Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site

126
“COMEBEMYFOLLOWER”
Bible is a rich source of knowledge about a variety of animals,
and at times, it uses animal traits in an illustrative
way. The Bible alludes to being as swift as a gazelle
or a leopard, as cautious as a snake, and as innocent
as a dove. (1 Chronicles 12:8; Habakkuk 1:8; Matthew 10:
16) Other valuable sources of information are The Watchtower,
Awake!, and other literature produced by Jehovah’s
Witnesses. You can learn much from observing how these
publications employ simple comparisons drawn from the
wonders of Jehovah’s many creations.
Drawing From Familiar Examples
19 Effective illustrations can take the form of real-life examples.
On one occasion, Jesus used a recent event to
expose as false the belief that tragedy befalls those who
deserve it. He said: “Those eighteen upon whom the
tower in Siloam fell, thereby killing them, do you imagine
that they were proved greater debtors [sinners] than
all other men inhabiting Jerusalem?” (Luke 13:4) Indeed,
those 18 souls did not perish because of some sin that
provoked divine displeasure. Rather, their tragic death
was a result of “time and unforeseen occurrence.” (Ecclesiastes
9:11) Jesus thus refuted a false teaching by referring
to an event that was well-known to his hearers.
20 How can we use true-life examples and experiences in
our teaching? Suppose that you are discussing the fulfillment
of Jesus’ prophecy concerning the sign of his presence.
(Matthew 24:3-14) You might refer to recent news
For a more comprehensive list of the Bible’s figurative use of animal
traits, see Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, pages 268, 270-1,
published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
19, 20. (a) To expose a false belief, how did Jesus make effective use
of a recent event? (b) How can we use true-life examples and experiences
in our teaching?