A Book That Inspires Love - Part 5

Never knowing or showing love - A new way

Joseph was born in France. He was raised in a loveless family, with an alcaholic Father. Eventually, after a violent childhood, his father died of alcohol abuse. Not long after that, his older brother committed suicide, leaving Joseph to bring hmself up.

Joseph stumbled through life, surviving by violence and drugs. He recalls that, although he got married, he was “Unable to love or trust anyone.”

One night, in a drunken episode, he set fire to his home. He and his wife lost everything they had in the world.

Joseph's wife had been studying the Bible for a short time with some people who were trying themselves to live by the Bible's teachings. When they heard what had happened to Joseph and his wife, they gave a large sum of money to them to help them replace what they had lost. When Joseph saw the money he was puzzled but amazed. He couldn't understand why strangers would do such a thing. But the fact was that these strangers were moved by the Bible's command to love others and to show compassion.

Because of their kindness, Joseph met with them and began to ask many questions about God and the Bible. He wanted to know more about them and the book that had inspired such kindness but, something was bothering him. Because of his violent, selfish lifestyle, he wondered if God could forgive someone like him. Joseph did not think that someone like him could change or be happy, or ever love others. But the Bible students showed him things in the Bible that changed his mind. They showed him that many thousands of people, both in the past, and present, had transformed their lives and overcome harmful addictions, hatreds and bad attitudes. Joseph was moved by the description in the Bible of people who had committed all kinds of wicked acts and had broken many of God's laws and principles. But he saw that God had helped them to change and be free. Joseph decided that he would trust in the Bible to help him change.

He broke free of his drug addiction, and he gradually let go of his violent ways. Today, he is a family man and he describes himself as “Very happy.” Joseph says “I have learned to trust people, despite my loveless upbringing.” He strongly believes the Bible's promise that “Love never fails.”

You can see Joseph's moving life experience at the following link;

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODIntExpTransformations/pub-jwbcov_201905_4_VIDEO