Our Ministry—An Expression of True Love
1 By our ministry we demonstrate our obedience to the two greatest commandments. (Matt. 22:37-39) Our love for Jehovah motivates us to speak positively about him. Our love for our neighbors moves us to encourage them to seek knowledge of God’s will and purposes so that, like us, they can come to love Jehovah and put themselves in line for the prize of everlasting life. So, then, by our ministry we honor Jehovah’s name and share the priceless Kingdom hope with our neighbors. Yes, our ministry is an expression of true love for God and for man.
2 Our love impels us to speak to all kinds of people in all kinds of settings. (1 Cor. 9:21-23) To illustrate: Aboard an airplane, a Christian elder sat beside a Roman Catholic priest. The elder drew the priest out by asking a few tactful questions and then directed the discussion toward the Kingdom. By the time the priest got off the plane, he had accepted two of our books. What a fine outcome for the elder’s expression of true love for his neighbor!
3 True Love Motivates Us to Preach: Those who engage in the auxiliary and full-time pioneer work certainly are expressing true love for God and for neighbor. Pioneers are constantly sacrificing their time and energy to help others spiritually. What motivates them to do this? One pioneer said: “I know that love is a fruit of God’s spirit. So without it, I wouldn’t be in the truth at all, not to mention succeeding as a pioneer. Love makes me people conscious, aware of their needs, and I appreciate that people respond to love.” Jesus demonstrated such love for people. Once when he and his weary disciples were going somewhere to “rest up a bit,” the crowds got there ahead of them. What did Jesus do? “Moved with pity for them,” he set his personal needs aside in order “to teach them many things.”—Mark 6:30-34.
4 Even when people reject the good news that we offer, we experience an inner joy, knowing that moved by love, we have done our best to help them gain salvation. When all of us are ultimately judged by Christ, we will be very happy that we demonstrated true love by ‘fully accomplishing our ministry.’—2 Tim. 4:5.