Article November 21, 1977 Issue

Being a Witness for Good

BETTIE B. THOMPSON

From a distance I once saw a woman walk across the street and empty the contents of a large container. Supposing the contents to be trash, I immediately condemned her for depositing debris in a public area. But as I came nearer, I could see that what I had thought was trash was really food for birds, which had begun feasting on the women's gift.

This incident helped me remember to relinquish false pictures of man and the universe and adopt a truer vision, a recognition of the all-knowing and all-cherishing God. I saw more clearly the need to be alert against admitting into thought anything that would defile God's creation—man and the universe. The experience further brought home the lesson, "Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause." ^{Prov. 24:28;} We need to be witnesses for perpetual goodness. Paul asked the Corinthians, "What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?"^{I Cor. 2:11;}

But how easy it is for us to unthinkingly base our judgment of man and the universe on the testimony of material senses—on illusion, or matter! This misjudgment leads to a misconception of God's infinite goodness.

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