Daniel and His Convention Badge

JESUS rebuked self-righteous religious leaders who became indignant when they observed young boys publicly praising God. Appropriately, Jesus asked them: “Did you never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have furnished praise’?”​—Matthew 21:15, 16.

Six-year-old Daniel, associated with a Russian-language congregation in Germany, offers proof that young people are still praising Jehovah. With his mother and sister, he attended a convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Duisburg. This was the first time that they attended such a large convention. Everything was new: the hotel, the large audience, sitting still for three days, the baptism, not to mention the drama. And Daniel? His conduct was exemplary.

On the Monday after the convention, at home once again, Daniel got up early to go to kindergarten. But what was still on his jacket? The badge that identified him as a convention delegate! His mother explained to him: “The convention is over. Today you can remove the badge.” But Daniel said: “I want everyone to see where I was and to know what I learned.” So all day at kindergarten, he proudly wore his badge. When his teacher asked him about it, he described the convention program to her.

By doing so, Daniel was following the example of thousands of boys and girls who over the centuries have publicly given praise to Jehovah.