The fact is, any point you try to prove with an anecdote can be disproven with another anecdote.
Today’s Watchtower is a case in point. The article is "Of Whom Shall I Be in Dread?" Have a look at paragraph 16. This is a wonderfully encouraging account, but alas, it doesn’t prove the point that the article is trying to be put across. I can give you three firsthand accounts from good brothers I know, who are serving as elders and pioneers/need greaters who have had to give up their special service because they couldn’t find the work they needed to support the family. None of them has a university or even a college diploma, and because of this have not been able to secure work. One just lost his job of 8 years because the Institute at which he teaches is getting certified by the government and cannot employ instructors who do not have a college diploma, even though they consider him one of their best teachers.
They will all survive of course, because Jehovah always provides for those of his servants who are faithful. However, they are not able to engage in the kind of service to Jehovah that they wish because of their lack of education. In one case a brother in his 60s who has been pioneering for a number of years along with his wife and is currently serving as an elder in a foreign language congregation has, after 4 years of trying, been forced to give up the effort to secure part-time work and has taken on a full-time job to provide for his wife and himself.
Today’s Watchtower would only leave him feeling depressed and wondering why Jehovah didn’t provide for him as he did for the brother mentioned in paragraph 16? We seem to have rose-colored glasses on whenever were speaking of pioneering. We freely admit that even though Jehovah answers all prayers, sometimes the answer is No. However, the exception to this must be pioneering if we are to continue supporting it is we do. In other words if you ask Jehovah to provide a means for you to pioneer, you will never get a negative answer from him. Sure, we can come up with all manner of anecdotes to prove that point, but it only takes one where that didn’t happen to show that it just isn’t an accurate assumption. If I can name three such examples just off the top of my head, then how many more are there out there? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands?
Of course, Jehovah can provide for anyone, and in any way he wishes. He could have us all pioneering if he wished. He could make the rocks do the preaching work for that matter. For some reason, he chooses to support some in this role in life, while others do not get that support. We discern his will not by wishing it to be a certain way, but by observing the outworking of it in our lives. We look for the leading of the Holy Spirit. It leads us. We do not lead it.
So could we please stop using anecdotes to try to prove our pet point of the moment, and instead use them to provide some encouragement, while at the same time, qualifying them within the same article so that the reader gets a reality check, and understand the limitations of what is being suggested?
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Comment by jenni on 2012-09-17 06:34:23
I totally agree with you. My faith (then C of E) wavered as I had prayered hard for a particular outcome to my life as a teen. In hindsight, what happened was definitely the right thing form me and my brother. But, I wanted answers to some questions, which never happened. Thats when i stopped believing.
I suppose some people would say that the 'quiet, silence' was the answer. It was a no. I still don't what to think to this day. Surely some people being helped by Jehovah and some not is kind of like pot luck. Or a way of guiding people to help their family more?
I have been told by a brother that Jehovah is our father of all fathers. So sure the answers to some questions/requests would be either yes or no. As we would answer our children etc? I was told many years ago that we should never know why an event happens or would happen to someone else. As we are not privy to lessons that God/Jehovah is trying to teach us individually.
go in peaceReply by Meleti Vivlon on 2012-09-17 17:36:11
You know, Jenni, I think this would make a good topic for general discussion. How does God answer prayers? I'll try a post on this and see if we can get a topic discussion going.
Reply by jenni on 2012-09-18 09:35:20
That would be brilliant! I don't think i've ever had a thought that was sent from Jehovah/God. I don't know if it would be my 'voice' that I'd hear, because I think that i'd be 'talking to myself' in head. So how would I personally know the difference?
go in peace
Comment by one on 2020-11-21 09:40:07
This is the gem in amongst this post, thanks.
"Holy Spirit. It leads us. We do not lead it.
So could we please stop using anecdotes to try to prove our pet point of the moment"
Many were called, few were chosen.
Desire and enthusiasm to preach is the very life and soul of adherent and submissive believer.
However one must be qualified to take forward the preaching mission led not by his own mind but a vessel and instrument for the spirit which will move in mysterious ways through us.
Otherwise blank fire, no potency. Must practise what preach, full faith, unalloyed devotion, not waste even a minute. Not re-eventing the wheel according to whim but following in the footsteps of the personally trained apostles and their followers in lineage without deviating an inch from the original message nor diluting at all, as it is. Nevertheless the one who has the spirit will be able to adapt to time place and circumstance and proof will be in the pudding.
The yard stick for preaching is that who comes into their presence even for a moment has a 'change of heart' as an iron rod is placed in the fire it too takes the properties. Jesus lead by example and not precept. We simply and humbly follow. Simple for simple. Complicated for the complicated. So simple may miss it. Simple like a child but by no means simplistic, sentimental, or gullible. Children are not but in our ignorance we
perceive them to be. Like the lamb.
Better to try and fail, better to keep knocking when ready the door open. Tolerance and patience the hallmark of humility. Impossible without. Wear like a garland round the neck, I'm the servant of the servant of the Lord.
your servant in the preaching mission for love of God, but can't love someone don't know. Need personal relationship, established with assistance of living representative if fortunate enough to find or the Good Book is there. Book and same say the same. Surrender through your intelligence not without it. Scrutinize threadbare but don't be cynical. Ultimately to have your pace as a servant of God surrender can not be artificial, partial, or conditional. Therefore must be complete ultimately. Work in progress acknowledging how fallen am I but how Graceful is God that even a fool like me has the opportunity to serve eternally from right now.
your servant. please forgive my misforgivings. Let me take the dust from the feet of the true servants preaching the divine revelation with ecstatic love of God to give as it is in heaven to those eager to receive it on earth without personal reward, or glory for that is the Lords.