A Career With Everlasting Rewards
1 Paul exhorted Timothy: “Do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.” (2 Tim. 4:5) Regardless of how appealing other personal interests might have been, Timothy devoted his life to God’s work. He slaved alongside Paul, showing that he was truly ‘seeking the interests of Christ.’ (Phil. 2:19-21) All genuine Christian ministers should have a similar spirit.
2 Do you treasure the ministry? Could you make pioneering your career? (Matt. 6:33; 2 Cor. 4:1, 7) There would be the satisfying pleasure of knowing that every day you would have many opportunities to talk to others about Jehovah, helping them to know and love Him. (Ps. 96:1-4) What indescribable joy as we see people respond to Bible instruction! Some of these previously lived immoral, violent, or hopeless lives. Having put away former bad habits and having developed self-respect, they now serve Jehovah. Pioneering is a meaningful career and can produce lasting good. So, analyze your circumstances and, if possible, set a specific date as your goal for entering the full-time service. Work toward it. Pray for Jehovah’s help to attain it. (Eph. 6:18) The rewards are great!
A REWARDING WAY OF LIFE
3 Pioneering with a proper motive and the desire to make spiritual progress will help you to develop a more spiritual outlook on life. It can help you to achieve balance, to budget your time wisely, to handle finances, and to be content with life’s necessities. (1 Tim. 6:6) Pioneering may involve sacrifices. Are you willing to make personal sacrifices because of your love for Jehovah? If so, you will learn to become more dependent on Jehovah and less dependent on yourself. This will prove to be a protection from harmful worldly ambitions, desires, and associations. The benefits of pioneering can be everlasting.—Mal. 3:10.
ENCOURAGE PIONEERING
4 Today, many Christians are happy that their parents have displayed the pioneer spirit. As one missionary relates: “During my entire childhood my mother was very zealous in the ministry. I think that it was not so much what she said but what she did, her good example, that influenced me very much to have a desire to spend my life in the full-time service to Jehovah.” A sister in the full-time service says: “My mother’s nonmaterialistic attitude and clear view of the truth helped me to avoid getting involved in a secular career.” A young minister said of his parents: “They always set before me the joys and privileges of pioneering, and the blessings that Jehovah pours out on pioneers. . . . This is something that all parents should do because it certainly helped me. They can encourage the young to serve Jehovah whole-souled.” Jehovah surely remembers and rewards the unselfishness of such loving parents.
5 We are living in the time of the end when “this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.” (Matt. 24:14) Jesus told his followers: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9:37, 38) The need for workers is even greater now than it was in Jesus’ day. Hence, the pioneers have a large share in extending to others the invitation: “O magnify Jehovah with me, you people, and let us exalt his name together.” (Ps. 34:3) Truly there is nothing that can match the contentment and satisfaction that come with using one’s life in the full-time service of our Grand Creator.—Prov. 10:22.