Are You Practicing the Things You Have Learned?
1 What a delight it was to be in attendance during all four days of our “Divine Justice” District Convention! Indeed, each day the program overflowed with encouragement and practical suggestions on how we can manifest God’s justice and righteousness to a greater degree. Now that you have returned home to your regular routine of activities, are you ‘practicing the things that you learned, heard, and saw demonstrated’? (Phil. 4:9) It will be beneficial to review some highlights from the convention program.
2 Recall the talk “Lead a Balanced, Simple Life” that was given on Thursday afternoon. This was based on Jesus’ counsel at Matthew 6:19-33. Have you thought deeply about what you can do to unburden yourself of unnecessary things, allowing more time for study, meeting preparation, and helping others? What adjustments can you personally make in order to lead a simple life with fewer distractions and more involvement in spiritual matters? Seeking first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness decreases anxieties and increases our joy in life.
3 The need to benefit from all the training that Jehovah provides through his Word and organization was emphasized in the part “Accept Discipline and Become Wise.” One area where some may need to pay particular attention is in refining and improving their ministry. Do we regularly use the suggested Topic for Conversation, engaging the householder in a Bible discussion? Or are we content with brief magazine presentations? Do we apply counsel and suggestions on using the Reasoning book, following up interest, and conducting Bible studies?—Prov. 8:33.
4 Friday’s program included the talk “Be Clean in Mind and Body.” Divine justice requires that God’s people be clean spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. (2 Cor. 7:1) Are you ‘practicing what was learned’ in this important matter? How? We will maintain spiritual cleanness by remaining separate from this world’s unclean religions and from apostates. Disciplining of the mind is needed if we are to avoid unclean thinking habits or entertaining wrong sexual desires, which lead to mental and moral uncleanness. (Job 31:1, 9-11) Have you taken firm steps to avoid movies, TV programs, or reading matter that could have a corrupting influence on you or those in your family? It was also pointed out that some have neglected personal hygiene and tidiness at home. If any have a weakness in this area, surely adjustments can be made in personal habits to ensure physical cleanness. Every member of the family needs to cooperate to maintain the cleanness and orderliness of a household. Particularly when representing Jehovah in the ministry would we want to be neatly groomed and wear clothing that is neat, clean, and modest in appearance. We thereby honor our holy God.—1 Pet. 1:14-16.
5 Future issues of Our Kingdom Ministry will remind us of still other vital aspects of divine justice that we learned about at this summer’s convention. This will be helpful to all as we put into practice these principles of righteousness in our daily lives and in our ministry. Unlike many in Christendom who listen with pleasure to the Bible’s message but do not act upon it, we derive much happiness and personal benefit from being “doers of the word, and not hearers only.”—Jas. 1:22-25; Ezek. 33:32.