What Motivates Us to Preach?
1. What is the relationship between love and our ministry?
1 Preaching the good news of God’s Kingdom is the most meaningful work that we can do today. Indeed, with this one activity, we demonstrate obedience to the two greatest commandments, namely, to love Jehovah and to love our neighbor. (Mark 12:29-31) Love is a powerful motivating force that can stir us to be zealous ministers.—1 John 5:3.
2. How does our preaching demonstrate love for Jehovah?
2 Love for Jehovah: Love for our dearest Friend, Jehovah, moves us to speak up in his behalf. For some 6,000 years, he has been slandered by Satan. (2 Cor. 4:3, 4) Therefore, people believe that God torments sinners in a burning hell, that he is a mysterious Trinity, and that he is disinterested in humans. Many have even come to the conclusion that he does not exist. How we long for people to know the truth about our heavenly Father! Our diligent efforts to be God’s witnesses bring him great pleasure and frustrate Satan.—Prov. 27:11; Heb. 13:15, 16.
3. In what way does our ministry show love for neighbor?
3 Love for Neighbor: Each time we give a witness to someone, we demonstrate love for him. People desperately need to hear the good news during these critical times. Many are like the Ninevites in Jonah’s day who did “not at all know the difference between their right hand and their left.” (Jonah 4:11) Our ministry teaches people how to live happy, successful lives. (Isa. 48:17-19) It gives them hope. (Rom. 15:4) If they listen and act on what they learn, they “will be saved.”—Rom. 10:13, 14.
4. What will never be forgotten by Jehovah?
4 Good children do not demonstrate love for their parents only on scheduled occasions. They strive to be loving all the time. Similarly, strong love for God and for neighbor will motivate us to be alert for opportunities to witness all the time, not just during scheduled witnessing periods. We will preach without letup. (Acts 5:42) Such love will never be forgotten by Jehovah.—Heb. 6:10.