EARTH'S DWINDLING RESOURCES

“In nature everything is connected, and we are now being held accountable for our past blunders.”—African Wildlife magazine.

SOME call it the ecological footprint. It is a measure of mankind’s consumption of natural resources compared with the earth’s ability to replenish them. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the global ecological footprint has been running a deficit since the 1980’s. But that is just one indicator of the immense strain being placed on our environment.

Another gauge is the condition of earth’s ecosystems. The term “ecosystem” refers to the complex interaction of all organisms within a natural environment, including living and nonliving matter. The overall health of these ecosystems—revealed by the number of forest, freshwater, and marine species they support—makes up what the World Wildlife Fund calls the Living Planet Index. Between 1970 and 2000, this index plunged about 37 percent.

Is There Enough to Go Around?

If you live in a Western land where store shelves are fully stocked and round-the-clock shopping may be possible, it is hard to imagine that there could be a looming shortage of natural resources. Nevertheless, only a minority of earth’s inhabitants enjoy an affluent life-style. Most are locked in a daily struggle for survival. It has been estimated, for example, that more than two billion people live on three dollars a day or less and that two billion have no access to affordable commercial energy services.

Some people blame the trade practices of wealthy nations for the poverty of developing lands. “In a variety of ways,” says Vital Signs 2003, “the world economy is rigged against the interests of the poor.” As more and more people scramble to grab an ever smaller and more costly piece of the environmental “pie,” those who are economically disadvantaged cannot afford to compete for their fair share. That, in turn, leaves more natural resources for those who can afford them—namely, the wealthy.

Disappearing Forests

It is estimated that 80 percent of the inhabitants of Africa use wood for cooking. In addition, “Africa has the highest population growth rate [and] urban growth rate in the world,” says South Africa’s Getaway magazine. As a result, the territory around some large towns in the Sahel, a wide belt of semiarid land on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, has been stripped of trees for over 60 miles [100 km] in all directions. Those trees were not felled for capricious reasons. ‘The overwhelming majority of Africa’s citizens destroy their own environment simply to survive,’ says Professor Samuel Nana-Sinkam.

The situation is quite different in South America. In Brazil, for example, there are nearly 7,600 registered logging companies in the rain forest. Many of them are owned by well-funded international conglomerates. A mahogany tree is worth about $30 to a logging company. However, by the time brokers, traders, and manufacturers make their profit, that same tree can have a value of upwards of $130,000 before hitting the furniture showroom. Little wonder that mahogany has been called green gold.

Much has been published about the destruction of Brazil’s rain forest. Satellite images show that more than 7,000 square miles [20,000 sq km] of Brazilian forest were destroyed each year between 1995 and 2000. “This frightening rate of destruction means that an area of forest the size of a soccer field disappeared every eight seconds,” reports Brazil’s Veja magazine. Interestingly, the United States alone is reported to have imported more than 70 percent of Brazil’s mahogany in the year 2000.

Deforestation in other parts of the world tells a similar story. For instance, half of Mexico’s forests and jungles have disappeared in the last 50 years. The loss of Philippine forests has been even more pronounced. That country loses some 380 square miles [100,000 ha] of forest every year, and back in 1999 it was estimated that at that rate nearly two thirds of the nation’s forests would be eliminated within a decade.

It can take from 60 to 100 years for a hardwood tree to reach full maturity but only minutes for it to be felled. Should it surprise us that our forests cannot keep up?

Vanishing Land

When soil is stripped of vegetation, the bare topsoil soon dries out and is blown away by wind or washed away by water. This process is called erosion.

Erosion occurs naturally and is generally not a serious problem—unless man accelerates the process through poor land management. For example, the magazine China Today says that sandstorms, along with other factors such as deforestation and overgrazing, “have accelerated the expansion” of desert areas. Unusually arid conditions in recent years have left China’s western and northwestern provinces susceptible to the cold Siberian winds that sweep across the land. Millions of tons of yellow sand and dust have been displaced, some reaching as far as Korea and Japan. Approximately 25 percent of China’s landmass is now desert.

The destruction of African soil has similar causes. “By clearing forest to plant cereal crops,” says Africa Geographic, “farmers have irretrievably destabilised the thin soils.” It is estimated that after a plot has been cleared of bush, within three years it loses up to 50 percent of its fertility. Thus, the magazine adds: “Millions of hectares are already beyond recovery and millions more are heading that way as agricultural yields in some areas decline year by year.”

It is said that Brazil loses 500 million tons of soil every year to erosion. In Mexico the Department of Environment and Natural Resources says that 53 percent of the scrubland, 59 percent of the jungles, and 72 percent of the forests are affected by soil degradation. All told, says a report by the United Nations Development Programme, “land degradation affects perhaps as much as two thirds of the world’s agricultural land. As a result, agricultural productivity is declining sharply, while the number of mouths to feed continues to grow.”

Water—Free, yet Priceless

A man can live about a month without food, but he will die in about a week without water. Hence, experts claim that declining supplies of fresh water will be a source of increasing tension in coming years. According to a 2002 Time magazine report, worldwide more than a billion people do not have easy access to clean drinking water.

Water shortages occur for a variety of reasons. In France, pollution plays a role and is a growing source of concern. “French rivers are in a very poor state of health,” says Le Figaro. Scientists have traced the problem to nitrate-rich runoff, which comes primarily from fertilizers used for farming. “French rivers discharged 375,000 tons of nitrates into the Atlantic in 1999, almost twice as much as in 1985,” states the paper.

The situation is similar in Japan. In order to provide a steady supply of food in that country, “farmers had no choice but to rely on chemical fertilizers and pesticides to meet society’s demand,” says Yutaka Une, head of a nonprofit farm safety organization. This has led to underground water pollution—which Tokyo’s IHT Asahi Shimbun calls “a major problem across Japan.”

In Mexico, 35 percent of illnesses “have their origin in environmental factors,” reports the newspaper Reforma. Furthermore, a study by the secretary of health revealed that “1 out of every 4 inhabitants does not have a sewer; over 8 million get their water from wells, rivers, lakes, or streams; and over one million obtain water from tanker trucks.” Little wonder that 90 percent of Mexico’s diarrhea cases are attributed to contaminated water!

“Rio’s beaches offer more than hot sun, white sand, and blue sea,” states Brazil’s Veja magazine. “They also harbor high levels of fecal coliforms and occasional oil spills.” That is because more than 50 percent of Brazil’s sewage flows directly into rivers, lakes, and the ocean without being treated. The result is a chronic shortage of clean water. The rivers around Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo, are so heavily polluted that drinking water is now brought in from some 60 miles away.

On the other side of the globe, much of Australia’s water shortage stems from a process called salinization. For decades landowners were encouraged to clear their land in order to plant crops. With fewer trees and shrubs to soak up the groundwater, water tables began to rise, bringing with them thousands of tons of subterranean salt. “Some 2.5 million hectares [6.2 million acres] of land are already affected by salinity,” says Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). “Much of this is Australia’s most productive agricultural land.”

Some believe that if the Australian legislators had not chosen profit over public interest, the salinity problem might have been avoided. “Governments were told from as early as 1917 that Wheatbelt soils were especially prone to salinity,” says Hugo Bekle of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. “The impact of clearing on stream salinity was publicised by the 1920’s, and its effect on a rising water table was accepted in the Agricultural Department by the 1930’s. A major report was undertaken for the [Australian] Government by the CSIRO in 1950, . . . yet governments persistently ignored these warnings, dismissing scientists as prejudiced.”

Survival Threatened

Without doubt, many of man’s actions have been well intended. But as is so often the case, we simply do not know enough about the environment to predict the consequences of our actions accurately. The results have been devastating. “We’ve so upset the balance of life here that we threaten the very land that supports us and, through that, our own survival,” says Tim Flannery, South Australian Museum director.

What is the solution? Will mankind ever learn to live in harmony with the environment? Indeed, can planet Earth be saved?

AWAKE!  www.jw.org

IS THE BIBLE TOO RESTRICTIVE?

“AS A child, I was not taught any Bible standards. God was never even mentioned,” relates a young man in Finland. Such a background is not uncommon today. Many, especially the young, consider the Bible to be hopelessly old-fashioned and its advice too restrictive. Those who want to follow the Bible are viewed by others as oppressed people whose lives are burdened with prohibitions and commandments. Thus, many feel that it is better to leave the Bible on the bookshelf and seek guidance elsewhere.

That view of the Bible is due, in large measure, to the long history of oppression by the churches of Christendom. During the period that some historians have called the Dark Ages, for example, the Catholic Church in Europe dominated virtually every aspect of people’s life. Anyone who dared to disagree with the church risked torture and even execution. The Protestant churches, which emerged later, also restricted personal freedom. Today, such terms as “Calvinist” or “Puritan” bring to mind not just the followers of certain beliefs but the harsh discipline associated with such groups. Consequently, because the churches were oppressive, people wrongly conclude that the teachings of the Bible must be oppressive.

In recent centuries, the churches have lost much of their grip on people’s lives, at least in some lands. In the wake of traditional religious beliefs came the notion that people have the right to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. With what result? Ahti Laitinen, a professor of criminology and judicial sociology, explains: “Respect for authority has decreased, and people’s understanding of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable is getting more vague.” Ironically, even church leaders have given in to this way of thinking. A prominent Lutheran bishop stated: “I tend to shun the interpretation that moral questions are solved by turning to the Bible or some religious authority.”

Unlimited Freedom Desirable?

The idea of unlimited freedom may sound appealing, especially to young people. Few enjoy being patronized or having to live according to a list of dos and don’ts. However, should everyone be free to do whatever he wants? To answer this question, consider an illustration. Imagine a city with no traffic laws. No driver’s license or driving test is required. People can drive any way they like, even when intoxicated, with no need to worry about speed limits, stop signs, traffic lights, one-way streets, or pedestrian crossings. Would such “freedom” be desirable? Certainly not! The result would be chaos, confusion, and catastrophe. Though traffic laws restrict people’s freedom, we understand that these laws protect drivers as well as pedestrians.

Similarly, Jehovah gives direction on how we should live. This benefits us. Without such guidance, we would have to learn things by trial and error, and in so doing, we could harm ourselves and others. Such an atmosphere of moral anarchy would be as undesirable and hazardous as driving in a city without traffic laws. The truth is, we need rules and laws of some kind—a fact that most people readily admit.

“My Load Is Light”

Traffic laws may entail a lengthy and detailed list of regulations—in some places the number of parking rules alone is staggering. In contrast, the Bible does not set out a long list of rules. Rather, it sets out basic principles, and these are not burdensome or oppressive. Jesus Christ extended an appealing invitation to his contemporaries: “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.” (Matthew 11:28, 30) In a letter to the Christian congregation in Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote: “Where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.”—2 Corinthians 3:17.

That freedom, however, is not unlimited. Jesus clearly pointed out that God’s requirements include some simple commandments. For example, Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) Imagine what life would be like if everyone applied that commandment! Hence, the freedom that Christians enjoy is not without limitations. The apostle Peter wrote: “Be as free people, and yet holding your freedom, not as a blind for badness, but as slaves of God.”—1 Peter 2:16.

Thus, even though Christians are not bound by a detailed list of laws, they do not act according to their own ideas of right and wrong. Humans need the guidance that only God can give them. The Bible plainly states: “It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23) If we obey God’s direction, we will benefit greatly.—Psalm 19:11.

One of the benefits is happiness. The young man mentioned at the outset, for example, had been a thief and a liar. He was also promiscuous. Upon learning the Bible’s high standards, he changed his way of life to conform to them. “Although I was not able to follow all of the Bible’s standards at once,” he said, “I did understand their value. My previous way of life did not produce the happiness that I now enjoy. Living according to Bible standards simplifies your life. You know where you are headed and what is right and what is wrong.”

Millions of people have had a similar experience. Among other things, the guidance found in the Bible has helped them to enjoy improved human relations, to cultivate a balanced view of work, to refrain from habits that are harmful, and thus to live a happier life. Markus, a young man who has lived both with and without Bible standards, says of his own life: “By living according to the Bible, I have been able to improve my self-respect.”

What Is Your Choice?

So is the Bible restrictive? The answer is yes—for the benefit of all of us. But is the Bible too restrictive? The answer is no. Unlimited freedom leads only to difficulties. The Bible’s standards are balanced, and they promote our well-being and happiness. Markus says: “Time has proved the wisdom of applying God’s Word in life. Although in many ways my life is different from that of people in general, I don’t think for a moment that I have missed out on anything worthwhile in life.”

When you begin to experience the blessings of living by Bible standards, your appreciation for God’s Word will increase. This will lead to an even greater blessing—you will come to love its divine Source, Jehovah God. “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.”—1 John 5:3.

Jehovah is both our Creator and our heavenly Father. He knows what is best for us. Rather than restrict us, he gives us loving direction for our good. In poetic language Jehovah urges us: “O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”—Isaiah 48:18.

[Footnotes]

The name has been changed.

For more information about the way of life outlined in the Bible, see chapter 12 of the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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THE QUEST FOR SECURITY IN AN UNSTABLE WORLD

 

SECURITY. World leaders negotiate for it. Religious leaders pray for it. Yet, to the ordinary man in the street, security seems an elusive dream. Take, for example, Ron, who was walking to work in South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg.

“There were five men around me, one with a knife at my throat and another with one at my back. They went through my pockets in seconds. I felt like a plucked chicken. People passing by simply ignored me.” Ron did not resist and escaped unhurt.

For many, walking the streets of any large city is stressful. ‘How can I avoid being mugged?’ lurks in the back of their mind. They hurry to complete their shopping so they can return to the security of home. But how safe is home? “The odds of your experiencing someone invading the sanctity of your home, seizing part or all of your possessions and vanishing without a trace are increasing dramatically each year,” states the book Total Home Security.

As a result, homeowners put up notices warning intruders that vicious dogs are on the premises or that these are monitored by an armed patrol. In many neighborhoods householders join forces in an effort to combat crime. “There are more than 60,000 schemes in Britain alone, involving 750,000 households,” states the journal Security Focus. “With crime on the increase, it is a thing of the past for neighbours not to be on friendly terms,” said an insurance broker in Africa.

Members of neighborhood-watch schemes look out for one another’s welfare and report any suspicious activity to the police. But a newsletter explained to a group member whose house was burglarized: “Unfortunately the scheme is not a guarantee that you will never be burgled again. No security scheme in existence can make that claim. . . . You must still ensure that your doors are locked, that you have a burglar alarm and have taken reasonable security precautions.”

Though neighborhood-watch schemes have had some effect, it is debatable whether they reduce the overall crime rate. “Claimed reductions in crime in a small area are only ‘successes’ if there is little or no ‘displacement’ of that crime to adjoining areas,” explain Shapland and Vagg in Policing by the Public. Thus, in some cities where neighborhood-watch groups have reported outstanding success, there has been a phenomenal increase in crime in other areas of the same cities where it is difficult to organize such schemes.

“There are some areas where neighborhood watch is not as effective,” admits the secretary of a countrywide scheme involving over 20,000 members. She was referring to large sites “out of town where the neighbors cannot see each other and where patrolling does not work.” For example, one couple moved from an American city to a 50-acre [20 ha] site near a small village. Within a few years, their house was broken into twice. The wife voiced the feelings of many rural dwellers: “I try to be normal, but I’m afraid. . . . I never feel safe.” In countries plagued with political conflict, rural dwellers face additional violence and are often pressured into taking sides.

No wonder many long for ‘the good old days.’ “Around the beginning of this century,” states the book The Growth of Crime, “there was . . . a general belief that [crime] would become milder in quality.” But what happened instead? Authors Sir Leon Radzinowicz and Joan King explain: “In the first twenty years of the century, even during the first world war, rates of crime remained fairly level, no more than keeping pace with population. It was in the post-war depression that a sustained trend became discernible. Through the years of economic upheaval, unemployment and another great war, [crime] gathered pace inexorably . . . The one thing that hits you in the eye when you look at crime on the world scale is a pervasive and persistent increase everywhere.”

This “increasing of lawlessness,” though unexpected by many, was actually foretold. The major calamities that have struck mankind since the start of the first world war in 1914 were indicated aforetime in the Bible. Jesus predicted that man’s wicked system was drawing to an end: “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. And because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off.”—Matthew 24:3, 7, 12; see also Luke 21:10, 11.

“As these things start to occur,” Jesus added, “raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” Thus, you have reason for optimism. Man’s quest for earth-wide security is about to be satisfied.—Luke 21:28-32.

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TERRORISM -- SOON TO END!

A BUS in Jerusalem, a federal building in Oklahoma City, or an apartment building in Moscow can all be targets of terrorism. Although terrorists apparently want to convey a powerful message to politicians, military leaders, or economic leaders, there often seems to be no link between their cause and their target. In many cases the actual targets are ordinary people—people who have nothing to do with the terrorists’ avowed cause. Why, then, do extremists resort to acts of terrorism?

Why Terrorism?

Terrorism is systematic, premeditated, and calculated. The resulting toll in deaths and injuries is not the primary objective. Such carnage is a means to an end, part of the atmosphere of shock and fear that the terrorist wishes to create in order to undermine authority and gain a hearing for his specific cause. Consider some of the factors behind the violent acts of terrorists.

Hatred. “Terrorism . . . is fueled by hatred,” stated Louis J. Freeh, director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Those who harbor such hatred live in a world that is colored by bigotry, shaded by conspiracy, and framed by ignorance.”

Oppression. “To be sure, there are leaders of groups and countries whose irrational goals are the annihilation of other cultures,” writes Stephen Bowman in his book When the Eagle Screams. “But it is also clear that a great deal of terrorism is born of despair.”

Frustration. “In many cases . . . the primary motivation for a terrorist is a genuine frustration with seemingly intractable political, social, and economic forces,” observes the editor of the book Urban Terrorism.

Injustice. “Terrorism is a symptom of a problem, not the actual cause,” remarks Michael Shimoff in his paper “The Policy of Terrorism.” He continues: “Our long-term goal should be to eliminate the underlying social and political causes of terrorism. . . . Paralleling our actions against terrorism, we must have equally vigorous efforts to enhance freedom, dignity, justice, and humanitarian values. Only when those vigorous efforts are effective, will we be able to dismantle our counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism operations.”

The causes and history of terrorism have proved the truth of the Biblical statement: “Man has dominated man to his injury.” (Ecclesiastes 8:9) The Bible even foretold the traits that have nurtured terrorism. It says: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, . . . having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride.”—2 Timothy 3:1-4.

The reality is that human efforts to combat terrorism, no matter how sincerely motivated, cannot successfully deal with its causes. The Bible realistically observes: “To earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23) However, while the solution to the problem of terrorism is beyond human power, it certainly is not beyond God’s power.

The Solution

Those who have been wronged or oppressed and who feel frustrated can find comfort in the Bible’s sure promise: “The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.”—Proverbs 2:21, 22.

This promise of God will soon be fulfilled. His Ruler, the reigning King Jesus Christ, will see to that. A Bible prophecy says regarding Christ: “He will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears. And with righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth.”—Isaiah 11:3, 4.

Yes, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, will soon eliminate all injustice as well as those responsible for it. In God’s righteous new system, terrorism and violence of every kind will be things of the past. Then everyone on earth will live in security, free from fear of any harm.—Revelation 21:3, 4.

For more please go to www.jw.org

CHRISTIAN VIEW OF HAPPINESS

How to Find Real Happiness

A BUDDHIST religious leader, the Dalai Lama, said: “I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness.” He then explained that he believed that happiness can be achieved by training, or disciplining, the mind and the heart. “A mind,” he said, “is all the basic equipment we need to achieve complete happiness.” Belief in God is unnecessary, he maintains.

In contrast, consider Jesus, who had strong faith in God and whose teachings have affected hundreds of millions of people over the centuries. Jesus was interested in human happiness. He began his well-known Sermon on the Mount with nine beatitudes—nine expressions that begin: “Happy are . . .” (Matthew 5:1-12) In that same sermon, he taught his listeners to examine, purify, and discipline their minds and hearts—replacing violent, immoral, and selfish thoughts with peaceful, clean, and loving thoughts. (Matthew 5:21, 22, 27, 28; 6:19-21) As one of his disciples later exhorted, we should “continue considering” things that are ‘true, of serious concern, righteous, chaste, lovable, well spoken of, virtuous, and praiseworthy.’—Philippians 4:8.

Jesus knew that true happiness involves relationships with others. We humans are gregarious by nature, so we cannot be truly happy if we isolate ourselves or if we are constantly in conflict with those around us. We can be happy only if we feel loved and if we love others. Fundamental to such love, Jesus taught, is our relationship with God. Here especially, Jesus’ teaching departs from that of the Dalai Lama, for Jesus taught that humans cannot be truly happy independent of God. Why is that so?—Matthew 4:4; 22:37-39.

Think of Your Spiritual Needs

One of the beatitudes is: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” (Matthew 5:3) Why did Jesus say this? Because, unlike animals, we have spiritual needs. Created in God’s image, we can to a degree cultivate divine attributes, such as love, justice, mercy, and wisdom. (Genesis 1:27; Micah 6:8; 1 John 4:8) Our spiritual needs include the need to have meaning in our life.

How can we satisfy such spiritual needs? Not through transcendental meditation or mere introspection. Rather, Jesus said: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matthew 4:4) Notice, Jesus said that God is the source of “every utterance” vital to our life. Some questions only God can help us to answer. That insight is especially timely today, given the proliferation of theories about life’s purpose and the way to happiness. Bookstores devote entire sections to works that promise readers health, wealth, and happiness. Internet sites dealing specifically with happiness have been set up.

Nevertheless, human thinking in these areas is often misguided. It tends to play to selfish desires or to the ego. It is based on limited knowledge and experience, and quite often it rests on false premises. For instance, a growing trend among writers of self-help books is to base their ideas on the theory of “evolutionary psychology,” which assumes that human emotions are rooted in our supposed animal ancestry. The truth is, any effort to find happiness that is based on a theory that ignores the role of our Creator cannot be valid and will ultimately lead to disappointment. An ancient prophet said: “The wise ones have become ashamed. . . . Look! They have rejected the very word of Jehovah, and what wisdom do they have?”—Jeremiah 8:9.

Jehovah God knows our makeup and what will make us truly happy. He knows why he put man on the earth and what the future holds, and he shares that information with us in the Bible. What he reveals in that inspired book strikes a responsive chord in rightly disposed individuals and inspires happiness. (Luke 10:21; John 8:32) This was the case with two of Jesus’ disciples. They were disconsolate following his death. But after learning from the mouth of the resurrected Jesus himself about his role in God’s purpose for mankind’s salvation, they said: “Were not our hearts burning as he was speaking to us on the road, as he was fully opening up the Scriptures to us?”—Luke 24:32.

Such joy intensifies when we allow Bible truth to guide our life. In this regard, happiness can be likened to a rainbow. It appears when conditions are favorable, but it becomes more brilliant—even becoming a double rainbow—when conditions are perfect. Let us now look at a few examples of how the application of Bible teachings can make for greater happiness.

Keep Your Life Simple

First, look at Jesus’ counsel on the matter of wealth. After counseling against making the pursuit of wealth the main thing in life, he made a striking expression. He said: “If, then, your eye is simple, your whole body will be bright.” (Matthew 6:19-22) Essentially, he said that if we avidly pursue wealth, power, or any of the other goals people set for themselves, we will lose out on more important things. After all, as Jesus said on another occasion, “even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15) If we put first the things that are really important, such as our relationship with God, family concerns, and other related matters, then our “eye” will be “simple,” uncluttered.

Notice, Jesus was not advocating asceticism or extreme self-denial. After all, Jesus himself was not an ascetic. (Matthew 11:19; John 2:1-11) Rather, he taught that those who view life as little more than an opportunity to amass wealth essentially miss out on life.

Commenting on some who became very wealthy early in life, a psychotherapist in San Francisco, U.S.A., said that for them money is “the root of stress and confusion.” These people, he added, “buy two or three houses, a car, spend money on stuff. And when that hasn’t done it for them [that is, made them happy], they become depressed, empty and uncertain about what to do with their lives.” In contrast, those who heed Jesus’ advice to lead a simpler life materially and to leave room for spiritual things are far more likely to find real happiness.

Tom, a builder living in Hawaii, volunteered to help build places of worship on Pacific islands where people have little materially. Tom noticed something about these humble people. He said: “My Christian brothers and sisters in these islands were truly happy. They helped me see more clearly that money and possessions are not the secret to happiness.” He also observed the volunteers who worked with him in the islands and noticed how contented they were. “They could have made a lot of money,” said Tom. “But they chose to keep spiritual things in first place and maintain a simple life-style.” Moved by these examples, Tom simplified his own life so that he could devote more time to his family and to spiritual pursuits—a move he has never regretted.

Happiness and Self-Worth

Vital to happiness is a feeling of personal dignity, or self-worth. Because of human imperfection and the resulting weaknesses, some have a negative view of themselves, and for many, such feelings date from childhood. It may be hard to overcome entrenched feelings, but it can be done. The solution lies in applying God’s Word.

The Bible explains how the Creator feels about us. Is not his view more important than that of any human—even our own? The very personification of love, God looks at us without prejudice or malice. He sees us for what we are, as well as for what we can be. (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 John 4:8) In fact, he views those wanting to please him as precious, yes, desirable, whatever their imperfections.—Daniel 9:23; Haggai 2:7.

Of course, God does not ignore our weaknesses and any sins we commit. He expects us to try hard to do what is right, and he supports us when we do so. (Luke 13:24) Still, the Bible says: “As a father shows mercy to his sons, Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him.” It also says: “If errors were what you watch, O Jah, O Jehovah, who could stand? For there is the true forgiveness with you, in order that you may be feared.”—Psalm 103:13; 130:3, 4.

So learn to see yourself through God’s eyes. Knowing that he views those who love him as desirable and that he has confidence in them—even though they may view themselves as unworthy—can do much to enhance a person’s happiness.—1 John 3:19, 20.

Hope—Vital to Happiness

A recently promoted concept dubbed positive psychology holds that optimism, cultivated by positive thinking and by focusing on one’s personal strengths, can lead to happiness. Few would deny that an optimistic view of life and of the future adds to our happiness. However, such optimism has to be based on fact, not just on wishful thinking. Besides, no amount of optimism or positive thinking will eliminate war, starvation, disease, pollution, old age, sickness, or death—things that rob so many of their happiness. Nonetheless, optimism does have its place.

Interestingly, the Bible does not use the word optimism; it uses a more powerful word—hope. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary defines “hope” as used in the Bible as “favorable and confident expectation, . . . the happy anticipation of good.” In Bible usage, hope is more than an optimistic view of a situation. It also refers to the thing upon which one’s hope is fixed. (Ephesians 4:4; 1 Peter 1:3) The Christian hope, for instance, is that all the undesirable things mentioned in the preceding paragraph will soon be done away with. (Psalm 37:9-11, 29) But it embraces more.

Christians look forward to the time when faithful humans will attain to perfect life on a paradise earth. (Luke 23:42, 43) Enlarging on that hope, Revelation 21:3, 4 says: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. . . . And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

Anyone who expects to have such a future has every reason to be happy, even if his present circumstances leave much to be desired. (James 1:12) So why not investigate the Bible and find out why you can believe it. Strengthen your hope by spending time each day reading the Bible. Doing so will enrich you spiritually, help you avoid the things that rob people of happiness, and build up your sense of contentment. Yes, the ultimate secret to real happiness is doing the will of God. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) A life built on obeying the Bible’s precepts is a happy life, for Jesus said: “Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”—Luke 11:28.

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HELP YOUR CHILDREN to THRIVE

WHEN it comes to child rearing, many parents search high and low for answers that are, in fact, readily available to them in their own home. Countless families have a Bible, but it gathers dust on a bookshelf instead of being put to use in child rearing.

True, many today are skeptical about using the Bible as a guide in family life. They dismiss it as out-of-date, old-fashioned, or overly harsh. But an honest examination will reveal that the Bible is a practical book for families. Let us see how.

The Right Environment

The Bible tells the father to view his children as “slips of olive trees all around [his] table.” (Psalm 128:3, 4) Tender saplings would not grow up into fruit-bearing trees without careful cultivation, without being given the right nourishment, soil, and moisture. Likewise, successful child rearing requires work and care. Children need a healthy environment to grow to maturity.

The first ingredient for such an environment is love—between marriage mates and between parents and children. (Ephesians 5:33; Titus 2:4) Many family members love one another but see no need to express such love. Consider, though: Could you rightly speak of having communicated with a friend if you wrote him letters that you never even addressed, stamped, or sent? Similarly, the Bible shows that real love is far more than a feeling that warms the heart; it expresses itself through words and actions. (Compare John 14:15 and 1 John 5:3.) God set the example, putting his love for his Son into words: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.”—Matthew 3:17.

Commendation

How can parents show such love to their children? As a start, look for the good. It is easy to find fault with children. Their immaturity, inexperience, and selfishness will show up in countless ways, day in and day out. (Proverbs 22:15) But they will do many good things each day. Which will you focus on? God does not dwell on our faults but remembers the good that we do. (Psalm 130:3; Hebrews 6:10) We should deal with our children in the same way.

One young man remarks: “In all my life at home, I can never recall any form of commendation—whether for accomplishments at home or in school.” Parents, do not ignore this vital need in your children! All children should be commended regularly for the good things they do. That will reduce the risk of their growing up “downhearted,” convinced that nothing they do will ever be good enough.—Colossians 3:21.

Communication

Another good way to express love to your children is to follow the counsel of James 1:19: “Be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath.” Do you draw your children out and really listen to what they have to say? If your children know that you will lecture them before they are even finished talking or will get angry when you learn how they really feel, then they may keep their feelings to themselves. But if they know that you will really listen, they will be far more likely to open up to you.—Compare Proverbs 20:5.

What, though, if they reveal feelings that you know to be wrong? Is it time for an angry response, a lecture, or some discipline? Granted, some childish outbursts can make it hard to be “slow about speaking, slow about wrath.” But consider again God’s example with his children. Does he create an atmosphere of morbid fear, so that his children are afraid to tell him how they really feel? No! Psalm 62:8 says: “Trust in [God] at all times, O people. Before him pour out your heart. God is a refuge for us.”

So when Abraham was worried about God’s decision to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, he did not hesitate to say to his heavenly Father: “It is unthinkable of you that you are acting in this manner . . . Is the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?” Jehovah did not rebuke Abraham; He listened to him and soothed his fears. (Genesis 18:20-33) God is remarkably patient and gentle, even when his children pour out feelings that are entirely unjustified and unreasonable.—Jonah 3:10–4:11.

Parents likewise need to create an environment in which children feel safe to reveal their innermost feelings, no matter how disturbing these may be. So if your child makes an impassioned outburst, listen. Instead of scolding, acknowledge the child’s feelings and draw out the reasons. For example, you might say: ‘You sound angry at so-and-so. Do you want to tell me what happened?’

Managing Anger

Of course, no parent is as patient as Jehovah is. And children can certainly try their parents’ patience to the limit. If you feel angry at your children from time to time, do not worry that this makes you a bad parent. At times, you will be quite right in feeling angry. God himself rightly gets angry with his children, even some who are very dear to him. (Exodus 4:14; Deuteronomy 34:10) His Word, though, teaches us to control our anger.—Ephesians 4:26.

How? Sometimes it helps to take a break for a few moments so that your anger has a chance to cool down. (Proverbs 17:14) And remember, This is a child! Do not expect adult behavior or mature thinking. (1 Corinthians 13:11) Understanding why your child acts a certain way may soften your anger. (Proverbs 19:11) Never forget the vast difference between doing something bad and being bad. Yelling at a child for being bad may cause the child to wonder, ‘Why even try to be good?’ But lovingly correcting a child will help the child to do better next time.

Maintaining Order and Respect

Teaching children a sense of order and respect is one of the great challenges that parents face. In today’s permissive world, many wonder if it is even right to restrict their children at all. The Bible answers: “The rod and reproof are what give wisdom; but a boy let on the loose will be causing his mother shame.” (Proverbs 29:15) Some shy away from the word “rod,” thinking that it implies some kind of child abuse. But it does not. The Hebrew word for “rod” referred to a staff, such as the one a shepherd used to guide—not assault—his sheep. So the rod stands for discipline.

In the Bible, to discipline primarily means to teach. That is why the book of Proverbs says some four times, ‘listen to discipline.’ (Proverbs 1:8; 4:1; 8:33; 19:27) Children need to learn that doing what is right brings a reward and that doing what is wrong brings bad consequences. Punishment may help to impress negative lessons, just as rewards—such as commendation—may reinforce positive ones. (Compare Deuteronomy 11:26-28.) Parents do well to imitate God’s example when it comes to punishment, for he told his people that he would chastise them “to the proper degree.” (Jeremiah 46:28) Some children need little more than a few stern words to bring them into line. Others need firmer measures. But chastisement “to the proper degree” would never include anything that might do a child real harm emotionally or physically.

Balanced discipline should include teaching children about boundaries and limits. Many of these are clearly defined in God’s Word. The Bible teaches respect for the boundaries around personal property. (Deuteronomy 19:14) It sets up physical boundaries, making it wrong to love violence or deliberately harm another. (Psalm 11:5; Matthew 7:12) It establishes sexual boundaries, condemning incest. (Leviticus 18:6-18) It even acknowledges personal and emotional boundaries, forbidding us to call someone vile names or use other forms of verbal abuse. (Matthew 5:22) Teaching children about these limits and boundaries—both by word and by example—is essential to creating a healthy family environment.

Another key to maintaining order and respect in the family lies in understanding family roles. In many families today, such roles are blurred or confused. In some, a parent will confide burdensome problems to a child, problems the child is not equipped to handle. In others, children are allowed to be little dictators, making decisions for the entire family. Such is wrong and harmful. Parents are obliged to provide for the needs of their young children—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—not vice versa. (2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Timothy 5:8) Consider the example of Jacob, who adjusted the pace of his whole family and entourage so as not to be too hard on the little ones. He understood their limitations and acted accordingly.—Genesis 33:13, 14.

Tending to Spiritual Needs

Nothing is more vital to a healthy family environment than spirituality. (Matthew 5:3) Children have a great capacity for spirituality. They are full of questions: Why do we exist? Who made the earth and its animals, trees, oceans? Why do people die? What happens afterward? Why do bad things happen to good people? The list seems endless. Often, it is the parents who prefer not to think of such things.

The Bible urges parents to spend time giving their children spiritual training. It speaks of such training in warm terms as an ongoing dialogue between parents and children. Parents may teach their children about God and his Word when they walk together, sit in the house together, at bedtime—whenever possible.—Deuteronomy 6:6, 7; Ephesians 6:4.

The Bible does more than recommend such a spiritual program. It also provides the materials you will need. After all, how would you answer the children’s questions mentioned above? The Bible contains the answers. They are clear, they are fascinating, and they give a great deal of hope in this hopeless world. Better yet, a grasp of the Bible’s wisdom can give your children the sturdiest anchor, the surest guidance in today’s confusing times. Give them that, and they really will thrive—now and into the future.

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ARE YOUR PROBLEMS A PUNISHMENT FROM GOD?

“I feel like I’m being punished,” says a woman in her mid-50’s after learning that she has cancer. Reflecting on a wrong she committed years earlier, she concludes, “This must be God’s way of telling me I sinned.”

WHEN faced with adversity, many people feel that God is punishing them for some past wrong. Overwhelmed by a sudden avalanche of problems, they may be heard to lament: “Why me? What have I done to deserve this?” Should we conclude that our problems are an indication of divine disapproval? Are personal adversities really a punishment from God?

Faithful Worshippers Experienced Adversity

Consider what the Bible reports about a man named Job. Without warning, he suddenly lost his wealth. Next, all ten of his children were killed in a windstorm. Soon thereafter, he was struck with a debilitating, loathsome disease. (Job 1:13-19; 2:7, 8) Such adversities led Job to cry out: “The hand of God has struck me down.” (Job 19:21, Today’s English Version) Evidently, like many today, Job felt that God was punishing him.

However, the Bible reveals that before Job’s trials began, God himself had described Job as “a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad.” (Job 1:8) In view of this expression of divine approval, it is clear that Job’s adversities were not a punishment from God.

The fact is, the Bible is filled with accounts of upright individuals who faced personal adversities. Although he was a loyal servant of God, Joseph endured years of unjust imprisonment. (Genesis 39:10-20; 40:15) The faithful Christian Timothy suffered from “frequent cases of sickness.” (1 Timothy 5:23) Even Jesus Christ, who never did wrong, was cruelly mistreated before suffering an agonizing death. (1 Peter 2:21-24) Hence, it is a mistake to conclude that adversity must be an expression of God’s displeasure. But if God is not responsible for adversity, who, if anyone, is?

The Causes of Our Problems

The Bible shows that Satan the Devil was the cause of Job’s tragedies. (Job 1:7-12; 2:3-8) Furthermore, it identifies Satan as the chief source of our problems today when it states: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:12) As “the ruler of this world,” Satan has influenced many to engage in evil acts that have resulted in untold misery and heartache.—John 12:31; Psalm 37:12, 14.

We should not, however, be quick to blame the Devil for every adversity we experience. As a result of inherited sin and imperfection, we are prone to make unwise decisions that can cause us problems. (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12) For example, imagine a man who by choice neither eats properly nor gets sufficient rest. If this eventually leads to serious health problems, should he blame the Devil? No, the man has merely reaped the bitter consequences of his own poor judgment. (Galatians 6:7) In such an instance, it is just as a Bible proverb puts it: “A man’s own folly wrecks his life.”—Proverbs 19:3, The New English Bible.

Finally, it must be realized that many unpleasant experiences are simply the result of “time and unforeseen occurrence.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Consider the person who is unexpectedly caught in a rainstorm. Whether he will get a little wet or completely drenched may just depend on where he happens to be standing when the rain begins to fall. Similarly, in these “critical times hard to deal with,” negative conditions can quickly turn into a downpour of adversity. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) To what extent we are personally affected is often a matter of timing and circumstances, over which we may have little or no control. Does this mean, then, that we will always be plagued with adversity?

All Adversity Soon to End

Happily, Jehovah God will bring an end to all adversity very soon. (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 1:3; 21:3, 4) In the meantime, he shows that he really cares for us by providing “instruction” and “comfort from the Scriptures” so that we can cope with trials now as we look forward to that wonderful future just ahead. (Romans 15:4; 1 Peter 5:7) At that time, those who are upright in God’s eyes will enjoy unending life in a new world, free from every form of adversity.—Psalm 37:29, 37.

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