Apply Yourself to the Field Ministry for the Week of January 18-24, 2027

Starting a Conversation

Publisher: Is your mint drying out too? Mine was doing great, and then in two days—look at it now. I don’t know if it needs more water or has too much sun.

Householder: Mine is the same. My mother would know what to do; she has always had beautiful plants. I have enough trouble remembering to water them.

Publisher: Well, we’ll have to ask her for some advice. In this heat, it’s nice to imagine a future with everything green and without so much drought.

Householder: Yes… Although I’m not thinking much about the future right now. My mother is sick, and we’re organizing ourselves to care for her. Yesterday I even forgot to come and water the plants.

Publisher: Oh, I didn’t know that. The plants can wait. Have you been able to share the caregiving with anyone in the family?

Householder: My sister comes when she gets off work. We get along well, but our schedules don’t fit. And when I’m home, I keep wondering whether I’ve forgotten something.

Publisher: Of course, leaving there doesn’t mean you stop worrying. I wouldn’t want to give you advice as if I knew the whole situation. It helps me to be able to talk to God about what worries me.

Householder: I used to pray. Lately, I don’t know. I think there are people with much worse problems. And I don’t want to keep asking for everything to be fixed the way I want.

Publisher: I understand that distinction. One thing is to tell someone how we feel, and another is to demand a solution. The Bible teaches something simple: God wants us to pray to him. May I read you a sentence that explains why we can tell him our worries?

Householder: Yes, if it’s short. I still have to go upstairs and make dinner.

Publisher: It’s very brief. Notice the reason that 1 Peter 5:7 gives for talking to God about what troubles us. There is a passage that fits this situation very well. Would you like to read 1 Peter 5:7?

Publisher: 1 Peter 5:7 — while you throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. I’m encouraged that the reason is his concern for us. It doesn’t say that our worries have to be greater than other people’s before we can tell him about them.

Householder: That does catch my attention. But tomorrow I’ll still have the same schedules, and my mother will still need us to be there.

Publisher: Yes, and it wouldn’t be honest to promise you that all of this will disappear because you pray. The text emphasizes that God cares about us. Think of when you talk with your sister: perhaps you can’t change a schedule, but knowing that she listens has value.

Householder: Yes, even if it’s just to tell her that I’m exhausted. There are things I don’t tell my mother so as not to worry her more.

Publisher: You can talk to God about that very exhaustion, without looking for special words. You don’t have to pretend that you’re all right. That’s what I wanted to share with you: your worries matter to him too.

Householder: I’ll keep thinking about that. I’m not promising anything, but you can write down where that sentence is. I’d rather read it later when I’m calm.

Publisher: Of course. You can read it without rushing. Is the idea of talking to God about something as specific as the exhaustion of caring for your mother new to you?

Householder: Yes. And I wonder whether I would always end up saying the same thing. For example, every night I worry about how we’ll organize ourselves the next day. Wouldn’t I be repeating myself too much?

Publisher: The fact that a worry comes back doesn’t mean you can’t talk to God about it again. The Bible encourages us to pray frequently. You can tell him what is worrying you that particular night—perhaps a shift change or something you find difficult to discuss with your sister. You don’t need to look for a different problem each time.

Householder: I understand. If it still worries me, I can talk to him about it again. I’ll think about that when I read the sentence.

Publisher: Of course. I’ll write it down for you: First Peter, chapter five, verse seven. And I won’t keep you any longer—you still have dinner to prepare.

Following Up

Publisher: Good morning, Clara. This time the doorbell did ring. Last week I wasn’t sure whether I had actually rung it.

Householder: Yes, they finally fixed it. Now it rings almost too loudly. Come in—well, it’s better if we talk here; I have the whole hallway full of boxes.

Publisher: Here is fine. You told me this time would be more convenient. Do you have a few minutes, or did I catch you busy?

Householder: I have a few minutes. I remember what we talked about. You said you could help me understand the Bible, but afterward I kept thinking about it.

Publisher: That is exactly why I wanted to offer you a Bible course. We can discuss your questions and examine what the Bible says. But before I explain more, was there something that concerned you?

Householder: The word course makes me feel a little uneasy. Talking for a while is one thing, but starting to study with you is another. I have my own religion, even though I don’t attend very often.

Publisher: I understand the difference. Liking to talk about the Bible doesn’t mean that you’ve decided to start a course. Are you more concerned about what it would mean for you, or about how other people would view it?

Householder: Both. My mother taught us to pray when we were little. And my sister would say that I’m leaving behind what we learned at home. I don’t want to argue with her.

Publisher: Those memories are very valuable to you. I wouldn’t want to treat them as if they didn’t matter. Has your sister said anything to you, or are you worried about how she might react?

Householder: I haven’t told her yet that we’ve been talking. But I know her opinion. Besides, I myself wonder whether studying with you would be disrespectful to my mother.

Publisher: Thank you for explaining that. At first I thought perhaps your concern was finding the time, but there is something more important to you. You don’t have to give me an answer about the course now.

Householder: And you’re not going to try to convince me? I ask because sometimes a person says she has doubts, and the other person starts giving her reasons without letting her finish.

Publisher: I don’t want to do that. There is a passage that reminds me that my role is not to force results. If you agree, I’ll read it and explain why.

Householder: Yes, read it. I’d like to know what it has to do with what we’re discussing.

Publisher: Paul used the example of planting to talk about the work of teaching. Notice what he wrote at 1 Corinthians, chapter 3, verses 6 and 7.

Publisher: 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 — I planted, Apollos watered, but God kept making it grow, so that neither is the one who plants anything nor is the one who waters, but God who makes it grow. Paul acknowledged that neither he nor Apollos caused the growth; it was God. This reminds me that I can help you examine the Bible, but I should not pressure you or set a deadline for you.

Householder: Even if you are patient, my sister might still get upset. Reading that passage doesn’t change that.

Publisher: You’re right. The passage doesn’t tell us how she will react. I read it to explain how I want to treat you. I don’t know all your circumstances, and I need to listen to you, not decide for you.

Householder: That does seem important to me. I also don’t want to tell you I’ll take the course just to please you and then look for excuses when you come.

Publisher: I prefer that you tell me honestly what you think, as you are doing. Is there any question you would like answered before deciding whether you want to learn what the course would be like?

Householder: I’d like to know whether I can ask questions when something doesn’t convince me. I’m not someone who accepts an explanation just because another person says that’s how it is.

Publisher: Of course you can ask questions and say when something doesn’t convince you. We can stop at anything you don’t understand and examine it in the Bible, without moving on just to finish the topic.

Householder: Well, for now I’d rather think about it. If you come back, we can talk a little, but don’t take that to mean that I’ve already agreed to study.

Publisher: All right. We’ll leave it open, without taking anything for granted. Would it be convenient for me to come next week at this time?

Householder: Yes, this time usually works. And if I have any questions, I’ll write them down so I don’t forget.

Publisher: Then we’ll talk next week. I’ll let you get back to your things. Goodbye, Clara.

Explaining Your Beliefs

When someone speaks to us contemptuously or treats us unjustly, what do we instinctively feel like doing? Perhaps responding with the same harshness. That is why Jesus’ command to love our enemies may seem difficult. How can we love someone who hurts us? There is a passage that fits this situation very well. Would you like to read Matthew 5:44?

Householder: To understand it, we need to distinguish between loving a person and approving of her conduct. They are not the same. Jesus never approved of wickedness. However, he taught that the way we treat others should not depend solely on how they treat us. Let us listen to his words at Matthew 5:44.

Matthew 5:44 — However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you,

Whom does this command include? Not only those who think differently from us, but also those who hate us, persecute us, or treat us unjustly. Jesus asks us to show love to them. That love becomes visible in what we say and do, even when we are hurt. There is a passage that fits this situation very well. Would you like to read Matthew 5:45?

Householder: But why should we act that way? The main reason is that we want to imitate Jehovah. He does not reserve all his acts of kindness for those who love him. Jesus explained how our Father treats even people who show no gratitude to him. Let us look at Matthew 5:45.

Matthew 5:45 — so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Does Jehovah distinguish between good and bad people when providing these benefits? No. That does not mean that he approves of injustice. It means that he is kind. Similarly, we can reject a bad action and at the same time treat kindly the person who committed it.

Householder: In addition, our kindness may help someone change. If we respond to hostility with more hostility, the conflict may continue. On the other hand, a kind response may cause the other person to stop and think. It does not guarantee a change, but it may bring out the best in her.

Now, how is that love shown in a specific situation? Jesus did not leave this teaching as an abstract idea. He mentioned actions we can put into practice when someone treats us badly. Let us read the instructions found at Luke 6:27, 28.

Luke 6:27-28 — “But I say to you who are listening: Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you.

Householder: Notice three ways to act: do good, speak kindly, and pray for those who offend us. It is not enough to say that we do not feel hatred. Love moves us to take the initiative to do something good, even when the other person has not taken the first step.

The illustrations in the article present a situation that helps us understand this. A woman is yelled at by her workmate, and she listens without losing her calm. Later she prays at her workplace. Then she offers that same workmate a cup of tea.

Householder: Does that gesture mean that it was all right for the workmate to yell at her? Of course not. The woman is not justifying the mistreatment. She is choosing not to return it. A simple expression of consideration allows her to show that she does not want to fuel the conflict. Her workmate is surprised to receive such treatment.

We can ask ourselves: If that person needed help, would I be willing to offer it? If she were hungry or thirsty, would I help her? The article explains that meeting such needs is one way to love our enemies. Kindness is shown by actions, not just feelings.

Householder: How we speak also matters. When insulted, we can avoid returning the insult and respond considerately. That requires patience and self-control. But think about it: If we use the same hurtful words that wounded us, will we be helping to break the cycle of hatred, or will we be prolonging it?

And why pray for someone who offends us? Because instead of feeding desires for revenge, we can ask God to forgive that person. Jesus set the example: when he was being executed, he asked forgiveness for those mistreating him. His actions showed that he practiced what he taught.

Householder: Giving up revenge does not mean thinking that injustice does not matter. It means leaving the matter in Jehovah’s hands, since he always acts with perfect justice. We do not have to return the harm. We can focus on maintaining patient, kind, and respectful conduct.

This command also explains why Jesus’ followers do not go to war to fight their enemies. When Peter resorted to the sword, Jesus ordered him to put it away. Loving our enemies is not compatible with taking up weapons to fight them.

Householder: I understand that we should not harm them. But there is something I find difficult to admit: when something goes wrong for someone who has treated me badly, sometimes I feel happy. I think, ‘Now he knows what it feels like.’ How can I change that reaction?

It is good that you recognize what you feel. There is an important point: besides not taking revenge, the Bible teaches us not to rejoice over an enemy’s misfortune. Consider an example: a workmate who often makes fun of you makes a mistake, and others begin ridiculing him. What could you do so as not to feed that feeling of satisfaction?

Householder: I could avoid joining in the ridicule or telling others what happened in order to embarrass him. If it happened to me, I would not want everyone to use my mistake to humiliate me. Even though what he did would still hurt me, I could decide not to treat him that way.

Exactly. It is not only a matter of controlling our response when we are attacked. How we act when the other person is going through a difficult time also matters. Remembering how we would like to be treated helps us choose a kind response instead of enjoying his suffering.

Householder: So, what does it mean to love our enemies? It does not mean approving what they do that is wrong. It means imitating Jehovah’s kindness: helping when possible, speaking considerately, and praying for them. The next time someone treats us badly, let us ask ourselves: How can I show that love now?

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