Imitate Jesus’ Example of Watchfulness

“Keep on the watch and pray.”​—MATTHEW 26:41.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

How can our prayers show that we are on the watch?

In what ways can we show that we are watchful in our ministry?

When we suffer trials, why is it important that we keep on the watch? And how can we do this?

1, 2. (a) What questions might you ask yourself about Jesus’ example of being watchful? (b) Can sinful humans imitate Jesus’ perfect example? Give an illustration.

HAVE you ever asked yourself: ‘Is it really possible to be watchful, as Jesus was?’ You might think it is not possible for you because Jesus was perfect. Also, Jesus at times knew exactly what would happen thousands of years in the future. Did Jesus really need to be watchful? (Matthew 24:37-39; Hebrews 4:15) Let us answer both of these questions first so that we can understand how important and urgent it is for us to be watchful.

² Can a sinful human learn from a perfect example? Yes, just as a student learns from the example of a good teacher. Imagine a man having his first lesson on how to shoot arrows. At first, he cannot hit the target at all, but he takes more lessons and keeps on trying. To become better at it, he carefully studies the example of his teacher, who is an expert archer. The student pays attention to how the teacher stands, positions his arms, and uses his fingers on the bowstring. Little by little, he learns how much pressure to put on the string and how the wind will affect the arrow. If he keeps working hard and imitates his teacher, he will learn to hit closer and closer to the center of the target. In a similar way, we continue to do our best to become better Christians by following Jesus’ instructions and imitating his perfect example.

3. (a) What did Jesus say to show that he needed to be watchful? (b) What will we discuss in this article?

³ Did Jesus really need to be watchful? Yes, he did. For example, on the night before he died, Jesus urged his faithful apostles: “Keep on the watch with me.” Then he said: “Keep on the watch and pray continually, that you may not enter into temptation.” (Matthew 26:38, 41) Jesus had always been watchful while on earth. But during those very difficult hours before his death, he wanted to be especially watchful and as close to his heavenly Father as possible. He knew that his followers needed to be watchful too, not just at that time, but also in the future. So we will discuss why Jesus wants us to keep on the watch. Then we will learn about three ways in which we can be watchful like Jesus.

WHY JESUS WANTS US TO BE WATCHFUL

4. Why do we need to keep watchful?

⁴ Jesus wants us to stay watchful because of what we do not know and what we do know. When Jesus was a man on earth, he did not know everything about the future. He humbly admitted this when he said: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36) At that time, Jesus, “the Son,” did not know exactly when the end of this wicked world would come. What about us today? Do we know everything about the future? Of course not! We do not know exactly when Jehovah will send his Son to destroy this wicked world. If we did know everything about the future, we would not need to keep on the watch. Jesus explained that the end of this wicked world would come suddenly, when we would not expect it. So we need to keep watchful.​—Read Matthew 24:43.

5, 6. (a) How does our knowledge of God’s Kingdom help us to be watchful? (b) Why should what we know about Satan make us want to be even more watchful?

⁵ Jesus knew many wonderful things about the future that most people around him did not know at all. We do not know as much as Jesus did. But he taught us a lot about God’s Kingdom and what it will do in the near future. Most of the people around us at school, at work, or in the territory do not know these wonderful things. So this is another reason for being watchful. Like Jesus, we need to be alert for opportunities to tell others what we know about God’s Kingdom. These opportunities are precious, and we want to make sure that we do not waste any of them. People’s lives are in danger!​—1 Timothy 4:16.

⁶ Jesus knew something else that helped him to stay watchful. He knew that Satan was determined to tempt him, to persecute him, and to break his integrity to God. That wicked enemy was constantly looking for “another convenient time” to test Jesus. (Luke 4:13) Jesus was always alert. He wanted to be ready for any test, whether it was temptation, opposition, or persecution. We are in the same situation as Jesus was. We know that Satan is still “like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.” That is why the Bible tells all Christians: “Keep your senses, be watchful.” (1 Peter 5:8) But how can we do that?

HOW PRAYER HELPS US TO BE WATCHFUL

7, 8. What counsel did Jesus give about prayer? And what can we learn from the way he prayed?

⁷ The Bible tells us that prayer is very important for us to stay alert, or watchful, so that we can protect our relationship with Jehovah. (Colossians 4:2; 1 Peter 4:7) Soon after he asked his followers to keep on the watch with him, Jesus said: “Keep on the watch and pray continually, that you may not enter into temptation.” (Matthew 26:41) Did he mean that they needed to pray only during the very difficult situation that they were in at that moment? No, his counsel is a principle that we should live by every day.

⁸ Jesus’ example shows us the value of prayer. You may remember that Jesus once prayed to his Father for an entire night. (Read Luke 6:12, 13.) Imagine this: It is spring, and Jesus is probably near the town of Capernaum. As it becomes nighttime, Jesus goes up one of the mountains near the Sea of Galilee. He looks out over the land and perhaps sees the little lights of oil lamps down in Capernaum and other nearby villages. Jesus then begins to pray, and nothing distracts him as he speaks to Jehovah. The hours go by. He barely notices the lights far below going out one by one or the moon moving across the sky or the sounds of animals nearby. He probably prays about a big decision that he has to make. He has to decide who will be his 12 apostles. We can imagine Jesus intensely praying to his Father for guidance and wisdom as he tells Him all his thoughts and concerns about each disciple.

9. What can we learn from Jesus’ example of praying all night?

⁹ Does Jesus’ example teach us that we must spend many hours in prayer? No. Jesus kindly said about his followers: “The spirit, of course, is eager, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Even though this is true, we can imitate Jesus. For example, do we talk to our heavenly Father before making any decision that may affect our faith and loyalty, that of our family, or that of those in the congregation? Do we pray for our brothers and sisters in the truth? Do we pray from the heart, or do we repeat a set pattern of words? Also notice that Jesus valued personal and private talk with his Father. In today’s busy world, it is very easy to forget what is most important. We will be more watchful if we give ourselves plenty of time to pray privately to Jehovah from the heart. (Matthew 6:6, 7) We will draw closer to Jehovah, doing everything we can to strengthen our relationship with him and avoid doing anything that would weaken it.​—Psalm 25:14.

HOW TO BE WATCHFUL IN THE PREACHING WORK

10. What example shows us how Jesus was watchful for opportunities to preach to others?

¹⁰ Jesus was watchful in the work that Jehovah gave him to do. There may be some types of work which allow a person to think about other things while working without causing any serious problems. But there are many jobs that require a worker to stay alert and not think about anything else while he is working. The Christian ministry is like that. Jesus was always alert in his work. He was watchful for opportunities to tell others about the good news. For example, when Jesus and his disciples arrived at the town of Sychar after walking all morning, the disciples went to buy food. Jesus stayed near the town’s well to rest, but he was watchful and saw an opportunity to witness. A Samaritan woman came to the well to get water. Jesus could have slept, or he could have thought of reasons not to speak to her. But he started a conversation with her and gave a powerful witness that helped many people in that city. (John 4:4-26, 39-42) Can we do more to imitate Jesus’ example, being more watchful for opportunities to preach to people we meet every day?

11, 12. (a) What did Jesus say to those who tried to distract him from his work? (b) How did Jesus show balance in his ministry?

¹¹ Sometimes, sincere people tried to distract Jesus from his work. In Capernaum, they wanted to keep Jesus with them because of his miracles of healing the sick. It is understandable why they would want to do that. But Jesus’ special work was to preach to all “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” not just to those in one city. (Matthew 15:24) Jesus told those people: “Also to other cities I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth.” (Luke 4:40-44) So the most important thing in Jesus’ life was his ministry. He did not allow anything to distract him.

¹² Was Jesus so busy with his work that he was unbalanced, perhaps not allowing himself time to enjoy other things in life? Or was he so busy in his ministry that he did not know what people needed? No, Jesus showed perfect balance in his ministry. He enjoyed life and happy times with his friends. He had compassion for families and great understanding of their needs and problems. He freely showed affection for children.​—Read Mark 10:13-16.

13. How can we imitate Jesus’ example of being watchful and balanced in the ministry?

¹³ As we imitate Jesus’ example of being watchful, how can we try to be balanced, as he was? We do not let this world distract us from our work. Even sincere friends and relatives may tell us to do less in the ministry or to live what they think is a normal life. But if we imitate Jesus, our ministry will be as important to us as food. (John 4:34) Our ministry helps to strengthen our relationship with Jehovah and makes us happy. But we never want to be unbalanced, showing a self-righteous attitude or not allowing ourselves to enjoy other things. Like Jesus, we want to be joyful, balanced servants of “the happy God.”​—1 Timothy 1:11.

HOW TO BE WATCHFUL WHEN WE HAVE TRIALS

14. When we are in difficult situations, what should we not forget? Why?

¹⁴ Jesus gave his followers some of his most urgent counsel when he had trials. (Read Mark 14:37.) When we are in difficult situations, we need to remember Jesus’ example more than ever. At these times, people often forget a very important truth. It is a truth so important that the book of Proverbs says it twice: “There exists a way that is upright before a man, but the ways of death are the end of it afterward.” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25) If we rely on our own thinking, especially when we have serious problems, we will likely put ourselves and those we love in danger.

15. What may a family head who is struggling to provide for his family be tempted to do?

¹⁵ For example, a family head may be struggling to provide for the material needs of “those who are his own.” (1 Timothy 5:8) He might feel tempted to accept a job that causes him to miss meetings or that keeps him from taking the lead in family worship or participating in the ministry. If he does only what he thinks is right, accepting the job might seem like the right thing to do. He could lose his friendship with Jehovah and even turn against him. It is much better to follow the counsel of Proverbs 3:5, 6. Solomon said: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.”

16. (a) What do we learn from Jesus’ example of relying on Jehovah’s wisdom? (b) How are many family heads imitating Jesus’ example during difficult times?

¹⁶ When Jesus suffered trials, he refused to rely on his own opinion. Just think about that. The wisest man who ever lived on this earth chose not to rely on his own wisdom. For example, when Satan tempted him, Jesus repeatedly answered with the words: “It is written.” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10) Jesus relied on his Father’s wisdom to fight temptation. By doing this, Jesus showed humility, a quality that Satan does not have and that he hates. Do we rely on Jehovah’s wisdom? A family head who is watchful, as Jesus was, uses God’s Word to guide him, especially in difficult times. All over the world, thousands of family heads are doing this. They are putting God’s Kingdom and true worship first, even ahead of their material needs. In this way, they take the best care of their families. Jehovah blesses their efforts to provide for the material needs of their families, just as he promised.​—Matthew 6:33.

17. What makes you want to imitate Jesus’ example of being watchful?

¹⁷ There is no doubt that Jesus is the best example of being watchful. His example is helpful and even saves lives. Remember, Satan really wants you to fall asleep spiritually. He wants to weaken your faith, make you lose your zeal in worshipping Jehovah, and cause you to break your integrity. (1 Thessalonians 5:6) Do not let him win! Be watchful, as Jesus was. Give yourself time to pray from the heart, be alert in the ministry, and trust in Jehovah when you have trials. By doing this, you will have a meaningful, happy, and satisfying life even now as you see the end of this wicked world getting closer. If you stay watchful, Jesus will find you alert and busy serving God when he comes to destroy this wicked world. Jehovah will be very happy to reward you for your faithfulness!​—Revelation 16:15.

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Watchful: To be alert to dangers that can affect our relationship with Jehovah, to look for opportunities to preach, and to rely on Jehovah’s wisdom

Self-righteous: An attitude of being proud, being critical of other people, and thinking that we are better than them

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We must be alert for opportunities to tell others what we know about God’s Kingdom

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If we give ourselves time for prayer to Jehovah, we will stay close to him

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A family head who is watchful, as Jesus was, uses God’s Word to guide him

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Jesus preached to the woman at the well. Do you make opportunities to preach every day?

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If you help your family to strengthen their relationship with Jehovah, you show that you are watchful

“Be Courageous and Very Strong”

“Be courageous and very strong . . . Jehovah your God is with you.”​—JOSHUA 1:7-9.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

In what ways did Enoch and Noah show courage?

How were some women in the past good examples of faith and courage?

What are some examples of young people who impress you?

1, 2. (a) What is sometimes needed to keep doing what is right in our daily life? (b) What are we going to learn about in this article?

COURAGE is the opposite of fear, weakness, and cowardice. We may think of a courageous person as someone who is strong and bold. But sometimes, courage is needed simply to keep doing what is right in our daily life.

² Some people mentioned in the Bible were fearless in very difficult situations. Others showed courage in situations that happen to Jehovah’s servants every day. What can we learn from Bible examples of courage? How can we be courageous?

COURAGEOUS WITNESSES IN AN UNGODLY WORLD

3. What did Enoch prophesy about the wicked?

³ It took courage to be a witness of Jehovah among wicked people on earth before the Flood of Noah’s day. But Enoch, “the seventh one in line from Adam,” boldly preached this prophetic message: “Look! Jehovah came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.” (Jude 14, 15) Enoch spoke as if these things had already happened because that prophecy was sure to come true. And wicked humans did die in a global flood.

4. Noah walked with God in spite of what things happening around him?

⁴ The Flood happened in the year 2370 before Christ, more than 650 years after Enoch died. Meanwhile, Noah was born, raised a family, and with his sons built the ark. Wicked angels made human bodies for themselves, took good-looking women, and had sons with them. These sons were called Nephilim. Most people were wicked, and violence was everywhere on the earth. (Genesis 6:1-5, 9, 11) In spite of all these things happening around him, “Noah walked with the true God” and witnessed boldly as “a preacher of righteousness.” (Read 2 Peter 2:4, 5.) We need similar courage in these last days.

THEY SHOWED FAITH AND COURAGE

5. How did Moses show faith and courage?

⁵ Moses was an example of faith and courage. (Hebrews 11:24-27) God used him from the year 1513 to the year 1473 before Christ to take the Israelites out of Egypt and lead them in the wilderness. Moses did not think that he had the ability to carry out this assignment, but he did accept it. (Exodus 6:12) He and his brother, Aaron, spoke to cruel Pharaoh again and again. They courageously announced the Ten Plagues that Jehovah used to rescue the Israelites and to prove that Egypt’s gods had no power. (Exodus, chapters 7-12) Moses showed faith and courage because he had constant help from God, just as we do today.​—Deuteronomy 33:27.

6. If the authorities question us, what will help us to defend our beliefs with courage?

⁶ We know we will need the same kind of courage that Moses had. Jesus said: “You will be haled before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations. However, when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour; for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you.” (Matthew 10:18-20) If the authorities question us about our service to God, Jehovah’s spirit will help us to show respect as we defend our beliefs with faith and courage.​—Read Luke 12:11, 12.

7. Why was Joshua courageous and successful at his assignment?

⁷ Joshua, who became the leader of Israel after Moses, strengthened his faith and courage by regularly studying God’s Law. In the year 1473 before Christ, Israel was ready to enter the Promised Land. God told Joshua: “Be courageous and very strong.” He also told Joshua that if he obeyed the Law, he would act wisely and do well at his assignment. God said: “Do not suffer shock or be terrified, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7-9) Those words must really have strengthened Joshua! And God certainly was with him. We know that because most of the Promised Land was conquered in only six years, by the year 1467 before Christ.

WOMEN WHO SERVED GOD WITH COURAGE

8. Why is Rahab an example of faith and courage?

⁸ In the past, many women showed courage in their service to Jehovah. For example, the prostitute Rahab of Jericho believed in Jehovah’s protection. She courageously hid two spies sent by Joshua. When some men came looking for the spies, she sent these men somewhere else. She and her family were kept alive when the Israelites conquered Jericho. Rahab stopped her sinful way of life, started to worship Jehovah faithfully, and even became part of the Messiah’s family line! (Joshua 2:1-6; 6:22, 23; Matthew 1:1, 5) She was greatly blessed for her faith and courage.

9. How did Deborah, Barak, and Jael show courage?

⁹ After Joshua’s death about the year 1450 before Christ, God appointed men as judges in Israel. Canaanite King Jabin was very cruel to the Israelites for 20 years. God used the prophetess Deborah to tell Judge Barak to fight against this king. Barak gathered 10,000 men on Mount Tabor and was ready for battle with Jabin’s military chief Sisera. Sisera had entered the dry riverbed of the Kishon with his army and its 900 war chariots. When the Israelites marched into the valley, God caused a sudden flood. The ground was so muddy that the Canaanite chariots could not move. Barak’s men won the battle, and the whole army of Sisera was killed. Sisera himself tried to hide in the tent of a woman whose name was Jael, but she killed him while he slept. Just as Deborah had prophesied, the praise for the victory over the Canaanites went to a woman, that is, to Jael. Because Deborah, Barak, and Jael acted courageously, Israel had no further trouble from the Canaanites for 40 years. (Judges 4:1-9, 14-22; 5:20, 21, 31) Many men and women have shown similar faith and courage.

OUR WORDS CAN HELP OTHERS TO HAVE COURAGE

10. How do we know that our words can help others to have courage?

¹⁰ What we say can help other worshippers of Jehovah to have courage. In the 11th century before Christ, King David told his son Solomon: “Be courageous and strong and act. Do not be afraid nor be terrified, for Jehovah God, my God, is with you. He will not desert you or leave you until all the work of the service of Jehovah’s house is finished.” (1 Chronicles 28:20) Solomon courageously built the beautiful temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem.

11. How did the words of a courageous Israelite girl help someone?

¹¹ In the tenth century before Christ, the words of a courageous Israelite girl helped a leper to be healed and to learn about Jehovah. This girl had been captured by the Syrians and became a servant of the army chief. His name was Naaman, and he was a leper. The girl knew about the miracles that Jehovah performed through his prophet Elisha. So she told Naaman’s wife that if her husband went to Israel, Elisha would heal him. Naaman did what the girl said, was miraculously healed, and became a worshipper of Jehovah. (2 Kings 5:1-3, 10-17) If you are a young person who loves God as that girl did, he can give you courage to witness to teachers, schoolmates, and others.

12. How did the words of King Hezekiah influence his people?

¹² The right words can help someone to have courage in a dangerous situation. When the Assyrians marched against Jerusalem in the eighth century before Christ, King Hezekiah told his people: “Be courageous and strong. Do not be afraid nor be terrified because of the king of Assyria and on account of all the crowd that is with him; for with us there are more than there are with him. With him there is an arm of flesh, but with us there is Jehovah our God to help us and to fight our battles.” How did those words influence the people of Judah? The words helped them to have greater courage. The Bible says: “The people began to brace themselves upon the words of Hezekiah.” (2 Chronicles 32:7, 8) Encouraging words like Hezekiah’s may help us and other Christians to have greater courage when we are being persecuted.

13. Why was King Ahab’s steward Obadiah an example of courage?

¹³ We sometimes show courage by what we do not say. In the tenth century before Christ, King Ahab’s steward Obadiah courageously hid a hundred prophets of Jehovah “by fifties in a cave” so that they would not be killed by wicked Queen Jezebel. (1 Kings 18:4) Like Obadiah, who feared God, many of Jehovah’s servants today have courageously protected their brothers and sisters by not giving persecutors information about them.

QUEEN ESTHER WAS COURAGEOUS

14, 15. How did Queen Esther show faith and courage? What was the result?

¹⁴ Queen Esther showed great faith and courage. In the fifth century before Christ, wicked Haman planned to kill all the Jews in the empire. When the Jews heard that they were going to be killed, they mourned and fasted. They also must have prayed with all their heart. (Esther 4:1-3) Queen Esther was extremely worried for the Jews. Her cousin Mordecai sent her a copy of the law that said that the Jews should be killed and told her to go before the king and beg him to help her people. But anyone who went to the king without an invitation would be killed.​—Esther 4:4-11.

¹⁵ Mordecai told Esther that if she did not go to the king, Jehovah would save the Jews in some other way. Mordecai said that the reason she became queen might have been to help Jehovah’s people. Esther then asked Mordecai to gather the Jews in Shushan together to fast. She said: “I shall fast likewise, and upon that I shall come in to the king, which is not according to the law; and in case I must perish, I must perish.” (Esther 4:12-17) Esther acted courageously, and the book of Esther tells us that God delivered his people. Today, anointed Christians and the other sheep show similar courage when they suffer. And Jehovah, the “Hearer of prayer,” always helps them.​—Read Psalm 65:2; 118:6.

“TAKE COURAGE”

16. What example did Jesus set for young ones?

¹⁶ One time, when Jesus was 12 years old, his parents found him at the temple, “sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them.” And “all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers.” (Luke 2:41-50) Even though he was young, Jesus had the faith and courage needed to ask questions of older teachers at the temple. Young people in the Christian congregation should remember Jesus’ example. This will help them use all the opportunities they have to explain to others the reason for their faith.​—1 Peter 3:15.

17. Why did Jesus tell his disciples to “take courage”? Why do we need to be courageous?

¹⁷ Jesus told others to “take courage.” (Matthew 9:2, 22) He told his disciples: “Look! The hour is coming, indeed, it has come, when you will be scattered each one to his own house and you will leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have said these things to you that by means of me you may have peace. In the world you are having tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:32, 33) The world hates us just as it hated the first disciples of Jesus, but we do not want to become part of the world. We can have the courage to keep separate from this world if we meditate on Jesus’ example of courage. He conquered the world, and so can we.​—John 17:16; James 1:27.

“BE OF GOOD COURAGE!”

18, 19. How did the apostle Paul show faith and courage?

¹⁸ The apostle Paul endured many trials. Once, Jews in Jerusalem were going to kill Paul, but Roman soldiers rescued him. During the night, “the Lord stood by him and said: ‘Be of good courage! For as you have been giving a thorough witness on the things about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.’” (Acts 23:11) Paul did exactly what Jesus told him to do.

¹⁹ Paul showed no fear when he told the “superfine apostles,” who tried to corrupt the congregation in Corinth, that they were wrong. (2 Corinthians 11:5; 12:11) These men were false apostles. Paul could prove that Jesus had sent him because of all the things he had endured, such as imprisonment, beatings, dangerous journeys, difficulties, hunger, thirst, sleepless nights, and his anxiety for all the congregations. (Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.) Paul’s excellent example of faith and courage proved that his strength came from God!

20, 21. (a) Give an example to show that we need courage to endure difficult situations in life. (b) In what situations may we need to show courage? And of what can we be certain?

²⁰ Not all Christians will suffer intense persecution. But we all need boldness to endure difficult situations in life. For example, a young person in Brazil was part of a gang. After studying the Bible, he knew that he needed to make changes, but usually anyone who left that gang was killed. He prayed, and he used scriptures to show the leader why he could not stay in the gang. The young man was allowed to leave without suffering any punishment, and he became a publisher.

²¹ We need courage in many situations. We need it to preach the good news. Young people need courage to keep integrity at school. It takes courage to ask for time off from work to go to all sessions of a convention. And we could give many other examples. Whatever the situation may be, Jehovah will hear our “prayer of faith.” (James 5:15) And certainly he can give us his holy spirit so that we can “be courageous and very strong”!

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Courageous: Bold, fearless, strong. God’s servants need to be courageous both in difficult situations and in situations of everyday life

Authorities: Those who have power or control, such as government officials, police, judges, and so on

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Like Esther, we should be strong when we suffer trials

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Enoch preached courageously in an ungodly world

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Jael was courageous and strong

Preserve the Positive Spirit of the Congregation

“The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show.”​—PHILIPPIANS 4:23.

HOW CAN WE INFLUENCE OTHERS IN THE CONGREGATION TO HAVE A GOOD SPIRIT . . .

when associating with our brothers?

by our zeal in the field ministry?

by telling the elders about a serious sin that we may know of?

1. Why did Paul and Jesus Christ speak well of the congregations in Philippi and Thyatira?

THE Philippian Christians in the first century were poor. But they were generous and showed great love for their brothers and sisters. (Philippians 1:3-5, 9; 4:15, 16) That is why Paul wrote to them: “The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show.” (Philippians 4:23) Because the Christians in Thyatira had a similar spirit, or attitude, Jesus Christ told them: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those formerly.”​—Revelation 2:19.

2. How does our attitude influence the spirit that our congregation shows?

² Each congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses today shows a certain spirit, or general attitude. Some congregations are known for being kind and loving. Others show great zeal in supporting the preaching work and the full-time ministry. When all of us work hard to have a good attitude, we help the congregation to remain united and to keep its good spirit. (1 Corinthians 1:10) But when individuals have a bad attitude, this may influence those in the congregation to do less in God’s service, lose zeal for the ministry, and even tolerate serious sin. (1 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 3:15, 16) What spirit does your congregation show? How can you help to encourage a good spirit in the congregation?

ENCOURAGE A GOOD SPIRIT IN THE CONGREGATION

3, 4. How can we praise Jehovah in the congregation?

³ David sang to Jehovah: “I will laud you in the big congregation; among a numerous people I shall praise you.” (Psalm 35:18) The psalmist praised Jehovah when he was with other servants of God. Our congregation meetings each week, such as the Watchtower Study, give us opportunities to show our zeal and faith by our comments. We should all ask ourselves: ‘Do I comment at the meetings as much as I can? Do I prepare well so that I can give good comments? As family head, do I help my children before the meeting to prepare comments and teach them to answer in their own words?’

⁴ We can show that we have a steadfast heart, that is, a heart determined to do what is right, by the way we sing at the meetings. David said: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody.” (Psalm 57:7) The songs we use at our meetings give us a very good opportunity to “sing and make melody” to Jehovah with a steadfast heart. If we do not know some of the songs well, perhaps we could practice them during our family worship. We want to do the same as the psalmist, who said: “I will sing to Jehovah throughout my life; I will make melody to my God as long as I am.”​—Psalm 104:33.

5, 6. How can we be hospitable and generous to others? What does this encourage in the congregation?

⁵ When we are hospitable to our brothers and sisters, we also encourage love in the congregation. In the final chapter of his letter to the Hebrews, Paul wrote: “Let your brotherly love continue. Do not forget hospitality.” (Hebrews 13:1, 2) An excellent way to show hospitality is to invite the traveling overseer and his wife, or the full-time servants in the congregation, for a meal. Sometimes we may want to invite widows, families with only one parent, or others to join us for a meal or for our family worship.

⁶ Paul told Timothy to encourage others “to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share, safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, in order that they may get a firm hold on the real life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19) Paul was encouraging his brothers and sisters to learn to be generous. Even when the economy is not good, we can be generous. For example, if you have a car, perhaps you can drive others to the territory or to the meetings. And how can brothers who are helped this way show their gratitude and encourage a good spirit in the congregation? They may give what they can to help pay for the increasing cost of fuel. Another way to make our brothers and sisters feel needed and loved is to spend more time with them. When we do good things “toward those related to us in the faith” and are ready to use our time and the things we have to help them, our love for them grows, and we influence others in the congregation to have a good spirit.​—Galatians 6:10.

7. How does keeping the personal matters of others confidential help the congregation to have a good spirit?

⁷ Friendship and confidentiality also strengthen the love among our brothers and sisters. (Read Proverbs 18:24.) If a friend tells us about his personal matters, we show that we are a true friend if we do not tell others. We keep personal matters confidential. When our brother talks to us about his personal thoughts and feelings and he can trust that we will not tell others, the love that we already have between us grows stronger. Let us be a friend who can keep things confidential and help the congregation to be like a loving family.​—Proverbs 20:19.

BE ENTHUSIASTIC IN THE MINISTRY

8. What did Jesus tell the Laodiceans? Why?

⁸ Jesus said to the congregation in Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or else hot. So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15, 16) The Laodiceans did not have zeal for the Christian ministry. This attitude probably influenced how they felt about one another in the congregation. So Jesus lovingly told them: “All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.”​—Revelation 3:19.

9. How does our enthusiasm for the field ministry influence the congregation?

⁹ If we want the congregation to have a good spirit, we should have zeal, or enthusiasm, for the field service. One purpose of the congregation is to find sincere people in the territory and teach them the truth. So we need to imitate Jesus and have zeal for the work of making disciples. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Luke 4:43) The greater our enthusiasm is for the ministry, the more united we will be as “God’s fellow workers.” (1 Corinthians 3:9) When we work with others in the ministry and see them defend their faith and show their love for Jehovah and the truth, we feel more love and respect for them. Also, serving “shoulder to shoulder” in the ministry results in a united spirit in the congregation.​—Read Zephaniah 3:9.

10. What effect do our efforts to become better at our ministry have on others in the congregation?

¹⁰ Our efforts to become better at our ministry also have a good effect on others. If we show more interest in the people we meet in field service and work hard to reach their hearts, our enthusiasm for the ministry will grow. (Matthew 9:36, 37) If we are enthusiastic, those who are with us will become enthusiastic. Jesus sent his disciples out to preach, not by themselves, but in twos. (Luke 10:1) This not only encouraged them and trained them but also made them more enthusiastic for the ministry. We certainly enjoy working with enthusiastic publishers! Their enthusiasm encourages us and helps us to continue in the preaching work.​—Romans 1:12.

DO NOT COMPLAIN OR HIDE SERIOUS SIN

11. What kind of attitude did some Israelites have in Moses’ time? What did this cause them to do?

¹¹ A few weeks after Jehovah made the Israelites a nation, they started to murmur, or complain. This caused them to rebel against Jehovah and his representatives, Moses and Aaron. (Exodus 16:1, 2) Only a small number of the Israelites who left Egypt were allowed to enter the Promised Land. Not even Moses was allowed to enter that land because of the way he reacted to the bad attitude of the Israelites. (Deuteronomy 32:48-52) What can we do today to avoid having a bad attitude?

12. What can help us not to have a complaining attitude?

¹² We must be careful not to have a complaining attitude. Humility and respect for authority will help us avoid this attitude. Something else that can help us is carefully choosing whom we associate with. There will be sad results if we choose bad entertainment or spend too much time at work or at school with people who do not obey Jehovah. It is wise to limit our association with those who have a complaining attitude or who try to be independent.​—Proverbs 13:20.

13. What scriptures show that murmuring can also happen within the congregation?

¹³ When people in the congregation keep on complaining, this can slowly lead to conduct that will damage their relationship with Jehovah. A bad attitude can influence others. For example, Christ spoke of the bad influence of “that woman Jezebel” on the congregation at Thyatira. (Read Revelation 2:20-23.) The apostle Paul warned of the influences that come from within the congregation and can corrupt it. He compared these influences to leaven. He told the Corinthians: “Do you not know that a little leaven ferments the whole lump?” He continued: “Clear away the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, according as you are free from ferment.”​—1 Corinthians 5:1, 2, 6, 7.

14, 15. (a) What can happen to the congregation if serious sin is allowed to continue? (b) What should we do if we know that someone is involved in a serious sin?

¹⁴ What if you find out that someone is hiding a serious sin, such as drinking too much alcohol, viewing pornography, or living an immoral life? What will you do? (Ephesians 5:11, 12) If we ignore serious sin, Jehovah can remove his holy spirit from the congregation. This could ruin the peace of the whole congregation. (Galatians 5:19-23) Paul told the Christians in Corinth that they had to “clear away the old leaven.” In the same way today, we must keep badness out of the congregation so that we can protect its good spirit. What can you do to help keep the peace of the congregation?

¹⁵ As mentioned earlier, it is important to keep certain matters confidential, especially when others trust us with their feelings and thoughts. It is wrong and unkind to tell others confidential things about someone else! Even so, if someone has committed a serious sin, the elders in the congregation need to know about it. They are the ones who have the Scriptural responsibility to take care of the matter. (Read Leviticus 5:1.) So if we know that a brother or a sister has committed a serious sin, we should tell that person to talk to the elders and ask for their help. (James 5:13-15) But if he or she does not talk to the elders within a reasonable amount of time, we should do it.

16. How do we protect the congregation by telling the elders if we know of serious sin?

¹⁶ People should feel safe in the Christian congregation, and we must help to protect it by telling the elders when someone has committed a serious sin. If the elders help the person who sinned to understand how serious his sin is, to repent, and to accept correction, the spirit of the congregation is no longer in danger. But what if the one who sinned does not repent and does not accept the loving help of the elders? Then he is disfellowshipped. In this way, the bad influence is removed, and the elders protect the spirit of the congregation. (Read 1 Corinthians 5:5.) So all of us have the responsibility to tell the elders if we know of serious sin and to follow their direction. Let us do what is best for our brothers and sisters and protect the congregation.

ENCOURAGE “THE ONENESS OF THE SPIRIT”

17, 18. What will help us to keep the unity of the congregation?

¹⁷ By “devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles,” Jesus’ early followers helped the congregation to become united. (Acts 2:42) They valued the direction that the older men gave them based on the Scriptures. In the same way today, the congregation has the help and encouragement it needs to stay united because the elders follow the direction of the faithful and discreet slave class. (1 Corinthians 1:10) When we obey the instruction that Jehovah’s organization gives us from the Bible and follow the direction of the elders, we show that we are “earnestly endeavoring to observe the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.”​—Ephesians 4:3.

¹⁸ Let us do everything we can to help the congregation to have a good spirit and to keep that spirit. If we do this, we can be sure that “the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ” will be with the spirit we show.​—Philippians 4:23.

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Spirit of the congregation: attitude of the congregation

Oneness of the spirit: unity

Zeal for the ministry: enthusiasm for field service

Murmuring: to make a habit of complaining

[Blurb on page 16]

Each person has a part in keeping a good spirit in the congregation

[Blurb on page 20]

Humility and respect for authority help us to avoid a complaining attitude

[Picture on page 17]

Do you encourage a good spirit in the congregation by preparing good comments?

[Picture on page 19]

Encourage a good spirit by knowing our songs well

Happiness Is Possible in a Divided Household

“How do you know but that you will save your [mate]?”​—1 CORINTHIANS 7:16.

CAN YOU FIND THE ANSWERS?

What can Christians do to have peace in a divided household?

How might a Christian help his family to accept the truth?

What can we do to help those who live in divided households?

1. When someone accepts the truth, what can be the effect on his family?

ONE time when Jesus sent out his apostles, he said: “As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’” (Matthew 10:1, 7) This good news would bring peace and happiness to those who accepted it with gratitude. But Jesus warned his apostles that many would oppose their preaching work. (Matthew 10:16-23) Family opposition can be especially difficult.​—Read Matthew 10:34-36.

2. Why is it possible for us to be happy even if our family is not in the truth?

² Does this mean that we cannot be happy if our family is not in the truth? No. Even though some Christians have strong family opposition, not all do. Also, family opposition may not be permanent. Whatever our situation, it is possible to be happy if we react in the right way when family members oppose us or when they show no interest in the truth. Also, Jehovah helps those who are loyal to him to be joyful even under difficult circumstances. Christians can be happier if they (1) work hard to have peace in the home and (2) sincerely try to help their family accept the truth.

WORK HARD TO HAVE PEACE IN THE FAMILY

3. Why should a Christian work hard to have peace in the family?

³ The family is more likely to accept the truth if there is peace in the home. (Read James 3:18.) Even if the family does not yet worship Jehovah, a Christian must work hard to have peace in the family. How can he do that?

4. How may we keep our inner peace?

⁴ We must keep our inner peace, or calmness. To do this, we need to pray for “the peace of God that excels all thought.” (Philippians 4:6, 7) Happiness and peace result from learning about Jehovah and living according to Bible principles. (Isaiah 54:13) We also need to have a share in congregation meetings and to be zealous in the field ministry if we want to have peace and happiness. Those who live in a divided household can usually find a way to do these important things. For example, one sister named Enza has a husband who is violently opposed.a (See footnote.) She goes out preaching after she has finished her housework. Enza says, “Jehovah richly blesses me with good results each time I make the effort to share the good news with others.” These blessings give her peace, satisfaction, and happiness.

5. What can be hard for those whose family is not in the truth? Where can they get help?

⁵ We need to work hard to have peace with family members who are not in the truth. This may be difficult because sometimes they may want us to do things that are against Bible principles. Some in our family who are not in the truth may become angry when we loyally follow the Bible. That should not stop us from doing what is right. If we work hard, someday we may have peace in the family. Of course, we do our best to cooperate with the family when something is not against Bible principles. In this way, we avoid unnecessary disagreements. (Read Proverbs 16:7.) When there is a problem, it is important to seek Bible counsel from publications of the faithful and discreet slave class and from the elders.​—Proverbs 11:14.

6, 7. (a) Why do some oppose family members who begin to study with Jehovah’s Witnesses? (b) How should a Bible student or a Witness react to family opposition?

⁶ We can have peace in the family if we trust in Jehovah and try to understand how our family feels. (Proverbs 16:20) Even new Bible students can try to do this. Some unbelieving husbands or wives may not oppose their mate if he or she studies the Bible. They may even say that this could be good for the family. But others may show strong opposition. Esther, who is now a Witness, admits that she got very angry when her husband began studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses. She says, “I either threw out his literature or burned it.” Howard opposed his wife when she began to study the Bible. He says that many husbands are afraid that their wives are joining a religious sect that has deceived them. He also says that since a husband may think that his wife is in danger, he may speak and act harshly.

⁷ We should help a Bible student whose mate is opposed to understand that he does not have to stop his Bible study. He or she will often be able to improve the situation by being gentle and by showing respect for his or her mate. (1 Peter 3:15) Howard says, “I am so grateful that my wife stayed calm and did not overreact!” His wife explains that Howard demanded that she stop studying the Bible because he thought that the Witnesses were deceiving her. She explains: “Instead of arguing, I said that he could be right, but I also told him that I could not honestly see how. So I asked him to read the book I was studying. He did so and could not disagree with what it said. This deeply affected him.” It is important to remember that people may feel lonely or think that their marriage is in danger when their mate leaves them behind to go to the meetings or in field service. But the Bible student or Witness can speak kindly and lovingly to his or her mate. This will help the mate not to worry.

HELP THEM TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH

8. What counsel did the apostle Paul give to those whose mates were not Christians?

⁸ The apostle Paul advised Christians that they cannot leave a marriage mate just because he or she is not a Christian.b (See footnote.) (Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16.) It will help a Christian to be happy if he remembers that someday, his mate may accept the truth. But it is good for him to be careful about the way he tries to help his mate understand the truth, as the following experiences show.

9. What must a Christian be careful not to do when he introduces Bible truth to his family?

⁹ Jason was very excited when he first learned the truth. He says, “I wanted to tell everyone!” When a Bible student realizes that what he has learned from the Bible is the truth, he may be so happy that he talks about it almost all the time. He may expect his family to accept the truth immediately, but they may not agree with him. How did Jason’s wife react to his excitement? She says that she felt that he never stopped talking about the truth. One woman who accepted the truth 18 years after her husband did says that she needed to learn it gradually. You might be conducting a Bible study with someone whose mate has no desire to accept the truth. It would be good to show the student how he can explain the truth in a kind way that does not upset his mate. The prophet Moses said: “My instruction will drip as the rain, my saying will trickle as the dew, as gentle rains upon grass.” (Deuteronomy 32:2) A few words about the truth said in the right way and at the right time will often do more good than a flood of words.

10-12. (a) What advice did the apostle Peter give to those whose mates are not Christians? (b) How did one Bible student learn to follow the advice written at 1 Peter 3:1, 2?

¹⁰ God inspired the apostle Peter to give wise advice to Christian wives whose husbands were not Christians. He said: “Be in subjection to your own husbands, in order that, if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect.” (1 Peter 3:1, 2) By being humble and showing deep respect for her husband even if he treats her harshly, a wife may be able to help him accept the truth. And a believing husband should behave as God wants us to behave and be a loving family head even if his wife opposes his beliefs.​—1 Peter 3:7-9.

¹¹ Many Christians today have benefited from following Peter’s advice. Selma is one example. When she began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, her husband, Steve, was not pleased. He says that he became angry, jealous, and afraid. Selma says that even before she learned the truth, he was not easy to live with. She had to be very careful about everything she said and did. She also says that he had always had a bad temper, but this problem became even worse when she started studying the Bible. What helped to improve the situation?

¹² Selma remembers a lesson she learned from the Witness who studied with her. She says: “On one particular day, I didn’t want to have a Bible study. The night before, Steve had hit me as I had tried to prove a point, and I was feeling sad and sorry for myself. After I told the sister what had happened and how I felt, she asked me to read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. As I did, I began to reason, ‘Steve never does any of these loving things for me.’ But the sister made me think differently by asking, ‘How many of those acts of love do you show toward your husband?’ My answer was, ‘None, for he is so difficult to live with.’ The sister softly said, ‘Selma, who is trying to be a Christian here? You or Steve?’” Selma realized that she needed to change her thinking. She said: “I prayed to Jehovah to help me be more loving toward Steve. Slowly, things started to change.” After 17 years, Steve accepted the truth.

HOW OTHERS CAN HELP

13, 14. What can we do to help those who live in a divided household?

¹³ Just as gentle drops of rain soak the ground and help plants to grow, each of us in the congregation can help those who live in a divided household to be happy. Elvina in Brazil says, “The love of my brothers and sisters was what helped me to stand firm in the truth.”

¹⁴ Kindness and interest from the brothers and sisters in the congregation can change the heart of an unbeliever. A brother in Nigeria who accepted the truth 13 years after his wife did says: “While I was traveling with a Witness, his vehicle broke down. He sought out fellow Witnesses in a neighboring village, and they gave us accommodations for the night. They cared for us as if we had known them from childhood. Right away, I felt the Christian love that my wife had always spoken about.” In England, a sister who came into the truth 18 years after her husband did remembers: “The Witnesses invited both of us for meals. I always felt welcome.”c (See footnote.) A man from England who eventually became a Witness says: “Brothers and sisters would visit us, or we were invited to their homes, and I found that they had a caring attitude. This was especially noticeable when I was in the hospital and many came to visit me.” Can you show similar interest in the families of those who are alone in the truth?

15, 16. What can help those who are alone in the truth to continue to be happy?

¹⁵ Of course, even if we do what is right and witness in a kind way for many years, not everyone in our family will accept the truth. Some will still show no interest or will remain strongly opposed. (Matthew 10:35-37) But when we show Christian qualities, this can have very good results. One man who became a Witness after his wife did says that one may not even know how those beautiful Christian qualities will affect the mind and heart of the unbelieving mate. He also says, “Don’t ever give up on your unbelieving mate.”

¹⁶ Those whose family members do not accept the truth can still be happy. One sister has made an effort to witness to her husband for 21 years, but he has not accepted the truth. She says that she has been able to keep her joy by trying to please Jehovah, by being loyal to him, and by working to have a stronger relationship with him. She also says that she keeps herself busy by doing personal study, going to meetings, preaching, and helping others in the congregation. This has helped her to feel closer to Jehovah and to stay faithful to him.​—Proverbs 4:23.

DO NOT GIVE UP!

17, 18. What can help a Christian in a divided household not to give up?

¹⁷ If you are a faithful Christian in a divided household, do not give up. Remember that Jehovah will not leave his people. (1 Samuel 12:22) He is with you as long as you stay close to him. (Read 2 Chronicles 15:2.) So find joy in learning about Jehovah, and “rely upon him.” (Psalm 37:4, 5) “Persevere in prayer,” and have faith that our loving heavenly Father can help you to endure all kinds of difficulties.​—Romans 12:12.

¹⁸ Pray to Jehovah, and ask him for his holy spirit to help you have peace in the family. (Hebrews 12:14) If you do this, it is possible that you will have a good influence on those in your family who are not in the truth. You will be happy and will have inner peace when you “do all things for God’s glory.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) Also, you can be sure that your brothers and sisters will give you their love and support.

[Footnotes]

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED

Religiously divided household: A family where not everyone is a Witness of Jehovah

Unbelieving mate: A husband or wife who is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses

[Blurb on page 22]

Our worship of Jehovah gives us peace, satisfaction, and happiness

[Blurb on page 23]

Jehovah helps us to be joyful even under difficult circumstances

[Blurb on page 24]

It is important to have patience when you try to help your family learn the truth

[Picture on page 24]

Choose the right time to explain your beliefs

[Picture on page 26]

Show interest in unbelieving mates

A Trait That Can Poison Our Minds​—Envy

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE had it. Julius Caesar had it. Alexander the Great had it. Even though they were powerful and famous, these men had in their heart a feeling that was like a poison. If a person has this feeling, it can ruin his thinking. All three men envied someone else.

English philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote that Napoleon envied Caesar, Caesar envied Alexander the Great, and Alexander envied Hercules, who never even existed. Anyone can become envious, even someone who has a lot of money, talent, and success in life.

Envy is a bad feeling toward others because of the money, advantages, and other things that they have. A Biblical reference book explains that jealousy is the desire to have what another person has, but envy is more than that. The envious person is jealous of what others have and wants to take it from them.

It is wise to think about how we could become envious and what the results of that would be. We especially need to know what to do to keep envy from controlling our lives.

AN ATTITUDE THAT CAN MAKE ENVY STRONGER

Imperfect humans have “a tendency to envy.” But there are things that can make this tendency stronger. (James 4:5) The apostle Paul tells us about one of them when he says: “Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:26) The attitude of wanting to show that we are better than others can make our imperfect tendency to envy even worse. Two Christians named Cristina and José have learned that this is true.a​—See footnote.

Cristina, a regular pioneer, says: “I often find myself looking enviously at others. I compare what they have with what I don’t have.” One time, Cristina was having a meal with a couple who serve in the traveling work. Cristina and her husband, Eric, were about the same age as the traveling overseer and his wife and had had similar assignments in the past. So Cristina said: “My husband is also an elder! So how is it that you are in the traveling work and we are nothing?” An attitude of wanting to be better than others made her envious. It caused her to forget the good work that she and her husband were doing and made her feel unhappy with their life.

José wanted to serve as a ministerial servant in the congregation. When others in the congregation were appointed and he was not, he became envious of them. He also became angry at the coordinator of the body of elders. José confesses that he started to hate this elder and to think that this brother did not want him to have responsibilities in the congregation. José says that when envy controls your life, you cannot think clearly. You think only about yourself.

WHAT SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES TEACH US

There are many warning examples in the Bible. (1 Corinthians 10:11) Some of these show how envy starts and grows. They also show that it can be like a poison in the minds of those who allow it to take complete control of them.

For example, Adam and Eve’s firstborn son, Cain, was angry when Jehovah accepted Abel’s sacrifice but not his. Cain could have chosen to do what was right, but the envy he felt for his brother was so strong that Cain killed him. (Genesis 4:4-8) That is why the Bible speaks of Cain as one “who originated with the wicked one,” Satan!​—1 John 3:12.

Joseph’s ten brothers envied the special relationship Joseph had with their father. They hated Joseph even more when he told them about his prophetic dreams. They wanted to kill him. Finally, they sold him as a slave and cruelly made their father believe that Joseph was dead. (Genesis 37:4-11, 23-28, 31-33) Years later, they admitted their sin and said to one another: “Unquestionably we are guilty with regard to our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he implored compassion on our part, but we did not listen.”​—Genesis 42:21; 50:15-19.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram became envious when they compared their assignments with those of Moses and Aaron. They accused Moses of trying “to play the prince” and of acting as if he was better than others. (Numbers 16:13) This was not true. (Numbers 11:14, 15) Jehovah himself had appointed Moses. But these men envied Moses’ assignment. Jehovah finally destroyed them because of their envy.​—Psalm 106:16, 17.

King Solomon saw the terrible things that envy can make people do. A woman whose own newborn baby had died tried to make another woman believe that it was her baby who had died. When they came to Solomon for a solution to this argument, the woman who was lying even agreed with the idea of killing the surviving baby. But Solomon made sure that the child was given to the real mother.​—1 Kings 3:16-27.

The results of envy can be terrible. The examples we just talked about show that it can result in hatred, injustice, and murder. And in each of these examples, the person who was envied had done nothing wrong. What are some of the things we can do to make sure that envy does not control our lives?

POWERFUL WAYS TO CONTROL ENVY

Have love and affection for the brothers and sisters. The apostle Peter told Christians: “Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth with unhypocritical brotherly affection as the result, love one another intensely from the heart.” (1 Peter 1:22) And what is love? The apostle Paul wrote: “Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests.” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5) If we have this kind of love for others in our heart, it will control any tendency to envy. (1 Peter 2:1) Instead of envying David, Jonathan loved him as much as he loved his own life.​—1 Samuel 18:1.

Associate with people who serve God. The writer of Psalm 73 was envious of the wicked who had a good life and seemed to have no problems. But he was able to get rid of his envy by going to “the grand sanctuary of God.” (Psalm 73:3-5, 17) His association with other worshippers of God helped him to recognize the blessings he had because of his friendship with God. (Psalm 73:28) Regular association with our brothers and sisters at the meetings can help us in the same way.

Look for ways to do good. When Jehovah noticed that Cain felt envy and hatred, God told him: “Turn to doing good.” (Genesis 4:7) What does “doing good” mean for Christians? Jesus said that we must love Jehovah with our whole heart and with our whole soul and with our whole mind and that we must love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-39) When serving Jehovah and helping others are the most important things in our lives, we get satisfaction. This satisfaction can help us not to have feelings of envy. When we do our best in the work of preaching the Kingdom and making disciples, we are serving God and our neighbor in a fine way, and we will have “the blessing of Jehovah.”​—Proverbs 10:22.

“Rejoice with people who rejoice.” (Romans 12:15) Jesus rejoiced when his disciples had good results in their ministry, and he said that they would do even more than he had done in the preaching work. (Luke 10:17, 21; John 14:12) Jehovah’s servants are united. When something good happens to one of us, we all feel happy. (1 Corinthians 12:25, 26) So when others receive greater responsibility, we should rejoice, not feel envious.

ENVY IS NOT EASY TO CONTROL!

We may have to make constant effort to control envy. Cristina says: “I still have a strong tendency toward envy. Even though I hate it, the feeling is there.” She has to control it constantly. José feels the same way. He says that Jehovah has helped him to value the good qualities of the coordinator of the body of elders. José says that his efforts were successful only because he had a good relationship with God.

Envy is one of “the works of the flesh,” which every Christian should avoid. (Galatians 5:19-21) If we do not allow envy to control us, our lives will be happier and we will please our heavenly Father, Jehovah.

[Footnote]

[Blurb on page 29]

“Rejoice with people who rejoice”

Nathan​—Loyal Advocate of Pure Worship

IT IS not easy to make a man who has great authority realize that he has done something wrong and that he needs to change his ways. Would you have the courage to go and talk to a powerful man if you knew that he had killed a man just to protect his own reputation?

King David of ancient Israel had committed adultery with Bath-sheba, and she became pregnant. To hide their sin, David had her husband killed and then took Bath-sheba as his wife. For many months, David continued to do his work as king and did not tell anybody about his sin. But Jehovah did not ignore the king’s sins. He sent his prophet Nathan to make David understand how serious his sin was.

This was a difficult assignment. Imagine that you were Nathan. Nathan’s loyalty to Jehovah and his firm decision to defend God’s commands motivated him to remind David of his sins. How could the prophet do this and help King David to understand that he needed to repent?

TACTFUL TEACHER

Why not take a few minutes to read 2 Samuel 12:1-25? Imagine that you were standing in Nathan’s place as he told David this story: “There were two men that happened to be in one city, the one rich and the other of little means. The rich man happened to have very many sheep and cattle; but the man of little means had nothing but one female lamb, a small one, that he had bought. And he was preserving it alive, and it was growing up with him and with his sons, all together. From his morsel it would eat, and from his cup it would drink, and in his bosom it would lie, and it came to be as a daughter to him. After a while a visitor came to the rich man, but he spared taking some from his own sheep and his own cattle to get such ready for the traveler that had come in to him. So he took the female lamb of the man of little means and got it ready for the man that had come in to him.”​—2 Samuel 12:1-4.

Nathan’s story made David very angry, and David exclaimed: “As Jehovah is living, the man doing this deserves to die!” Then Nathan powerfully declared: “You yourself are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:5-7) David had been a shepherd himself, and it seems that he believed this story to be a real situation. He may have thought so because, as one Bible commentator says, Nathan might have often gone to David to speak for those who had suffered injustice and had no one to help them. Even if that was true, Nathan had to have loyalty to God and courage to speak to the king in the way he did.

Think about why Nathan chose to speak about the problem in the way he did. It is not easy for a person who has become emotionally involved with someone to think about his situation clearly. All of us tend to make excuses to explain our wrong actions. But Nathan’s story made David condemn his own actions without realizing it. The king saw clearly that the conduct Nathan described was terribly wrong. It was only after David himself had condemned it that Nathan said that the story was about the king. Then David could understand how serious his sin was. This helped him to have the right attitude to accept discipline. David confessed that he had “despised” Jehovah by his conduct with Bath-sheba, and he accepted the needed discipline.​—2 Samuel 12:9-14; Psalm 51, superscription.

What can we learn from this? A Bible teacher’s goal is to help his students to be able to think about matters and understand for themselves what is right. Nathan respected David, and he spoke to him tactfully. Nathan knew that David loved righteousness and justice. So he used a story that he knew would have an influence on a man who had these qualities. We too can help people to understand what Jehovah thinks. How can we do this? People have a general idea of what is right. We can help them to use their own knowledge of what is right without making them feel that we are better than they are or that we have the right to tell them what to do. The Bible, not our own opinion, tells us what is right and what is wrong.

It was mainly because of his loyalty to God that Nathan was able to reprove a powerful king. (2 Samuel 12:1) Our loyalty to God will give us the courage to defend Jehovah’s righteous principles.

DEFENDER OF TRUE WORSHIP

It seems that David and Nathan were good friends. David later even named one of his sons Nathan. (1 Chronicles 3:1, 5) The first time Nathan is mentioned in the Bible, he is with David. Both of them loved Jehovah. We know that the king trusted Nathan’s opinion because he told the prophet how much he wanted to build a temple for Jehovah. David said: “‘See, now, I am dwelling in a house of cedars while the ark of the true God is dwelling in the middle of tent cloths.’ Upon that Nathan said to the king: ‘Everything that is in your heart​—go, do, because Jehovah is with you.’”​—2 Samuel 7:2, 3.

Nathan was a faithful worshipper of Jehovah, and for this reason, he was ready to support David’s plan to build the first temple of true worship on earth. But on that occasion, what Nathan said was his own opinion and not what Jehovah told him to say. That night, God instructed his prophet to give the king a different message: David would not build Jehovah’s temple. It would be built by one of David’s sons. But Nathan said that God was making a covenant with David so that his throne would become “firmly established to time indefinite.”​—2 Samuel 7:4-16.

Nathan’s opinion about who should build the temple did not agree with God’s will. But this humble prophet did not complain. He accepted Jehovah’s direction and cooperated with it. Nathan is a good example for us to follow if we are ever corrected by God in some way. We know that Nathan continued to have God’s favor because of how Jehovah used him later as a prophet. It seems that Jehovah inspired Nathan and Gad the visionary to direct David in organizing 4,000 musicians in temple service.​—1 Chronicles 23:1-5; 2 Chronicles 29:25.

DEFENDER OF THE KINGSHIP

Nathan knew that Solomon should become king after David. So Nathan acted immediately when Adonijah tried to take the throne away during David’s older years. Again Nathan showed tact and loyalty. First he urged Bath-sheba to remind David of his promise to make their son Solomon king. Then Nathan himself went to the king to ask if David had chosen Adonijah as the next king. David realized how serious the situation was, so he instructed Nathan and other loyal servants to have Solomon anointed and declared king. Adonijah’s plan to make himself king failed.​—1 Kings 1:5-53.

HUMBLE HISTORIAN

People usually agree that Nathan and Gad were the writers of 1 Samuel chapters 25 to 31 as well as all of 2 Samuel 1-24. First Chronicles 29:29 says about those inspired books: “As for the affairs of David the king, the first ones and the last, there they are written among the words of Samuel the seer and among the words of Nathan the prophet and among the words of Gad the visionary.” The Bible also mentions that Nathan wrote about “the affairs of Solomon.” (2 Chronicles 9:29) This means that Nathan probably continued to serve at the royal court after David’s death.

Much of what we know about Nathan may have been written by Nathan himself. But we can also learn much about him from what he did not write. It seems that Nathan was a humble historian, and he was not interested in being famous. One Bible dictionary says that he is mentioned in the Bible with no introduction and no information about his family. We know nothing about Nathan’s personal life.

MOTIVATED BY LOYALTY TO JEHOVAH

From the few things we read about Nathan in the Bible, we know that he was humble and zealous in supporting God’s way of doing things. Jehovah God gave him heavy responsibilities. Think deeply about Nathan’s qualities, such as loyalty to God and love for God’s standards. Work hard to imitate these qualities.

You will probably not have to reprove kings who committed adultery or stop someone’s plan to become ruler. But with God’s help, you can be loyal to God and defend what he says is right. You can also be a courageous but tactful teacher of truth and a defender of true worship.

[Picture on page 32]

As a defender of the kingship, Nathan tactfully spoke to Bath-sheba