By Marie Hortence, Côte d’Ivoire

I used to not take my duties seriously, I slacked off a lot, and did things very perfunctorily. I would invite potential gospel recipients to listen to sermons, but wasn’t willing to talk with them or ask how they felt about what they’d heard. I thought that inviting a lot of people to come listen meant I was doing my duty well. Plus, this was easier for me. I found it hard to talk with them; not only did it take time, answering their questions also took effort, so I didn’t want to engage with them. I thought that the gospel staff would talk with them and it would be enough, that it didn’t matter if I didn’t know their situation. At a gathering, the leader said, “When we invite people to come hear the sermons, we need to know what’s going on with them afterward, see if they come to gatherings, if they understand what was said, and if they have any notions. We need to do our best to help them out of love, and this is our responsibility, too.” But I thought it was a hassle, so I didn’t sacrifice that much or endure much hardship. I took the easiest path, and gave no thought to whether I achieved results. One time, the leader said there were some people who invited a lot of listeners, but very few of them truly sought or investigated. I knew I was one of these people; I only concerned myself with surface-level work, and got no real results. Afterward, the leader came to examine my work, and said, “How are these potential gospel recipients doing now?” I was embarrassed, and didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t in contact with many of them, and hadn’t reached out to some people who weren’t coming to hear sermons. I had abandoned them just like that.

I started reflecting after talking with the leader. I saw that God says: “People are needed to perform all that God requires people to do, and all of the various kinds of work in the house of God—these things all count as people’s duties. No matter what work people do, this is the duty they should perform. Duties cover a very broad scope, and involve many areas, but no matter what duty you perform, to put it simply, it is your obligation and something you should be doing. As long as you strive to perform it well with your heart, God will approve of you, and acknowledge you as someone who truly believes in God. No matter who you are, if you are always trying to avoid or hide from your duty, then there is a problem. To put it mildly, you are too lazy, too slippery, you are idle, and you love leisure and loathe labor. To put it more seriously, you are unwilling to perform your duty, and you have no loyalty or submission. If you can’t even exert yourself physically to shoulder this little bit of work, what can you do? What are you capable of doing properly? If a person truly has loyalty and a sense of responsibility toward their duty, then as long as it is required by God, and as long as it is needed by the house of God, they will do anything they are asked, without making their own choices. Is it not one of the principles of performing a duty to undertake and do well that which one is able and ought to do? (Yes.)” (The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Ten: They Despise the Truth, Brazenly Flout Principles, and Ignore the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Four)). “If you are submissive and sincere, then when you carry out a task, you will not be perfunctory, and you will not slack off deceitfully, instead you will put all of your heart and strength into it. If a person’s inner state is wrong, and negativity arises in them, they lose their drive and want to be perfunctory; they know full well in their heart that their state is not right, and yet they still do not try to fix this by seeking the truth. People like this have no love for the truth, and are only slightly willing to perform their duty; they are disinclined to make any effort or suffer hardship, and they are always trying to slack off deceitfully. In fact, God has already scrutinized all of this—so why does He pay no heed to these people? God is just waiting for His chosen people to wake up, discern and expose those people, and eliminate them” (The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Ten: They Despise the Truth, Brazenly Flout Principles, and Ignore the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Four)). In God’s words, I saw that people who are responsible in their duty don’t need supervision from others to complete the work; they put their heart into their duty. But people who aren’t serious about their duty only put on an act and go through the motions. Even if it looks to people like they’ve done a lot of work, it’s only superficial, and hasn’t achieved any real results. They’re deceiving people. God’s words exposed my state. I was happy when I invited potential gospel recipients to come to sermons because when everyone saw how many people I invited, they’d think I was a responsible person. But in reality, when I needed to know what was going on with them afterward, I didn’t want to pay a price, or put in more time and effort. I just wanted to pass the work off to the gospel staff. I liked taking the easy way out. Whichever way meant less hardship and was most comfortable, I took that one. I took shortcuts when things got difficult. I wanted to give up when something seemed hard or I had to put in a lot of effort. I was such a slacker! I couldn’t be bothered to find out what questions the potential gospel recipients had after listening to the sermons, whether they kept coming to gatherings, and if not, why they weren’t there, et cetera. I was really irresponsible in my duty, and didn’t give of myself, yet I wanted it to look like I was effective in my duty. I was so sly and deceitful, I didn’t deserve to be trusted. I remembered another past experience of mine. When I was in school and got bad grades, I had to take the class again, but even then I still didn’t study hard. I’ve always preferred easy work to hard work, and have been lazy. It’s part of my nature. After realizing this, I started putting more thought into my work, changing my ways, and communicating with those potential gospel recipients. I also talked with gospel staff and sought their help. When I did this, I became a bit more effective.

Later, I handed those who were ready to accept the true way to waterers, but there still weren’t many people who continued coming to gatherings. There was one person who was too busy with work to come to gatherings. Also, her mother had just passed away. She was heartbroken, and withdrew from the world. I didn’t know how to fellowship with her other than to find some simple words to say. And when some people encountered problems, I couldn’t find the right words of God to fellowship with them and resolve their problems. This was hard for me. I preferred inviting people to come listen to sermons, because it was easier. I didn’t really like talking to them; I was afraid they’d ask questions I couldn’t answer, so I chose to avoid or abandon them. About half a year later, I saw only six of those who I invited had accepted God’s work of the last days, whereas other brothers and sisters had converted many people. I was ashamed and filled with regret. I had been negligent in my duties for these six months. If I could have turned back time, I wouldn’t have been negligent. The fact that others had brought so many people before God showed that spreading the gospel wasn’t difficult, that it just required some diligence, and that results were possible in this duty. I saw that Almighty God’s words say: “In spreading the gospel, people must fulfill their responsibility and deal with every potential gospel recipient earnestly. God saves man to the greatest extent possible, and people must be considerate of God’s intentions, they must not carelessly pass over anyone who is seeking and investigating the true way. What’s more, in spreading the gospel, you must grasp the principles. For every person who is investigating the true way, you must observe, understand, and get a grasp on such things as their religious background, whether their caliber is good or bad, and the quality of their humanity. If you find a person who thirsts for the truth, who can comprehend God’s words, and who can accept the truth, then that person has been predestined by God. You should try with all your might to fellowship about the truth with them and win them over. However, if they are of poor humanity and awful character, and their thirst is a pretense, and they keep arguing, and cling to their notions, you should set them aside and give up on them. Some people who are investigating the true way have comprehension ability and are of great caliber, but are arrogant and self-righteous. They adhere tightly to religious notions, so you should fellowship about the truth to them with love and patience to help solve this. You should only give up if they do not accept the truth no matter how you fellowship with them—then you will have done everything you can. In brief, do not give up lightly on anyone who can acknowledge and accept the truth. As long as they are willing to investigate the true way and able to seek the truth, you should do all you can to read more of God’s words to them and fellowship more of the truth to them, and to testify to God’s work and resolve their notions and questions, so that you may win them over and bring them before God. This is in line with the principles of spreading the gospel. So, how can they be won over? If, in the process of engaging with them, you ascertain that this person is of good caliber and good humanity, you must do everything you can to fulfill your responsibility; you must pay a certain price, and use certain ways and means, and it doesn’t matter what ways and means you employ as long as you use them to win that person over. In sum, in order to win them over, you must fulfill your responsibility, and use love, and do everything within your power. You must fellowship on all the truths that you understand and do all the things you should do. Even if this person is not won over, you will be left with a clear conscience. You will have done all that you can. If you do not fellowship the truth clearly, and the person keeps clinging to their notions, and if you lose your patience, and give up on them of your own accord, this is being negligent in your duty, and for you, this will be a transgression and a stain. Some people say, ‘Does having this stain mean that I have been condemned by God?’ Such matters depend on whether people do these things intentionally and habitually. God does not condemn people for occasional transgressions; they need only repent. But when they knowingly do wrong and refuse to repent, they are condemned by God. How could God not condemn them when they are clearly aware of the true way and yet deliberately sin? Viewed according to the truth principles, this is being irresponsible and perfunctory, and at the very least, these people have not fulfilled their responsibility; this is how God judges their mistakes. If they refuse to repent, they shall be condemned. And so, to reduce or avoid such mistakes, people should do all they can to fulfill their responsibilities, actively trying to address all the questions that people investigating the true way have, and definitely not putting off or delaying crucial questions” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound). God’s words really got me thinking, and I was very moved. Spreading the gospel was my responsibility and God’s intention, I should have been giving it my all, but I wasn’t willing to make sacrifices in my duty to bring people to God. I was really lazy, and too perfunctory in my duty. I didn’t do as God said and give earnest attention to all who investigate the true way, or fulfill my responsibilities. I thought it was enough just to invite a lot of people to come listen, and that what came after wasn’t my job. In my eyes, they were the waterers’ responsibility, and whether they came to gatherings or not wasn’t my problem or my responsibility. So when they didn’t come to gatherings, I didn’t try my best to find words from God to help them. I thought their problems were hard for me to solve, so I wanted to give up on them. But actually, as long as they fit the principles for preaching the gospel, I should give them serious attention, and it was me who invited them to come listen. In ordinary circumstances, I needed to continue communicating with them afterward, but I didn’t. I just passed them off to the waterers and left it at that. I really had no sense of responsibility, nor consideration of God’s intentions. Once I recognized my problem, I was determined to change my attitude, but I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I needed to pray and seek God’s assistance. Afterward, when I met with potential gospel recipients, I would often pray to God to help me bring them to Him, and have the will to work hard and make real sacrifices, not be lax with my duty like before. I also asked my leader how to get people to accept God’s work of the last days. She shared some ways with me, and I started reflecting to see what I wasn’t doing yet. I realized that I wasn’t seeking truth in my work, and wasn’t learning from my brothers and sisters. When some people didn’t come to gatherings, I didn’t want to know why, and just chose to give up on them. My attitude toward my duty was way too lax.

Having come to these realizations, I thought of how God says: “How you regard God’s commissions is extremely important, and this is a very serious matter. If you cannot complete what God has entrusted to people, then you are not fit to live in His presence and you should be punished. It is perfectly natural and justified that humans should complete whatever commissions God entrusts to them. This is man’s supreme responsibility, and is just as important as their very lives. If you do not take God’s commissions seriously, then you are betraying Him in the most grievous way. In this, you are more lamentable than Judas, and should be cursed. People must gain a thorough understanding of how to treat what God entrusts to them and, at the very least, they must comprehend that the commissions He entrusts to humanity are exaltations and special favors from God, and that they are most glorious things. Everything else can be abandoned. Even if a person must sacrifice their own life, they must still fulfill God’s commission” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. How to Know Man’s Nature). After reading God’s words, I was ashamed. As one of God’s created beings, I should perform my duty well. This is my mission and the value of my existence. If I can’t do this, then I will have lost the function I was created for, and won’t be worthy to live before God. I will ultimately be loathed and eliminated by God. Spreading the kingdom gospel is God’s most urgent desire, and God wishes for us to give our all in spreading the gospel and testifying for Him. We cannot be perfunctory in doing these things. I thought of when God called on Noah to build the ark. Although it was an extremely difficult task, Noah didn’t give up. He didn’t ask God when the ark would be finished, or when the flood would come. He just followed God’s instructions and built the ark. After recognizing this, I realized that I needed to change my attitude toward my duty, follow Noah’s example, and do my utmost when performing my duty. Once during a gathering, others were sharing their preaching experiences, and how they used God’s words to resolve potential gospel recipients’ issues. I was very moved after listening to them. I didn’t want to be lazy anymore. I wanted to be responsible and put all my energy into my duty.

After that, I would frequently observe which people didn’t come to gatherings, immediately contact those who weren’t there, and fellowship with them on God’s words. When I put my heart into attending to each person, most of them came to gatherings regularly. I remember there was one person who hadn’t come for several days. I sent her a text, but when she didn’t respond for a few days, I began to worry. I called Brother Derly, a waterer, and learned that she’d encountered difficulties at work, and Derly had shared some of God’s words with her. After hearing this, I felt it wasn’t enough, so I asked Brother Derly to call her and fellowship over the phone. To my surprise, after fellowshipping, she agreed to attend the gathering that same day, and apologized for not coming before. Before long, she joined the church. My heart was overjoyed. I was so thankful to God! I saw that God’s words say: “If you are truly possessed of conscience and reason, then when you do things, you will put a little more heart into them, as well as a little more kindness, responsibility, and consideration, and you will be able to put forth more effort. When you can put forth more effort, the results of the duties that you perform will improve. Your results will be better, and this will satisfy both other people and God” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Life Entry Begins With the Performance of Duty). “You must attain entry from the side of positivity. If you wait passively, then you are still being negative. You must be proactive in cooperating with Me; be diligent, and never be lazy. Always fellowship with Me and attain an even deeper intimacy with Me. If you do not understand, do not be impatient for quick results. It is not that I will not tell you; it is that I want to see whether you rely on Me when you are in My presence, and whether you are confident in your dependence on Me. You must always remain close to Me, and place all matters in My hands. Do not go back in vain. After you have been unconsciously close to Me for a period of time, My intentions shall be revealed to you. If you grasp them, then you will truly come face to face with Me, and you will truly have found My face. You will have much clarity and steadfastness within, and you will have something to rely on. You will then also possess power, as well as confidence, and you will have a path forward. Everything will come easily to you” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 9). God demands that we are active in the performance of our duties. We cannot be passive. When we encounter problems or difficulties, we must pray to God and seek the truth even more, and God will help us and guide us to understand the truth principles. Before, I was passive in my duty and lacked gumption. I would carelessly abandon potential gospel recipients. Guidance from God’s words made me understand that what’s in our heart is very important. When we treat people with love, and fellowship with sincerity, we will see God’s guidance. After I understood this, I prayed to God, asking Him to help me perform my duty well, and consciously practice His words.

Afterward, I was proactive in speaking with those potential gospel recipients, and I would continue to learn about their situation and fellowship God’s words with them patiently until they accepted God’s work of the last days. When I did this, I felt God guiding me bit by bit, helping me understand how to do my duty well, and I felt very reassured at heart. Thanks be to God!