lived a Jew 00:56:10 whom the king of Persia 00:56:11 trusted with his life. 00:56:15 He believed his people were carrying 00:56:17 on pure worship in Jerusalem 00:56:19 —until one day . . . 00:56:25 The walls of Jerusalem are broken down, 00:56:29 and its gates have been burned with fire. 00:56:33 Most of the people ignore God’s Law. 00:56:48 Rebuilding the walls was only the beginning. 00:56:50 We have many powerful enemies. 00:56:53 I recommend we turn 00:56:55 the accusation of sedition against Nehemiah. 00:56:58 Nehemiah is far away in Shushan. 00:56:59 Who is going to tell him? 00:57:01 This is my province! 00:57:03 Out here, I decide what to do. 00:57:05 I have a right to live where I choose, 00:57:07 and so do you. 00:57:09 They would need help to face what 00:57:11 was about to come next. 00:57:12 Every man must find 00:57:14 his own joy, and I intend to find mine. 00:57:18 Why should you complain 00:57:19 when everyone else approves? 00:57:21 If we let mere threats 00:57:23 frighten us into stopping, they will have 00:57:24 achieved their goal. 00:57:25 Are you going to wait 00:57:26 until they start killing us? 00:57:28 We’re powerless to stop this. 00:57:34 Do remember me favorably, O my God. 00:57:42 We know you’ll enjoy the convention. 00:57:46 And it’s my pleasure to announce 00:57:49 that we’ll conclude the convention on Sunday 00:57:52 with a new original song. 00:57:54 The song and lyrics are now available 00:57:58 on jw.org®. 00:58:01 The Governing Body requests that everyone in the congregation 00:58:05 please practice the new song before going to the convention. 00:58:10 If someone in your congregation needs help to download the song, 00:58:15 please help them and practice with them. 00:58:19 Then together we’ll sing out 00:58:22 with all of our heart to Jehovah’s praise. 00:58:27 That brings this month’s program to an end. 00:58:31 Please know that the Governing Body loves 00:58:36 all of you brothers and sisters very much. 00:58:41 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:58:46 this is JW Broadcasting!