Apply Yourself to the Field Ministry for the week of November 2-8, 2026

Starting a Conversation

Publisher: Good morning. I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We’re visiting the neighbors. Excuse me, am I interrupting you while you work on that?

Householder: I was just finishing gluing this chair. Now I have to let it dry, so go ahead.

Publisher: Thank you. It looks like one of those old-fashioned chairs, made of solid wood.

Householder: It belonged to my grandfather. My wife says buying another one would be less work, and she’s right. But he used to sit here and listen to the radio. He died years ago, and I hate to throw it away.

Publisher: Of course, a new chair wouldn’t have those memories. For you, keeping it isn’t just a matter of having one more piece of furniture.

Householder: Exactly. When I see it, I remember the things he used to tell me. My children barely knew him. Sometimes I tell them an anecdote, but it isn’t the same as having talked with him.

Publisher: Yes, hearing his stories firsthand would be different. There’s a Bible teaching that has to do with seeing again those we have lost. Have you ever heard about the resurrection?

Householder: Yes, when I was little. But I never really understood what it means. Some people say one thing and others say something else. What I do know is that I miss my grandfather, even though so much time has passed.

Publisher: And I wouldn’t want to answer you with a stock phrase. If you’d like, we can look at what Jesus said without getting into all those different explanations right now.

Householder: All right, but I don’t know much about the Bible. You’ll have to explain it to me simply.

Publisher: Of course. Jesus spoke about what awaits those who have died. Notice what he said at John 5:28, 29.

John 5:28-29 — Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.

Publisher: Jesus was talking about a resurrection, about living again. He wasn’t simply referring to our continuing to remember our loved ones.

Householder: That sounds nice, but it’s hard to believe. I have the memories here; imagining talking with my grandfather again is something I just can’t do.

Publisher: I understand the difference that makes. One thing is to keep something that belonged to him, like this chair, and quite another is for him to live again. I don’t expect you to accept that hope just because I mention it.

Householder: Besides, it says something about a judgment. I don’t understand that part either. I wouldn’t want to reach a conclusion by reading only what I like.

Publisher: You’re right to consider the whole passage. That expression deserves an explanation, not to be overlooked. Today I wanted to share this thought with you: Jesus taught that the dead will be resurrected. But we can leave your question for later and examine it more calmly.

Householder: I’d prefer that. Now I have to put away my tools. Write down where it is, and I’ll read it later.

Publisher: Certainly. I’ll leave you the reference: John 5:28, 29. If we happen to meet another day and you feel like it, we can return to that question.

Householder: All right, I’ll read it on my own first.

Publisher: Very good. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. I hope the repair turns out well.

Following Up

Publisher: Hi, Daniel. It’s good to see you. Last time we agreed to talk about how to keep calm when we see so many disturbing news reports. Do you have a few minutes, or are you busy?

Householder: Yes, I have a moment. But I’ve barely watched the news this week. I’ve been taking care of my mother, and I just had an argument with my brother on the phone. That’s what is really disturbing my peace.

Publisher: We can leave the news for another time. If you’d like to tell me what happened, I’ll listen.

Householder: My mother needs someone to accompany her to her appointments. Since I live nearby, I’m almost always the one who goes. I asked my brother to go on Thursday, and he said he couldn’t. I replied that he could never do it, and that’s when everything started.

Publisher: So it’s not just about this Thursday. You’ve been taking care of the appointments for some time, and you need to share that responsibility.

Householder: Exactly. I work too. It seems that because I live two blocks away, I always have to be available. Then he tells me that I don’t understand his situation. But who understands mine?

Publisher: It’s reasonable for you to want your schedule to be taken into account too. When your brother said he couldn’t go, did you get a chance to explain what was preventing him?

Householder: He started to say something about a shift change. But I interrupted him. Other times it has been because of work, and I thought, “Here we go again.” Although now that I say it, I don’t know what shift he has.

Publisher: You were already tired from what had happened on other occasions. And from what you say, the conversation ended before you could clarify what was happening on Thursday.

Householder: Yes, but I don’t want this to end with me having to understand him and still doing everything. That’s what people usually tell me: Be patient. And the appointments are still there.

Publisher: Of course, listening to his explanation by itself won’t decide who will accompany your mother. You need practical help, not just for people to tell you to be patient.

Householder: That’s right. I can listen, but I also need to speak. Does the Bible say anything that could help with that—with talking without ending up throwing things in each other’s faces?

Publisher: Yes. There is advice that can help us begin that conversation without jumping to conclusions. It doesn’t decide who is right. Would you like me to read it to you?

Householder: Yes, go ahead. But then tell me how you would apply it in a call like that.

Publisher: Notice what Proverbs 18:13 says about answering before knowing the facts of a matter.

Proverbs 18:13 — When anyone replies to a matter before he hears the facts, It is foolish and humiliating.

Publisher: The advice encourages us to listen to the facts before responding. In your case, you could begin by asking what has changed in your brother’s schedule and let him finish explaining.

Householder: And what if it turns out that he really can’t? Because then we’re back where we started: I go.

Publisher: Not necessarily. Knowing why he can’t go on Thursday would allow you to discuss what other day he could go. It’s like trying to fit two schedules together: First we need to know both people’s schedules, not just our own.

Householder: There’s another appointment the following Tuesday. Maybe he could handle that one. But I need him to confirm it; I don’t want to be waiting until the last minute.

Publisher: You could explain it to him that way, with that specific request. After listening to him, tell him which days are difficult for you and ask which one he can take. Listening first doesn’t mean failing to express what you need.

Householder: I suppose I could begin by acknowledging that I didn’t let him finish. Saying that he can never do anything wasn’t fair either. Last month he did accompany my mother once.

Publisher: That is also part of the facts. Acknowledging it may help the conversation not to begin with an accusation. Of course, we can’t guarantee how he will respond.

Householder: No, that’s for sure. I’ll let some time pass before calling him. Now I have to go shopping. We can return to the news another day.

Householder: I’m concerned that if I apologize, he’ll start bringing up other arguments. Then we’ll end up talking about everything except how to organize things for my mother.

Publisher: I understand. You want to clear up what happened, not start another argument. You could say: “I’m sorry I interrupted you. I want to understand your schedule so that we can organize things.” That acknowledges something specific and explains why you are calling, without deciding beforehand who is to blame for everything.

Householder: That seems easier than preparing a defense. And if he mentions something that upset him, I could listen and check whether I understood correctly before explaining my side.

Publisher: Yes, for example: “Was it what upset you that I said you never help?” That question allows you to clarify things. You don’t have to resolve all your differences in one call.

Publisher: All right, I’ll let you go. If you’d like, next time you can tell me how it went, and we can discuss whatever would be most helpful to you. Take care, Daniel.

Making Disciples

Publisher: Were you able to get some rest after closing the store?

Student: For a while. But I opened the book and saw that we were going to talk about Jesus as a leader. I kept thinking about that word. I already have enough people telling me what to do during the day.

Publisher: So when you read “leader,” you thought of someone who adds obligations to your life. I understand why that didn’t appeal to you. The full title of point four says: “Jesus Is a Leader Who Offers Relief.” Do those two ideas seem incompatible to you?

Student: A little. I’m not saying that everyone who leads is bad. But even when they have good intentions, you end up with more things to do. Right now what I need is less pressure, not more.

Publisher: Of course, you’re not looking for another list of tasks. Before thinking about something new, let’s recall something you already studied. Was there a Bible explanation that relieved a worry, even though it didn’t change your circumstances?

Student: Yes, what we learned about death. Since I was little, I heard that the dead might be suffering. I didn’t talk much about it, but it troubled me. Understanding that they don’t feel what is happening gave me considerable relief.

Publisher: That explanation is a good basis for understanding what relief means. It wasn’t simply that someone told you not to worry; you found a reason. I’ll reread Ecclesiastes 9:5, the verse that helped you understand it.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 — For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten.

Publisher: This explains that the dead are not conscious of what is happening. You connected that information with the fear you had. What changed for you after you understood it?

Student: I stopped imagining that someone was suffering. Death still seems sad to me; that hasn’t gone away. But I no longer had that added worry. It was like no longer turning over a question that I never knew how to answer.

Publisher: That difference matters: everything that saddened you did not disappear, but one burden did. Based on that experience, could a teaching offer relief without immediately solving all the problems of the person hearing it?

Student: Yes, I understand that. Although knowing that one explanation helped me doesn’t mean that everything I’m taught will help me in the same way.

Publisher: You’re right. We need to examine each teaching, not accept it just because another one helped us. We’re not using this verse as if it were talking about Jesus’ leadership. We’re recalling it because, from experience, you already know how understanding a truth can relieve a worry.

Student: I see the connection now. When I read about a leader, I only thought about receiving orders. I hadn’t thought of someone who would also help me understand things. But I still find it hard to put the two ideas together.

Publisher: Think of a situation at the store. When you started working there, did it help more for someone to repeat what you had to do, or for someone to explain how to do it and why?

Student: Having it explained to me. That happened with the cash register. One coworker told me to be careful, but I still didn’t understand the program. Another sat down with me and explained the basics. I still had responsibilities, but I worked with much less anxiety.

Publisher: The task was still there; what changed was that you no longer faced it without understanding it. That comparison doesn’t explain everything about Jesus, but it helps us see that guiding someone and relieving him do not have to be opposite things.

Student: That makes sense. I didn’t mind that coworker teaching me. In fact, I preferred asking her. What overwhelmed me was that they expected me to know how to do everything without explaining it to me.

Publisher: Look also at this picture of Jesus teaching a group of people outdoors, with flowers and birds around them. Without imagining what each person is thinking, what aspect of Jesus’ work do we see represented?

Student: That he teaches. He isn’t simply giving orders from a distance. There are people listening to him. Although the picture itself doesn’t tell me how they felt or what they did afterward.

Publisher: Exactly. To learn more, we need to examine what he taught. But it helps us not to focus only on the idea of authority. The point we’re studying presents Jesus as a leader who offers relief. How would you express that idea in your own words now?

Student: Following his direction doesn’t have to mean feeling more pressure. His teachings can help me. That doesn’t mean I’ll have less work tomorrow or that everything will be easy for me. I want to see how it applies to my worries.

Publisher: We can do that without rushing. As we study, notice what Jesus teaches and how it can help you. Just as you did with the subject of death: First you understood the explanation, and then you saw what difference it made for you.

Student: That sounds good. The question I’m taking with me is how Jesus’ teachings can help me. I’d rather understand it step by step this way than assume from the beginning that it will be another obligation.