Obeying God in the Matter of Associations

Jehovah’s witnesses know that “bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Cor. 15:33) The experience of this young man who was not a Witness demonstrates the value of heeding this principle:

“There was a girl that I liked very much, for I knew her very well in school before she became one of Jehovah’s witnesses. When she began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses, she told me that she could not go out with worldly boys, neither could they come to her home to see her. Despite her studying the Bible regularly and even getting baptized, I was determined to try to break her integrity to God. All this failed. I even began to lie to her and try to fool her that I too liked the Bible’s truth. Yes, I went to various meetings at the Kingdom Hall. I also went out in the preaching work even in the snow. I thought that I had her now because I was doing these things.

“I would call or write to her almost every day because I worked out of town. I would send her gifts and beg her to keep them, but she would never keep them. Then I said to myself that there must be something about her new religion because I used to have my way with every girl except this one. So I began to ask Bible questions, and the more I asked the more I enjoyed the answers. I began to study the Bible in earnest and soon I dedicated my life to Jehovah God. Yes, I am now one of Jehovah’s witnesses and this faithful young lady is my wife. How thankful and happy I am that she obeyed God’s principles so faithfully.”