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00:00:02 Welcome to JW Broadcasting®. 00:00:05 This month, we’ll discuss something 00:00:08 that’s easy to talk about but difficult to do 00:00:12 —making wise decisions. 00:00:15 We’ll hear what wise choices Greg and Joren Harris made 00:00:19 as they raised their children. 00:00:21 We’ll also catch up with Enrique Torres, 00:00:24 a man who made great changes in his life, 00:00:27 and we’ll learn what helped him stick to those changes. 00:00:32 And the latest episode of Iron Sharpens Iron 00:00:35 will show us how to be adaptable in our ministry. 00:00:39 This is JW Broadcasting for April 2023! 00:01:03 The theme of this month’s program 00:01:05 is “Make Wise Decisions.” 00:01:08 And our discussion is based on Job 34:11. 00:01:13 Let’s read that together: 00:01:16 “For he [Jehovah] will reward a man 00:01:19 “according to what he does 00:01:21 and bring upon him the consequences of his ways.” 00:01:28 As highlighted in this scripture, 00:01:30 our actions are very important. 00:01:33 And our actions are usually the result 00:01:36 of decisions we make. 00:01:38 Some decisions are made after a lot of serious thought. 00:01:42 Others, though, are made very quickly. 00:01:46 But no matter how much thought goes into making a decision, 00:01:50 we need to recognize this basic fact: 00:01:54 Wise decisions bring positive rewards, 00:01:59 and wrong decisions can result in very negative consequences. 00:02:05 Of course, all of us want to make wise decisions. 00:02:08 But what are wise decisions? 00:02:12 Wise decisions are those that please our heavenly Father, Jehovah. 00:02:19 Most of us have already made some very good decisions. 00:02:22 These include the big decisions in life, 00:02:25 such as dedicating ourselves to Jehovah 00:02:28 and getting baptized 00:02:30 and deciding not to become involved 00:02:32 in the religious and political disputes of this world. 00:02:36 No doubt, before we made those major decisions, 00:02:40 we spent a lot of time praying about them 00:02:42 and seeking Jehovah’s direction. 00:02:45 And we’ve seen his blessing in our lives 00:02:48 because of these right decisions. 00:02:51 In this program, though, 00:02:53 we won’t be discussing such major decisions. 00:02:57 Rather, we’ll focus on decisions 00:03:00 that may be viewed by some as minor. 00:03:04 However, some of these 00:03:06 can lead to very serious consequences. 00:03:10 First, we’ll consider a Bible example 00:03:13 of a person who served Jehovah 00:03:15 and yet made some wrong decisions along the way. 00:03:19 We’ll analyze what caused this faithful servant 00:03:22 to make these wrong decisions. 00:03:25 Then we’ll consider what we need to do 00:03:29 in order to make wise decisions. 00:03:32 Finally, we’ll consider what we need to do 00:03:35 if we realize we’ve already made an unwise decision. 00:03:40 So to start, let’s discuss a faithful servant of Jehovah 00:03:45 who made some unwise decisions. 00:03:48 The example we have in mind 00:03:51 is that of King Jehoshaphat. 00:03:54 What was Jehovah’s view of King Jehoshaphat? 00:03:57 Let’s see the answer 00:03:59 at 2 Chronicles chapter 17 00:04:02 and verses 3 and 4: 00:04:05 “Jehovah continued with Jehoshaphat 00:04:08 “because he walked in the former ways of his forefather David 00:04:13 “and did not search for the Baals. 00:04:16 “For he searched for the God of his father 00:04:19 “and followed his commandment 00:04:21 and not the practices of Israel.” 00:04:25 That sounds like a wonderful commendation, doesn’t it? 00:04:29 Yes, Jehoshaphat was a faithful king. 00:04:33 He made the wise decision to worship Jehovah. 00:04:37 But even so, 00:04:39 he still made some very unwise decisions. 00:04:44 Let’s read about one of those unwise decisions 00:04:47 at 2 Chronicles 18:1: 00:04:53 “Jehoshaphat had riches and glory in abundance, 00:04:58 but he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.” 00:05:03 Yes, he made his son marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah. 00:05:08 Now, that was a very unwise decision. 00:05:10 Why? 00:05:12 Because Ahab had built a temple for Baal 00:05:16 and had even employed 850 false prophets. 00:05:21 Ahab was also married to wicked Queen Jezebel. 00:05:26 Who would want their child to marry into such a bad family? 00:05:31 What was Jehoshaphat thinking? 00:05:34 Why did he arrange for this marriage? 00:05:37 Perhaps he wanted to reunite the 12 tribes, 00:05:41 or he may have had some political and commercial motives 00:05:44 for wanting to have Ahab as an ally. 00:05:47 Even though we don’t know for sure the reason, 00:05:50 we do know there were consequences. 00:05:55 Because of this close relationship with Ahab, 00:05:58 Jehoshaphat felt obligated to support Ahab 00:06:02 in a war against the Syrians. 00:06:05 However, this led to yet another unwise decision. 00:06:10 As they were preparing for this battle, 00:06:13 Jehoshaphat asked for direction from one of Jehovah’s prophets. 00:06:18 Ahab, though, expressed his hatred for the prophet 00:06:22 and, after hearing the prophet’s message, 00:06:24 had him thrown into prison. 00:06:27 At that point, it was decision time for Jehoshaphat. 00:06:33 What did he decide to do? 00:06:36 Although he initially disagreed with Ahab, 00:06:39 he eventually joined him in the battle. 00:06:42 Jehoshaphat disregarded the warning from Jehovah. 00:06:46 But then this led him to still another unwise decision 00:06:51 —this time an incredibly foolish decision. 00:06:55 What happened? 00:06:57 Jehovah’s prophet had foretold 00:07:00 that the Israelites would lose their shepherd, or king, in battle. 00:07:04 So Ahab said that he would disguise himself 00:07:08 and not enter the battle dressed as a king. 00:07:12 He then said that Jehoshaphat should still dress like a king. 00:07:17 Now, just think about that for a moment. 00:07:20 Ahab was basically saying, 00:07:23 ‘You go out into battle with a target on your back, 00:07:27 and I’ll hide in disguise.’ 00:07:29 Really? 00:07:31 Jehoshaphat’s decision to agree to do that 00:07:34 was not only unwise but also foolish. 00:07:37 It nearly cost him his life. 00:07:40 So why would he do that? 00:07:43 Insight on the Scriptures says 00:07:45 that perhaps Jehoshaphat didn’t want “to go back 00:07:48 on his original promise to accompany Ahab.” 00:07:52 So maybe he would have lost face 00:07:54 if he backed out of the agreement at that point. 00:07:58 Although Jehoshaphat did survive the battle, 00:08:01 Jehovah sent another prophet to him 00:08:04 to say what’s recorded at 2 Chronicles 19:2: 00:08:10 “Is it the wicked you should be helping, 00:08:13 “and is it those who hate Jehovah you should love? 00:08:17 Because of this the indignation of Jehovah is against you.” 00:08:23 Although Jehovah acknowledged 00:08:25 the good things that Jehoshaphat had accomplished 00:08:27 in other aspects of his life, 00:08:30 Jehoshaphat clearly made some very unwise decisions. 00:08:35 What lessons do we learn from Jehoshaphat’s wrong decisions? 00:08:39 Lesson 1: 00:08:41 Just because we’ve done many good things in Jehovah’s service 00:08:46 doesn’t mean that we’ll always make wise decisions. 00:08:50 Lesson 2: 00:08:52 Making friendships with those who hate Jehovah 00:08:55 can put us under pressure to make other unwise decisions. 00:09:01 Lesson 3: 00:09:03 Even though we may seek Jehovah’s direction, 00:09:06 we must follow it if we want to make wise decisions. 00:09:11 Lesson 4: 00:09:13 If we realize that we’ve made an unwise decision, 00:09:17 don’t keep going in the same course. 00:09:20 Stop and change direction. 00:09:24 These lessons can be summarized 00:09:26 in the words of Proverbs 22:3. 00:09:29 There we’re told: 00:09:31 “The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, 00:09:36 “but the inexperienced keep right on going 00:09:39 and suffer the consequences.” 00:09:43 Yes, we need to see the possible consequences of wrong decisions 00:09:48 and then take action to avoid them. 00:09:51 What were some of the consequences 00:09:53 of Jehoshaphat’s unwise decisions? 00:09:57 It nearly cost him his life. 00:10:00 His oldest son died an apostate. 00:10:03 And later, his daughter-in-law Athaliah 00:10:06 killed all the heirs to the throne except one baby 00:10:09 and set herself up as queen of Judah. 00:10:14 But you might be thinking, 00:10:17 ‘Still, Jehovah viewed Jehoshaphat as a good king.’ 00:10:20 Yes, he did. 00:10:22 And it’s encouraging for us to know 00:10:24 that even if we have made some unwise decisions, 00:10:28 it’s possible that Jehovah may still view us as his faithful servants. 00:10:34 Does that mean, then, that our decisions are not so important? 00:10:40 The Watchtower back in 1980 00:10:42 made this interesting comparison. 00:10:45 It used an illustration of two ship captains. 00:10:49 One skillfully maneuvered his ship through a storm, 00:10:53 bringing the vessel and his crew safely to shore. 00:10:57 But the other captain made unwise decisions, 00:11:01 and because of that, he experienced shipwreck 00:11:06 during the same storm, saving only his life. 00:11:08 While both captains escaped with their lives, 00:11:12 the one whose ship remained intact 00:11:15 would certainly enjoy greater happiness and honor, wouldn’t he? 00:11:20 It’s obvious which captain Jehoshaphat was like. 00:11:24 Unlike Jehoshaphat, 00:11:26 surely we’d prefer to be like the successful captain 00:11:31 —the one whose ship remained intact. 00:11:35 How can we make sure that we are like the successful captain? 00:11:40 Back in 2011, the April Watchtower 00:11:44 had a special chart entitled “Steps to Making Good Decisions.” 00:11:50 It listed these steps in making wise decisions: 00:11:55 (1) Avoid being presumptuous. 00:12:00 (2) Do research. 00:12:03 (3) Pray for wisdom. 00:12:06 (4) Make the decision. 00:12:09 (5) Implement the decision. 00:12:12 But then there was an additional step: 00:12:14 (6) Review and adjust. 00:12:19 Why is step 6 listed? 00:12:22 Well, from time to time, 00:12:24 we need to review decisions we’ve already made. 00:12:28 As we do so, perhaps we’ll come to realize 00:12:32 that some of them were not the best decisions. 00:12:36 Can you still be like the successful captain? 00:12:39 Yes, you can! 00:12:41 How? 00:12:42 If you courageously make the needed adjustments. 00:12:47 We must acknowledge that not all decisions 00:12:49 work out exactly as we had planned. 00:12:52 As Ecclesiastes 9:11 reminds us, 00:12:56 “time and unexpected events overtake [us] all.” 00:13:01 So, what should we do if that’s the case? 00:13:04 The same Watchtower of 2011 00:13:07 answers that question for us. 00:13:10 After saying that Jehovah expects us to live up to such decisions 00:13:14 as our dedication and our marriage vows, 00:13:18 it went on to say: 00:13:20 “Most decisions, though, are less weighty. 00:13:24 “A wise person will from time to time 00:13:27 “review the decisions he has made. 00:13:31 “He will not let pride or stubbornness 00:13:33 “prevent him from adjusting 00:13:35 “or even reversing a decision. 00:13:38 “His prime concern is to make sure 00:13:41 that his life course continues to honor God.” 00:13:46 Thinking back to the illustration of the two captains, 00:13:49 at times they may need to reverse a former unwise decision. 00:13:55 That happened during a hurricane back in 1889. 00:14:01 The captain of the British ship Calliope 00:14:04 was anchored in the harbor in Apia, Western Samoa, 00:14:09 when a hurricane started blowing. 00:14:12 Initially, he decided, like all the other captains in the harbor, 00:14:16 to weather the storm where he was. 00:14:19 But as the waves grew in height and the dangers increased, 00:14:24 the captain realized he had made the wrong decision. 00:14:27 What did he do? 00:14:30 He courageously reversed his decision 00:14:33 and headed out to open sea. 00:14:36 It was difficult, but ultimately 00:14:39 he saved himself, 00:14:41 his ship, and the 250 sailors on board. 00:14:46 This bold act of courage entered him into the annals of naval history. 00:14:52 To be like that courageous captain, 00:14:55 at times we need to prayerfully reexamine our past decisions. 00:15:00 These could be decisions about our employment, 00:15:04 entertainment, education, or even where we live. 00:15:08 When we made the original decisions, 00:15:11 they may have seemed wise to us. 00:15:14 But do they still seem that way now? 00:15:18 If we see the dangerous winds of bad consequences 00:15:22 and the frightening waves of disaster approaching 00:15:25 because our decisions were not completely in harmony with Jehovah’s will, 00:15:29 what should we do? 00:15:31 Be like the wise captain. 00:15:34 Don’t worry about losing face. 00:15:36 Be courageous! 00:15:38 Pray for Jehovah’s help, and then take bold action. 00:15:42 Make the changes you need to make 00:15:44 in order to continue to please Jehovah. 00:15:47 In this way, you’ll make the wise decision 00:15:51 —the one that leads to success, 00:15:53 the one that Jehovah will bless. 00:15:58 One thing that will help us make wise decisions 00:16:02 is to remember the big picture, 00:16:05 not just what happens today, 00:16:07 but how this will affect our future. 00:16:10 In other words, don’t just think of now 00:16:15 —think of forever. 00:16:17 That’s the theme of our music video for this month. 00:16:29 In this world, it can be hard— Not just to follow your heart— 00:16:36 To be diff’rent and do what’s right. 00:16:45 But Jehovah tells us in his Word: ‘Don’t be molded by this world.’ 00:16:53 He promises life in Paradise. 00:17:00 So stand tall; give your all. 00:17:08 Jehovah’s right there with you; he won’t let you fall. 00:17:16 And pray ev’ry day 00:17:23 To climb those mountains out there standing in your way. 00:17:31 Oh, don’t live for today; live for forever. 00:17:47 They will try and offer fame— Put a spotlight on your name, 00:17:54 Raise you up for all to see. 00:18:04 But rather than strive after wind, Jehovah says reach out to him. 00:18:11 He promises life in Paradise. 00:18:18 So stand tall; give your all. 00:18:26 Jehovah’s right there with you; he won’t let you fall. 00:18:34 And pray ev’ry day 00:18:42 To climb those mountains out there standing in your way. 00:18:49 Oh, don’t live for today; live for forever. 00:19:14 So stand tall; give your all. 00:19:22 Jehovah’s right there with you; he won’t let you fall. 00:19:30 And pray ev’ry day 00:19:37 To climb those mountains out there standing in your way. 00:19:45 Oh, don’t live for today; live for forever. 00:20:09 No matter how long we’ve been serving Jehovah 00:20:12 or what changes we face in life, 00:20:14 we can always keep our hope of living forever. 00:20:18 Reflecting on this hope 00:20:20 can help us make wise decisions at any stage in life. 00:20:25 Earlier we discussed that, at times, 00:20:28 we need to review a decision we made previously. 00:20:32 In our next segment, 00:20:34 a family decides to move to a foreign-language field. 00:20:38 Does this prove to be a wise decision for them? 00:20:42 Let’s see how things turn out. 00:20:57 Hey, you. 00:20:58 Are you ready? 00:21:15 The Haitian community in our area was growing, 00:21:21 and a new Haitian Creole congregation was formed nearby. 00:21:26 We checked out their territory 00:21:28 and saw that they needed a lot of help. 00:21:32 “Step on over.” 00:21:36 So should we do this? 00:21:37 I’ve been praying for more studies. 00:21:39 I think this might just be my answer. 00:21:41 Yeah? 00:21:42 I’m in. 00:21:43 Good. Then as soon as we get home, we can pray about it. 00:21:49 Our new language was exciting. 00:21:53 We spent every spare second we had 00:21:56 trying to get better. 00:22:02 We had so much joy, 00:22:04 but we had challenges too. 00:22:30 Nicolas, 00:22:32 Nicolas, 00:22:36 could you read the next paragraph for us, please? 00:22:40 Yeah, sorry. Where are we? 00:22:51 Our study was so nice today, wasn’t it, Nicolas? 00:22:55 It was. 00:22:57 And yet again, I was totally lost. 00:23:01 We didn’t realize that Nico just wasn’t finding 00:23:04 the same joy as us. 00:23:08 To help Nico, we did a few more things in our language. 00:23:14 Besides family worship, 00:23:16 we attended one meeting a month 00:23:18 with our old congregation. 00:23:21 Well, honestly, I’m a little worried about Nico. 00:23:24 He’s having a tough time adapting to our new congregation. 00:23:27 Hmm, I get it. 00:23:29 You know, back when we first joined a foreign-language congregation, 00:23:32 everything was fun and new. 00:23:34 But after a little while, 00:23:36 we noticed that our kids had lost their enthusiasm. 00:23:40 They were still hearing about Jehovah, 00:23:42 but, honestly, they weren’t learning because it wasn’t in their language. 00:23:45 Is that why you moved back? 00:23:47 It was. 00:23:48 But every family is different. 00:23:50 We each have to decide what’s best for our own. 00:23:53 Thanks, that’s true. 00:23:56 I found the perfect article 00:23:58 to help us decide what to do. 00:24:01 It mentioned the example of Daniel. 00:24:04 He had to speak different languages every day, 00:24:07 but he made sure to study in Hebrew, his language. 00:24:14 The article mentioned Psalm 119:11: 00:24:18 “In my heart I treasure up your saying.” 00:24:23 For Nico to treasure God’s Word in his heart, 00:24:27 we felt he needed even more guidance 00:24:30 in the language of his heart. 00:24:35 The truth is, 00:24:37 when I’m at the meeting in my language, it’s different. 00:24:39 I don’t have to think a lot just to understand what I’m hearing. 00:24:42 Well, I think it’s clear what’s best for our family. 00:24:45 It is. 00:24:46 But what about your students? 00:24:48 It’s OK, Nico. We’ll find a way to help them. 00:24:51 The language we’re immersed in every day is the language of your heart. 00:24:54 So it’s best for you to keep growing spiritually 00:24:57 in that same language. 00:25:01 It was the best decision 00:25:03 in order for Nico to stay close to Jehovah. 00:25:08 But we did miss the Haitian Creole field. 00:25:12 So a few years later . . . 00:25:15 Are you ready? 00:25:16 I’m a little nervous, but I think I’m ready. 00:25:23 We decided it was the right time 00:25:25 to move back. 00:25:29 We’re so glad our decision helped Nico 00:25:33 build a solid foundation 00:25:35 for his faith and his future. 00:25:41 How encouraging it was to be reminded 00:25:44 that when we make a decision, 00:25:46 we can always make adjustments later! 00:25:49 Have you ever made a decision that seemed wise at first, 00:25:54 but then over time, as things changed in your life, 00:25:58 didn’t seem so good? 00:26:00 Maybe you felt, ‘I’ll be a failure if I leave this assignment.’ 00:26:05 Remember, our primary concern 00:26:08 must be to make sure that our life course continues to honor God. 00:26:14 Have the courage to consider making a change 00:26:17 if your circumstances have changed. 00:26:21 Greg and Joren Harris raised their children to love Jehovah. 00:26:26 What decisions did they make along the way? 00:26:31 When a person makes a sacrifice, 00:26:33 they give up something 00:26:35 for something that they consider 00:26:37 is of higher value. 00:26:38 What kind of a price tag can you put 00:26:41 on your child’s love for Jehovah? 00:26:46 What kind of a price tag can you put 00:26:48 on serving Jehovah whole-souled as a family? 00:26:53 When I found out that we were going to have a family, 00:26:57 it was overwhelming for me. 00:26:59 When you come into the truth— 00:27:01 We weren’t Witnesses when I was a child. 00:27:04 Sometimes you’re exposed to things that leave you with baggage, 00:27:09 leave you unsure of yourself. 00:27:11 You need constant reassurance that you’re going to be OK, 00:27:16 that you can take care of any situation that comes along. 00:27:21 My dad—he gave me all I needed. 00:27:24 He loved me so much. 00:27:26 I would take my mother’s knitting yarn, 00:27:28 and I would tie it to his door handle after he went to sleep. 00:27:31 And I would run it across the hall to my bedroom 00:27:33 and tie it to my big toe 00:27:35 so that when he opened his door in the morning, 00:27:37 I would wake up and I could be with him. 00:27:39 That love that I had for my dad 00:27:43 —I wanted them to love Jehovah that much. 00:27:46 I wanted a string tied around their hearts right to Jehovah 00:27:51 so that he was the one motivating them 00:27:53 and he was the one waking them up spiritually every day. 00:27:58 I loved to teach the children things, 00:28:01 and I would do it at any available moment. 00:28:04 And then, of course, at night, as a family 00:28:06 (usually on our bed), we would read our Bible together. 00:28:09 It was the glue that kept us tied to Jehovah 00:28:14 and kept us tied to each other. 00:28:17 In Judges 7, Gideon said: 00:28:20 “Watch me and do . . . what I do.” 00:28:23 So I knew that if we wanted the children to live the truth, 00:28:29 we had to live it with them. 00:28:32 It couldn’t be something that we just taught them. 00:28:35 We had to live our life of service to Jehovah with them. 00:28:41 Jesus said that obviously we ‘can’t slave for two masters.’ 00:28:46 And I’ve tried to do that and, believe me, it does not work. 00:28:51 Like any father, I wanted to have a home for my family. 00:28:55 My profession was building houses, 00:28:58 but that cost me my pioneering. 00:29:02 And so I decided 00:29:04 I had to quit building houses. 00:29:06 So I did. 00:29:07 I started to do remodel jobs. 00:29:10 And we looked for a place that we could afford 00:29:12 that would sustain us in the full-time service, 00:29:15 and Jehovah provided exactly what we needed. 00:29:20 One of the highlights of raising the children 00:29:23 was the annual visits to unassigned territory. 00:29:27 The success in the ministry was phenomenal. 00:29:30 So we decided as a family 00:29:33 to take on the challenge of learning Spanish. 00:29:36 We had a large Spanish-speaking population 00:29:39 in our territory and in the surrounding territories, 00:29:43 and there was no group or congregation to help them. 00:29:47 When we would go out of the country to preach, we would often stay 00:29:52 with family members of our Bible students 00:29:54 or our brothers and sisters in these countries, 00:29:57 in some very humble surroundings, 00:30:01 and we took advantage 00:30:03 of the hospitality that they offered us 00:30:05 because we wanted to live the culture with them. 00:30:09 It just opened our eyes to a world that we never knew existed. 00:30:16 Our family was able to progress 00:30:21 and flourish spiritually 00:30:24 because of a concentrated effort by Joren and me. 00:30:28 She’s been there to fill in all of the cracks. 00:30:30 He always made it so easy to love him, 00:30:36 to love the children, and to really focus on spiritual things. 00:30:40 When we pray to Jehovah, 00:30:43 thinking about our family being able to serve him like this, 00:30:47 we just say thank you. 00:30:49 We just try in some way to express how deeply we feel 00:30:54 about this privilege that we have 00:30:56 to be with Kaarsten and Kjersti and Andrea and Dhimo. 00:31:01 We don’t deserve 00:31:03 any of these blessings from Jehovah, 00:31:06 but somehow he’s blessed our efforts, 00:31:10 and he’s given us an opportunity to smile 00:31:13 and reflect on all of the things that he’s done for us. 00:31:17 And what can we do to repay Jehovah 00:31:20 but just keep going, keep trying, 00:31:23 and keep moving forward until we’re on the other side? 00:31:30 Thank you, Brother and Sister Harris , 00:31:32 for sharing your experience in such a heartfelt way. 00:31:36 You decided to put spiritual things first in your children’s lives 00:31:40 and gave them the chance to have a friendship with Jehovah. 00:31:46 What happens to us in childhood 00:31:48 can shape who we become as adults, 00:31:51 for better or for worse. 00:31:55 If we don’t like who we are now, we can change, 00:32:00 as we’ll see in the latest installment of Where Are They Now? 00:32:14 Hello, who is it? 00:32:16 Hey, hi. How are you? 00:32:18 OK, come on up. 00:32:20 My name is Enrique Torres, Jr. 00:32:22 I live on Staten Island, New York, 00:32:26 and I have the privilege to serve in the Mid-Island Congregation. 00:32:42 The first 40 years of my life were mired 00:32:47 in a lifestyle that was horrendous. 00:32:51 A judge stated that I had 00:32:53 a “propensity for criminality.” 00:32:58 No doubt, he was describing a vicious person. 00:33:08 As a youth, I was hanging around with the wrong kind of people 00:33:12 that led me into a life of crime 00:33:15 and debauchery. 00:33:18 This captain in our prison came up 00:33:21 with a psychological plan 00:33:23 to take the individuals that had the potential for leadership 00:33:28 and put them in isolation. 00:33:31 I wound up to be among them. 00:33:34 Can you imagine, they were getting beat up? 00:33:39 It was becoming too much for me —the screams and so forth. 00:33:43 I said, “If this continues, I’m not going to survive here.” 00:33:51 I did get in contact with my father 00:33:54 and he told me: 00:33:56 “Never forget Jehovah. 00:33:57 That is his name.” 00:34:01 And that’s all I got out of it. 00:34:04 I knew that there was nobody that could help me but God. 00:34:08 So that’s when I found myself in prayer to Jehovah. 00:34:13 I vowed that I would make it my business to learn more about him 00:34:17 than just his name. 00:34:18 At that time, that’s all I knew. 00:34:21 I got some literature; I got the Bible too. 00:34:25 Jehovah became more meaningful to me. 00:34:28 That’s when he became real to me. 00:34:32 That was the first 40 years of my life. 00:34:35 But the last 40 years of my life 00:34:38 with Jehovah’s training from his organization, 00:34:41 my personality—it was transformed. 00:34:46 The blessings that I have received 00:34:48 have been in the area of my field service 00:34:51 and also my teaching ability, 00:34:54 which has helped me to be able to draw closer to Jehovah. 00:34:59 I was privileged to become a ministerial servant for many years 00:35:04 and a field service overseer for many more years. 00:35:09 One of the main challenges that I’m facing is 00:35:14 that I have developed cancer 00:35:18 and have gone through four cancer operations 00:35:22 and also some chemotherapy. 00:35:24 Without relying upon Jehovah to help me 00:35:28 to overcome these challenges, 00:35:31 there’s no doubt in my mind that I never would have been able to make it. 00:35:38 I would recommend to avoid that trap that I fell into 00:35:42 —hanging around with street gangs 00:35:45 and then getting involved in burglaries and robberies. 00:35:50 It’s a progression. 00:35:52 It was not anything of value at all. 00:35:56 Instead, what it brought me was a lot of grief, 00:36:00 mental scars, and also a lot of trouble with my conscience. 00:36:07 Study God’s Word, the Bible, so that you may be able 00:36:10 to see what Jehovah has in store for the future. 00:36:15 And also, you’ll be able to see that he’s a kind, merciful, loving God 00:36:19 that doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed but wants them to have life. 00:36:25 Parents, never give up on your children. 00:36:29 Jehovah never gave up on me. 00:36:33 He rescued me from this spiritual darkness that I was in, 00:36:38 and he brought me into his light 00:36:42 and to his wonderful organization. 00:36:45 And I give him all the credit for that. 00:36:49 And when I speak to people, that’s what I tell them. 00:36:51 I tell them: “It wasn’t me. 00:36:53 “It was Jehovah that has done all of this, 00:36:56 and he could do that for you too if you give him an opportunity.” 00:37:05 Early in life, Enrique’s poor choice of friends 00:37:09 led him to make many other bad decisions. 00:37:13 But in his 40’s, he decided to get to know Jehovah. 00:37:18 What a good reminder 00:37:20 that we can continue to make changes later on in life! 00:37:24 And you parents, please keep in mind 00:37:27 that the seeds of truth you planted in your children’s hearts 00:37:31 can move them to make good decisions later, 00:37:34 even as adults. 00:37:37 Some of our decisions may seem small, 00:37:41 yet they can have a powerful effect on our brotherhood. 00:37:45 In the next video, Brother Robert Luccioni 00:37:49 discusses how our response to someone 00:37:52 can make peace or break it. 00:37:57 So our Scripture text for today 00:37:59 discusses the qualities needed 00:38:01 “to walk worthily” 00:38:03 and in a way that pleases Jehovah. 00:38:05 Now, you notice our Scripture text, 00:38:09 Ephesians 4:1, is only a partial sentence. 00:38:12 Let’s read the entire sentence, which takes in verses 1-3. 00:38:16 Ephesians 4:1-3—he says: 00:38:20 “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, 00:38:22 “appeal to you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 00:38:26 “with all humility and mildness, with patience, 00:38:30 “putting up with one another in love, 00:38:32 “earnestly endeavoring to maintain the oneness of the spirit 00:38:36 in the uniting bond of peace.” 00:38:39 So here the apostle Paul links ‘walking worthily’ with unity, 00:38:44 and you notice the qualities that are needed to do that. 00:38:47 He says that we need ‘humility, mildness, and patience.’ 00:38:52 Now, this is not the only time that the apostle Paul 00:38:55 links these three qualities with being in unity. 00:38:57 We may remember Colossians 3:12, 00:39:01 and it tells us to “clothe [ourselves] with . . . 00:39:03 humility, mildness, and patience.” 00:39:06 Why? 00:39:07 So that we can “continue putting up with one another.” 00:39:10 So why are these qualities so essential to peace and to unity? 00:39:14 Well, what do the Scriptures say about them? 00:39:16 Well, perhaps we think of the scripture 00:39:18 at Philippians 2:3, 4, which says: 00:39:21 “Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, 00:39:24 but with humility consider others superior to you.” 00:39:27 See, that brings about peace and unity. 00:39:29 Or Proverbs 15:1: 00:39:32 “A mild answer turns away rage.” 00:39:36 Or Proverbs 25:15: 00:39:38 “By patience a commander is won over.” 00:39:42 See, humility, mildness, patience 00:39:46 —these qualities are so vital 00:39:48 for taking tension out of a situation 00:39:51 and allowing for humility and unity and peace. 00:39:56 Now, there are many accounts in the Bible that illustrate this fact, 00:39:59 and we’re going to consider just one 00:40:01 —that of the Ephraimites and Gideon. 00:40:04 If you look in your Bibles in Judges chapters 6 and 7, 00:40:07 it sets out the account of Gideon going against the Midianites. 00:40:11 We remember that in response to Jehovah’s direction, 00:40:14 Gideon won against Midian 00:40:16 —first with 32,000 men 00:40:18 and then finally weeded down to only 300 men. 00:40:21 Now, if you look in your Bibles, the Study Bible map B6 00:40:25 helps us to visualize the strategy 00:40:28 that Gideon used with Jehovah’s direction. 00:40:31 Now, the Midianites 00:40:33 gathered near the hill of Moreh, 00:40:35 and you can see that here on the map. 00:40:38 And if you look at Judges 6:34, 00:40:41 we’re reminded 00:40:42 that “Jehovah’s spirit came upon Gideon.” 00:40:45 So here he’s operating under Jehovah’s spirit. 00:40:48 So, what did he do? 00:40:49 First off, he calls on the tribes of Manasseh, 00:40:52 Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali to assist. 00:40:55 And that makes sense 00:40:56 because you can see where those tribes were 00:40:58 in relation to where the fighting was going to be. 00:41:01 Then at Judges 7:22, 00:41:03 Gideon’s initial attack 00:41:05 threw the Midianites into confusion. 00:41:07 And so the Midianites 00:41:09 fled south toward Abel-meholah. 00:41:12 Verse 23 of chapter 7 says 00:41:14 that he then calls on Naphtali, 00:41:16 Asher, and Manasseh 00:41:18 to chase after them and push them 00:41:20 toward the south, further south. 00:41:22 And you can see the logic in that. 00:41:25 But then in an excellent strategy 00:41:28 in verses 24 and 25, to head them off, 00:41:30 he also calls on Ephraim 00:41:33 to capture the waters as far as Beth-barah 00:41:35 and block their escape, and they do. 00:41:37 And they’re successful; 00:41:39 the two main princes of Midian are killed. 00:41:42 It’s victory —an excellent strategy— 00:41:45 one of the greatest and most courageous 00:41:48 and bravest battles in the Bible. 00:41:49 In fact, interestingly, 00:41:51 there’s no record ever again 00:41:53 of the Midianites bothering Jehovah’s people 00:41:55 after this victory. 00:41:57 Can you imagine having a share in that project, 00:42:00 how excited you would be? 00:42:02 Well, not everybody was. 00:42:04 Look at Judges 8:1; 00:42:08 it says: “Then the men of Ephraim said to him [to Gideon]: 00:42:12 “‘What have you done to us? 00:42:14 “Why did you not call us when you went to fight against Midian?’ 00:42:17 And they quarreled bitterly with him.” 00:42:20 What was Ephraim’s problem? 00:42:22 Well, they felt they should have been involved earlier 00:42:25 or that perhaps the situation should have been handled differently. 00:42:28 ‘Why weren’t we involved? Why didn’t you call us? 00:42:30 ‘We didn’t know anything that was going on. 00:42:32 Then we had to drop everything and come and bail you out.’ 00:42:36 Well, did Ephraim have humility, mildness, and patience? 00:42:40 Well, far from it. 00:42:42 And it was disrupting unity. 00:42:44 Now, how did Gideon respond? 00:42:46 Now, we remember, Gideon had Jehovah’s spirit 00:42:49 and he had an excellent strategy 00:42:51 that led to an outstanding victory for Jehovah. 00:42:53 How did he respond? 00:42:55 Well, look at verses 2 and 3. 00:42:57 It says: “But he said to them: ‘What have I done compared with you? 00:43:02 “‘Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer? 00:43:07 “‘It was into your hand 00:43:09 “‘that God gave Midian’s princes Oreb and Zeeb, 00:43:13 “and what have I done compared with you?’ 00:43:15 When he spoke this way, they calmed down.” 00:43:19 You see, Gideon showed humility, 00:43:22 mildness, and patience. 00:43:24 The result? 00:43:24 Everyone calmed down, 00:43:26 and Gideon was able to get on with Jehovah’s work at hand. 00:43:30 Now, we contrast that to the next time that the Ephraimites pulled the same trick, 00:43:35 as recorded in Judges chapter 12. 00:43:37 There you remember that they accused Jephthah 00:43:40 of not calling them into battle—same story. 00:43:43 What did Jephthah do? 00:43:44 Well, he says: ‘Well, I did call you into battle, 00:43:46 and you didn’t come, so I just did it myself.’ 00:43:48 The next thing you know, they’re fighting among themselves, 00:43:50 completely distracted from carrying on Jehovah’s work. 00:43:54 What’s the lesson? 00:43:56 Well, the lesson is that things happen at times 00:43:59 that make peace go away. 00:44:02 Sometimes brothers in the congregation, 00:44:04 at Bethel, on a construction site 00:44:07 may react like Ephraimites. 00:44:10 Sometimes we react like Ephraimites. 00:44:13 ‘Why didn’t you ask my opinion? 00:44:15 ‘I was supposed to be involved in this. 00:44:17 ‘Why did you call me last minute when you knew you needed this two weeks ago, 00:44:20 and now I have to drop everything and help you out.’ 00:44:23 See, that happens; we’re only human. 00:44:26 Well, when it happens, how will we react? 00:44:30 You see, unity is more important than who is right and who is wrong, 00:44:34 and Gideon understood that simple truth. 00:44:37 And unity is so important today. 00:44:41 There was an interesting, beautiful Watchtower article 00:44:44 in 2014, December 15, and the article was entitled 00:44:48 “Facing the End of This Old World Together.” 00:44:50 And it stated this; it said: 00:44:53 “One of the darkest periods in human history nears. . . . 00:44:57 For God’s people, it will be a time for unity.” 00:45:02 It goes on to say: 00:45:03 “During the coming time of trouble for this system, 00:45:06 we will have to be truly united.” 00:45:09 So let me ask you, 00:45:11 Do you think it’s any coincidence 00:45:13 that here, where we are in the stream of time, 00:45:15 that we see Jehovah pulling his organization 00:45:19 closer and closer together in unity? 00:45:21 Is it any coincidence that we hear over and over again 00:45:25 of the need for peace and for unity? 00:45:27 No! 00:45:28 You see, as this world gets more and more divided, 00:45:30 fragmented, fighting, 00:45:33 we need to pull tighter and tighter together in unity. 00:45:36 And that requires that all of us 00:45:38 work on these beautiful qualities 00:45:40 of humility, mildness, and patience. 00:45:44 And when there’s a lack of unity, what do we have to do? 00:45:46 Well, we have to look at ourselves. 00:45:48 You see, generally we find 00:45:51 that the problem is me; it’s us. 00:45:54 Maybe we weren’t consulted as soon as we should have been. 00:45:58 Or maybe our idea of how the work or this thing should be done 00:46:02 wasn’t shared by others. 00:46:04 But in the grand scheme of things, does it really make a difference? 00:46:08 And many times when we look at a situation afterward 00:46:11 and we pull back unemotionally, 00:46:13 we generally find that, well, maybe our idea was pretty good, 00:46:17 but the timing wasn’t good. 00:46:19 Or maybe it wasn’t that great of an idea after all. 00:46:22 Or maybe there was more than one way for this thing to be handled. 00:46:26 Or perhaps Jehovah’s spirit 00:46:29 was leading things in a different direction. 00:46:32 Well, again, what can help us to not be an obstacle to unity? 00:46:37 Humility, mildness, patience 00:46:39 —just what we were considering in Ephesians chapter 4. 00:46:42 You see, we have to have the confidence 00:46:44 that if it’s important to Jehovah, it’ll happen. 00:46:48 And if not, what a shame it would be 00:46:50 if we become an obstacle to unity 00:46:53 over something that’s not that important to Jehovah! 00:46:57 You see, brothers and sisters, we need the “Gideons” 00:47:01 to help us in our support of the Governing Body. 00:47:04 Gideon was such a beautiful example. 00:47:06 Once he understood Jehovah’s direction, 00:47:09 he was willing to run into the fire for Jehovah and for his organization. 00:47:14 That’s what we need. We need “Gideons.” 00:47:16 We don’t need any more “Ephraimites.” 00:47:19 So in harmony with today’s text, 00:47:21 may each one of us walk worthily in these last days 00:47:25 and work on the qualities of humility, mildness, and patience. 00:47:29 And if we do, we will be a uniting force for good 00:47:34 and of Gideonlike value to Jehovah and the organization 00:47:38 in the troublesome days ahead. 00:47:41 When we’re humble and add to the peace of the congregation, 00:47:46 we make Jehovah happy. 00:47:49 As Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:47:51 we cherish our privilege to share the good news with others. 00:47:55 What can help us be adaptable in our ministry? 00:48:00 Please enjoy the latest installment 00:48:03 of Iron Sharpens Iron. 00:48:07 Hi, I am Michalis, and this is “Iron Sharpens Iron.” 00:48:21 One challenge that often makes me nervous 00:48:24 is when I’ve prepared an introduction 00:48:26 and I’ve planned the conversation 00:48:28 but the householder doesn’t follow the plan 00:48:32 and I have to adapt. 00:48:34 Have you ever had that experience? 00:48:37 This could mean that what we prepared just won’t work. 00:48:42 So we are going to discuss four tips 00:48:45 that have helped me and hopefully 00:48:48 will help you be more adaptable. 00:48:52 The four tips are 00:48:54 (1) know your territory, 00:48:58 (2) make use of the Teaching Toolbox, 00:49:03 (3) anticipate 00:49:06 common objections or questions, 00:49:09 and (4) be flexible 00:49:12 and adjust to the householder’s needs, 00:49:15 because remember, this is meant to be a conversation, 00:49:20 not a sermon or a sales pitch. 00:49:25 Now, let’s look at a situation 00:49:27 where applying these four suggestions can help. 00:49:36 So, what introduction are you using? 00:49:38 I thought I would talk about economic problems. 00:49:41 Mm. Good idea! 00:49:43 It really suits the territory. 00:49:44 Thanks. 00:49:46 I’ll read Isaiah 65:21-23 and then offer the Kingdom tract. 00:49:51 Perfect. 00:49:52 I’ll get the scripture ready. 00:49:54 Excellent. 00:50:06 Good morning. 00:50:08 Many people in our area struggle to make ends meet. 00:50:12 Do you think there will ever be a time 00:50:14 when we won’t have to stress about money? 00:50:16 Actually, now isn’t a good time. 00:50:19 I just received some bad news. 00:50:22 I’m sorry. 00:50:24 We’ll come back another time then. 00:50:26 Thank you. 00:50:32 OK. 00:50:34 Our sister applied our first two tips really well. 00:50:38 But our sisters are usually excellent when it comes to the ministry 00:50:42 so no real surprises there. 00:50:45 Did you notice? 00:50:47 First, she knew her territory well 00:50:50 and had a presentation designed specifically for it. 00:50:55 Second, her scripture and talking point 00:50:59 were taken from the tract What Is the Kingdom of God?, 00:51:03 which, as you know, is part of our Teaching Toolbox. 00:51:07 However, when the householder had something else on her mind, 00:51:12 our sister opted to return later. 00:51:15 That could be a good decision in this kind of situation, 00:51:19 but let’s see what would happen 00:51:22 if she were to ask just one more question 00:51:25 and adapt according to the householder’s response. 00:51:31 Actually, now isn’t a good time. 00:51:34 I just received some bad news. 00:51:37 I’m sorry. 00:51:39 Is there anything we can do to help? 00:51:42 No. 00:51:44 I, uh, I- I just heard that my sister has cancer. 00:51:48 Oh, that must be so difficult 00:51:52 for your sister 00:51:53 and for you! 00:51:56 Yes, when someone we love is suffering, we can often feel helpless. 00:51:59 That’s exactly how I feel. 00:52:01 If you have a moment, 00:52:02 could I show you something that I find comforting 00:52:05 about a time in the near future when our loved ones will never suffer again? 00:52:09 Hmm, I’d like that. 00:52:11 Notice what the Bible says 00:52:13 at Revelation 21:3, 4: 00:52:17 “With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say . . .” 00:52:24 Wow! 00:52:26 Did you see how she was able to offer this woman real comfort 00:52:30 just by being adaptable? 00:52:33 All it took was one simple question, 00:52:37 Is there anything we can do to help? 00:52:40 She was sincere and friendly, and the householder responded. 00:52:44 At that point, our sister applied our third tip. 00:52:49 She obviously was familiar with some common anxieties 00:52:53 of ones in that territory 00:52:55 because she smoothly transitioned 00:52:58 to the topic of suffering, which allowed her to listen 00:53:02 to the householder’s real concern 00:53:05 and then implement our fourth tip. 00:53:09 She adjusted to meet those needs. 00:53:12 Plus, she didn’t struggle to find information to use. 00:53:16 She stayed right there in her Teaching Toolbox. 00:53:21 Granted, not every situation will be as straightforward as this, 00:53:25 and it takes time and experience 00:53:27 to get comfortable moving from one topic to another. 00:53:31 But if we apply our four tips: 00:53:34 know your territory, 00:53:37 make use of the Teaching Toolbox, 00:53:41 try to anticipate common objections or questions, 00:53:45 and then adjust to the householder’s needs, 00:53:48 by applying these, 00:53:50 we’ll find very quickly that we are having meaningful conversations 00:53:55 and are able to share targeted truths 00:53:58 with those most in need. 00:54:02 As always, these are just a few techniques 00:54:06 that have worked for me, 00:54:08 and I hope they work for you. 00:54:11 Remember, part of the beauty of our ministry 00:54:15 is that we continue to sharpen one another. 00:54:21 What good suggestions! 00:54:23 In this example, the sister was able to start a conversation 00:54:28 with a simple “good morning.” 00:54:31 Of course, in real life, the way you greet people in your territory 00:54:35 might be different than what we saw in the video. 00:54:39 We hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s theme, 00:54:42 “Make Wise Decisions.” 00:54:45 Before we conclude, 00:54:47 we’d like to introduce you to our brothers and sisters 00:54:50 living in a land rich in Bible history 00:54:53 —Greece! 00:54:55 Greece is a mountainous country, 00:54:58 located at the southernmost part 00:55:01 of the Balkan peninsula, 00:55:02 with a rugged and diverse landscape. 00:55:05 It also includes more than 2,000 islands. 00:55:09 And with one of the longest coastlines 00:55:12 in all of Europe, this is a land of beautiful beaches 00:55:16 and sheltered coves. 00:55:19 Greece is known for its classic Mediterranean cuisine and delicacies 00:55:24 like moussaka, made from eggplant, 00:55:29 and dolmadakia, stuffed grape leaves 00:55:32 usually filled with rice and herbs. 00:55:35 A less familiar part of the Greek diet 00:55:38 is Chios mastiha, or mastic gum, 00:55:41 which is made from the sap of a tree 00:55:44 grown only on the small island of Chios. 00:55:47 In ancient times, people chewed mastic to freshen their breath; 00:55:51 it was an early version of chewing gum. 00:55:54 Today, it’s typically used 00:55:57 to flavor everything from bread to ice cream. 00:56:02 The preaching of the good news in Greece goes all the way back to the first century, 00:56:06 when the apostle Paul 00:56:08 first “[stepped] over into Macedonia.” 00:56:10 He landed in the seaport town of Neapolis, 00:56:14 known today as the city of Kavála. 00:56:17 And the preaching in Kavála 00:56:20 is still going strong, with four congregations 00:56:23 busy with public witnessing 00:56:26 throughout the city, including at the harbor 00:56:28 and at rest areas. 00:56:30 Kavála’s old city 00:56:32 is built on a hill, 00:56:34 where brothers and sisters 00:56:36 often climb many steep steps to reach the homes in their territory. 00:56:41 The branch office in Greece oversees the activity 00:56:45 of more than 30,000 publishers, 00:56:47 including 2,900 00:56:50 on the neighboring island nation of Cyprus. 00:56:53 They preach to a population of about 11 million people, 00:56:58 often in some of the very same cities 00:57:01 where Paul preached in the first century, 00:57:03 including Thessalonica, or modern-day Thessaloníki; 00:57:08 Beroea, or Véroia; 00:57:10 and the capital city of Athens. 00:57:13 We’ll end our visit to Greece back in Macedonia, 00:57:17 where our Greek brothers and sisters 00:57:19 send their warmest greetings from the Assembly Hall in Thessaloníki. 00:57:25 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:57:29 this is JW Broadcasting.