The field mice were becoming agitated. They sensed something in the air. They began announcing it to everyone – A Fire! A Fire! One of the mice ran up to the lion, “Your highness, there is a fire coming!”
“What!” roared the lion, “who dares disturb my kingdom with such disruptive talk?!” With that, he ate the mouse. Then the lion began noticing an approaching, rising dust. It was a stampede – the animals were fleeing! Another envoy of mice arrived. “Your majesty, there is a fire coming!”
This time the lion growled and snarled: “Why are you mice causing disruption in my kingdom? Such talk is nothing less than extremist activity! You are insurgents fomenting rebellion!"
The mice begged for understanding. They had no desire to rebel against the lion. Although at times he could be harsh, he did help to “keep the peace.” Still, the lion would hear nothing of it. They were guilty as he charged them. He swooped with a wide heavy paw to capture and eat as many of them as possible, but they quickly scattered into their ground holes.
Just so is the plight of Jehovah’s Witnesses every time a lion-like authority attempts to sanction their activity. Jehovah’s Witnesses are peaceable people. They do not engage in riots or anti-political activities. They live peaceably. They do indeed try to warn everyone that the “fire of Jehovah” will devour this world’s systems. But that is no reason for political entities to worry. At the same time, Jehovah’s Witnesses instruct their adherents to “live peaceably” and to “have honor for the king” (aka ruling authority). The only time they decline is when the rulers make decisions that would nullify God’s direction.
Since the governments think our beliefs are hogwash anyway, I am somewhat baffled why they feel so threatened by us – to the governments, there is no fire. I have to keep asking myself what possible harm could come from allowing us to go about our preaching activity. Then it dawns on me, knowing that we refuse any participation in war efforts, perhaps they are afraid that if more people respond to our message it will mean a weaker army. So far, that is the only conclusion I am able to reach – but history itself quickly dispels this notion. Really, we are mere meek field mice who smell a fire. We are no threat. The stampeding insurgents and terrorists fighting against various governments today (of which we are no part) are a much greater threat than anything we could or would do. In fact, those listening to us have changed their lives and stopped their revolutionary ways.
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