1. Why did the love between Jesus and his Father grow?

JESUS described the close relationship he has with his Father when he said: “I love the Father” and, “the Father has affection for the Son.” (John 5:20; 14:31) Before Jesus came to earth, they worked together for many billions of years. (Proverbs 8:30) During this time, Jesus learned much about his Father’s qualities, and their love for each other grew.

2. (a) What does it mean to love someone? (b) What questions will we discuss?

² When you love someone, you have deep feelings for that person. David sang: “I have affection for you, O Jehovah, my strength.” (Psalm 18:1) That is how we should feel about God. He promises that if we obey him, he will show his love for us. (Read Deuteronomy 7:12, 13.) But we cannot see God, so how can we love him? What does it mean to love Jehovah? Why should we love him? And how can we prove that we love God?

WE CAN LOVE GOD

3, 4. Why is it possible for us to love Jehovah?

³ We cannot see God because “God is a Spirit.” (John 4:24) Even so, it is possible to love Jehovah. In fact, the Bible commands us to love him. For example, Moses told the Israelites: “You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength.”​—Deuteronomy 6:5.

⁴ Why is it possible to love God? He created us with the need to worship him, and he also gave us the ability to show love. When we get to know Jehovah, our love for him grows, and this makes us happy. This is what Jesus meant when he said: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.” (Matthew 5:3) In his book Man Does Not Stand Alone, A. C. Morrison said that it is amazing to see that humans have always searched for and have wanted to believe in God. Like the writer, many understand that humans are born with a need to know God.

5. How do we know that we can find God?

⁵ Can we ever find God? Yes, he wants us to have a relationship with him. The apostle Paul made that clear when he spoke to a group in ancient Athens. Many of them felt that they needed to go to a temple to worship the goddess Athena. But Paul said that they could find the true God “who made the world and all the things in it.” He explained that God does not live in temples. People who search for God can find him, no matter where they live on earth. Then he said that God “is not far off from each one of us.” (Acts 17:24-27) Yes, people can find God. Over seven and a half million of Jehovah’s Witnesses have found him, and they truly love him.

WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE GOD

6. What is “the greatest and first commandment”?

⁶ How strong should our love for Jehovah be? When a Pharisee, a religious man, asked Jesus: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus clearly said: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment.”​—Matthew 22:34-38.

7. What does it mean to love God with our (a) “whole heart”? (b) “whole soul”? (c) “whole mind”?

⁷ What did Jesus mean when he said that we must love God with our “whole heart,” “whole soul,” and “whole mind”? Our “whole heart” means our true emotions, desires, and feelings. Our “whole soul” means who we are as a person and includes everything we do in our life. And our “whole mind” means the way we think and what we think about. In this way, Jesus emphasized that we must love Jehovah with all we are and with all we have.

8. How do we show God that we love him?

⁸ We show God that we love him with our whole heart, soul, and mind when we regularly study the Bible, carefully do everything he asks of us, and zealously talk to others about the Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; Romans 12:1, 2) When we do these things, our relationship with him will grow stronger. (James 4:8) It is impossible to list all the reasons why we should love God, but let us discuss a few of them.

WHY SHOULD WE LOVE JEHOVAH?

9. Why do you love Jehovah?

⁹ Jehovah is our Creator, and he gives us everything we need. Paul said: “By him we have life and move and exist.” (Acts 17:28) Jehovah has given us this beautiful earth to live on. (Psalm 115:16) He also gives us food and other things so that we can stay alive. That is why Paul could tell people in Lystra that they should not worship idols but should worship Jehovah, “the living God.” Paul said about God: “He did good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and filling your hearts with gladness.” (Acts 14:15-17) Jehovah lovingly gives us everything we need. What a good reason to love our Grand Creator!​—Ecclesiastes 12:1.

10. How do you feel about the ransom?

¹⁰ God will remove the sin and death we inherited from Adam. (Romans 5:12) The Bible says: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) If we are truly repentant and have faith in the ransom sacrifice, God will forgive our sins. We are deeply thankful to Jehovah because he loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us.​—John 3:16.

11, 12. In what ways has Jehovah given us hope?

¹¹ Jehovah has given us the hope of living forever. (Romans 15:13) This hope helps us to endure when our faith is tested. Faithful anointed ones have the hope of living forever in heaven. (Revelation 2:10) Other faithful ones have the hope of living forever in Paradise on earth. (Luke 23:43) How do we feel about our hope? It fills us with joy, peace, and love for the God who gives us “every good gift and every perfect present.”​—James 1:17.

¹² Jehovah has given us the resurrection hope. (Acts 24:15) We are very sad when someone we love dies. But we do not have the same sadness as do those “who have no hope,” because Jehovah has promised to bring the dead back to life. (1 Thessalonians 4:13) Jehovah looks forward to that time even more than we do. He truly wants to resurrect millions of people, especially faithful ones. (Job 14:15) Imagine how we will feel when we see children reunited with their parents and close friends meeting each other again! Jehovah thought of the resurrection, he promised it, and he will make it happen. We love Jehovah so much because of this wonderful hope.

13. How do we know that God really cares for us?

¹³ Jehovah really cares for us. (Read Psalm 34:6, 18, 19; 1 Peter 5:6, 7.) Even today, we can feel safe because we know that Jehovah is always ready to help those who are faithful to him. (Psalm 79:13) But imagine how much God will do for us in the future. Jesus is King of God’s Kingdom, and he will remove violence, oppression, and wickedness from the earth. Then, God will give all obedient humans peace, as well as everything else they need to enjoy life. (Psalm 72:7, 12-14, 16) When we meditate on these promises, we are motivated to love our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.​—Luke 10:27.

14. What great privilege has God given us?

¹⁴ Jehovah has given us the great privilege of being his Witnesses. (Isaiah 43:10-12) We love God because he gives us the opportunity to support his Kingdom and to share our hope with all who suffer. We have the faith and confidence we need to witness to people about the good news. Why can we be confident? Our message comes from God’s Word, the Bible, and his promises always come true. (Read Joshua 21:45; 23:14.) There are many reasons to love Jehovah. But how can we prove that we do?

HOW CAN WE PROVE THAT WE LOVE GOD?

15. How can studying and applying God’s Word help us?

¹⁵ Regularly study and apply God’s Word. Doing this shows that we love Jehovah and truly want his Word to guide us. (Psalm 119:105) When we are suffering, we can be comforted by such loving promises as these: “A heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not reject.” “Your loyal love, O Jehovah, kept supporting me. When anxieties overwhelmed me, you comforted and soothed me.” (Psalm 51:17; 94:18, 19) Jehovah and Jesus show mercy to all who suffer. (Isaiah 49:13; Matthew 15:32) When we study the Bible, we can learn about Jehovah’s love for us. This helps to deepen our love for him.

16. How can regular prayer help our love for God to grow?

¹⁶ Pray to God regularly. When we pray to God and see that he answers our prayers, our love for him grows. (Psalm 65:2) For example, we may have experienced that he does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13) If we are worried and sincerely pray for help, we can experience “the peace of God.” This peace is a calmness that only Jehovah can give us. (Philippians 4:6, 7) Sometimes we may say a silent prayer, as Nehemiah did, and later realize that Jehovah has answered us. (Nehemiah 2:1-6) If we keep on praying and see how Jehovah answers our prayers, our love for him grows. When our faith is tested, we will be convinced that Jehovah will help us to endure.​—Romans 12:12.

17. If we love God, how will we feel about attending the meetings?

¹⁷ Regularly attend Christian meetings, assemblies, and conventions. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) The Israelites gathered to listen and learn about Jehovah so that they could worship him with deep respect and obey his Law. (Deuteronomy 31:12) If we truly love Jehovah, we will regularly attend Christian meetings. (Read 1 John 5:3.) Let us do everything we can to attend all the meetings. We must never lose the love that we had for Jehovah when we first learned about him.​—Revelation 2:4.

18. What does love for God make us do?

¹⁸ Zealously talk about the truth to others. (Galatians 2:5) Our love for God makes us want to speak to others about God’s Kingdom. At Armageddon, God’s King, Jesus, will defend Jehovah’s right to rule. (Psalm 45:4; Revelation 16:14, 16) It makes us very happy to help people learn about God’s love and his promised new world!​—Matthew 28:19, 20.

19. Why should we appreciate the congregation elders?

¹⁹ Show that you appreciate the congregation elders. (Acts 20:28) Jehovah always wants the best for us, so he has given us Christian elders. The elders are “like a hiding place from the wind, a place of concealment from the rainstorm, like streams of water in a waterless land, like the shadow of a massive crag in a parched land.” (Isaiah 32:1, 2) Think of how safe we feel when we find shelter from a strong wind or a chilling rainstorm or when we find shade from the hot sun! In the same way, the elders give us the help and encouragement we need to keep serving Jehovah despite life’s difficulties. Why do we obey the elders? Because we appreciate these “gifts in men” and we love Jehovah and Christ, the Head of the congregation.​—Ephesians 4:8; 5:23; Hebrews 13:17.

LET YOUR LOVE FOR GOD GROW

20. If you love God, what will you do?

²⁰ Jehovah has given us a “perfect law,” which tells us everything he wants us to do. (Read James 1:22-25.) If you want a strong relationship with Jehovah, you have to do more than just listen to him. (Psalm 19:7-11) You have to do something about what you learn. For example, because you love God, you will make an effort to talk to others about him and to comment at the meetings.

21. What can you compare your sincere prayers to?

²¹ We pray to Jehovah constantly because we love him. In Israel, the priests would burn incense to Jehovah every day. King David compared his prayers to incense when he sang: “May my prayer be as incense prepared before you [Jehovah], my uplifted hands like the evening grain offering.” (Psalm 141:2; Exodus 30:7, 8) Jehovah listened to David’s prayers. If we pray in a humble, sincere, and thankful way, then our prayers will also be like incense and will please Jehovah.​—Revelation 5:8.

22. What will we learn in the next article?

²² Jesus said that we must love God, but he also said that we must love our neighbor. (Matthew 22:37-39) When we love Jehovah and his principles, it will help us to love our neighbor. We will learn about what this means in the next article.

1, 2. (a) What did Jesus say is the second greatest commandment? (b) What questions will we answer?

WHEN a Pharisee asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in the Law is, Jesus said: “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” We discussed what this means in the previous article. Jesus also stated what the second greatest commandment is. He said: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”​—Matthew 22:34-39.

² Jesus said that we must love our neighbor. But who is our neighbor? How can we do what Jesus said? In this article, we will answer those questions and will see how loving our neighbor pleases Jehovah and benefits everyone.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR?

3, 4. (a) What illustration did Jesus use to show what it means to love our neighbor? (b) How did the Samaritan help the man who had been robbed, beaten, and left on the road to die? (See opening picture.)

³ We usually think of a neighbor as someone who lives near to us. (Proverbs 27:10) But when a man asked Jesus: “Who really is my neighbor?” he answered him using the illustration of the Samaritan and explained what it means to love others. (Read Luke 10:29-37.) A Jewish man had been robbed, beaten, and left on the road to die. An Israelite priest and a Levite, who were supposed to be good neighbors, saw him but did not help him. Instead, a Samaritan helped him. At that time, most Jews and Samaritans hated one another.​—John 4:9.

⁴ The Samaritan poured oil and wine on the injured man’s wounds to help the wounds heal. Then he took him to an inn and gave the innkeeper two denarii. This was equal to the pay that a person would receive for two days of work. (Matthew 20:2) When we think of how much that Samaritan did to help the injured man, we know that he had real love for his neighbor. We can be like that Samaritan if we have compassion and love for people.

5. How did Jehovah’s Witnesses show love for their neighbor after Hurricane Sandy?

⁵ We live in “the last days” when most people do not have compassion. Many are cruel, love violence, and have no love for their neighbor. (2 Timothy 3:1-3) For example, in October 2012, Hurricane Sandy badly damaged an area of New York City. Many people did not have electricity, heat, or the things they needed. Sadly, looters stole from those who were already suffering. Jehovah’s Witnesses were different. They organized help for their brothers and for others in the area because true Christians love their neighbor. What are some other ways to show love for our neighbor?

WAYS TO SHOW LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR

6. What help from the Bible can we offer to our neighbor?

⁶ Offer help from the Bible. In our preaching work, we give our neighbor “comfort from the Scriptures.” (Romans 15:4) We show love for him when we use the Bible to tell him about the good news of God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14) It is an honor to bring this message of hope from Jehovah God to our neighbor.​—Romans 15:13

7. What is the Golden Rule, and what will happen when we follow it?

⁷ Follow the Golden Rule. Jesus told us what the Golden Rule is when he said: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them. This, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.” (Matthew 7:12) “The Law” refers to the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy, and “the Prophets” refer to the prophetic books of the Hebrew Scriptures. Jehovah gave “the Law” and “the Prophets” to his people because he loved them and wanted them to love one another. Today, too, Jehovah expects us to love our neighbor. In the book of Isaiah, Jehovah says: “Uphold justice, and do what is righteous . . . Happy is the man who does this.” (Isaiah 56:1, 2) If we show love for our neighbor and follow the Golden Rule, we will be happy.

8. Why should we love our enemies, and what may happen if we do?

⁸ Love your enemies. Jehovah has always taught us to love our enemies. In Jesus’ time, some taught that people should hate their enemies. But Jesus counseled: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-45) Paul gave similar counsel when he said: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Romans 12:20; Proverbs 25:21) In ancient Israel, Jehovah gave his people laws instructing them to help their enemies and even their enemies’ animals. (Exodus 23:5) By applying that counsel, some people who once hated one another might have become good friends. As Christians, showing love for our enemies may change the way they feel about us. Some of them may even become servants of Jehovah.

9. What did Jesus say about making peace with our brother?

⁹ “Pursue peace with all people.” (Hebrews 12:14) If we must make peace with all people, of course we must make peace with our brothers. Jesus said: “If, then, you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away. First make your peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23, 24) Whenever we have a problem with one of our brothers, we can show love for him by trying to make peace as soon as we can. When we quickly make peace, it will be very pleasing to Jehovah.

10. Why should we not judge others?

¹⁰ Do not judge others. “Stop judging that you may not be judged.” Jesus taught us not to judge others for the mistakes that they make. He also said: “Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ when look! a rafter is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5) The lesson is that we should not criticize other people when they make mistakes because we make many mistakes ourselves.

THE BEST WAY TO SHOW LOVE

11, 12. What is an important way to show love for our neighbor?

¹¹ There are many ways to show love for our neighbor. But Jesus taught us that the best way to do so is to preach the good news of the Kingdom. (Luke 8:1) He told his followers: “Make disciples of people of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) When we obey Jesus, we can help our neighbor to leave the spacious road that leads to destruction and show him how to walk on the cramped road leading off into life. (Matthew 7:13, 14) We know that our efforts are very pleasing to Jehovah.

¹² Jesus helped many people to understand that they needed Jehovah. (Matthew 5:3) We imitate Jesus when we tell people about “God’s good news.” (Romans 1:1) We teach them that Jesus’ sacrifice makes it possible for them to have Jehovah’s approval and friendship. (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19) Preaching the good news is truly an important way to show love for our neighbor.

13. How do you feel when you teach people about Jehovah?

¹³ When we prepare well for our return visits and Bible studies, we are able to teach people to obey Jehovah. Some may need to make many changes in their lives. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) It makes us so happy to see how Jehovah helps humble ones to make progress and become his friends. (Acts 13:48) When they study the Bible, people who had no hope become happy. Their anxiety is replaced by confidence in Jehovah. It is an honor to show love for our neighbor through this special work.

PAUL’S DESCRIPTION OF LOVE

14. How did Paul describe love at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8?

¹⁴ If we love our neighbor in the way that Paul described, we will please Jehovah, have fewer problems, and be happy. What Paul wrote at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 will teach us other ways to love our neighbor as ourselves.​—Read.

15. (a) Why should we be patient and kind? (b) Why should we not be jealous or proud?

¹⁵ “Love is patient and kind.” Jehovah is patient and kind toward all people even though they are imperfect. So we need to be patient and kind when others make mistakes, even if they are unkind or rude to us. The Bible says that “love is not jealous.” Some of our brothers may have privileges in the congregation or other things that we do not have. But if we truly love our brothers, we will not be jealous of them. Also, we should not be proud or boast about ourselves. The Bible tells us that Jehovah hates those who have “haughty eyes and an arrogant heart.”​—Proverbs 21:4.

16, 17. What ways to show love for our neighbor are described at 1 Corinthians 13:5, 6?

¹⁶ Love “does not behave indecently.” If we show love for our neighbor, we will not lie to him or steal from him or do anything else that makes Jehovah unhappy. Also, we will not be selfish, because love “does not look for its own interests.” So we will always do what is best for our neighbor.​—Philippians 2:4.

¹⁷ Love “does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury.” If someone does something unkind to us, we do not quickly become angry. We should not keep a record of all the times that a person hurts us. (1 Thessalonians 5:15) If we hold a grudge, our anger could burn like a fire, hurting ourselves and others. (Leviticus 19:18) Instead, we should forgive and forget. Love “does not rejoice over unrighteousness.” If a person who hates us is treated unfairly, we are not happy to see him suffer.​—Read Proverbs 24:17, 18.

18. What do we learn about love from 1 Corinthians 13:7, 8?

¹⁸ Paul wrote that love “bears all things.” When we love our neighbor, we will forgive him when he does something that upsets us. Paul also said that love “believes all things.” We believe what we read in the Bible and are thankful to be taught by Jehovah’s organization. Love “hopes all things.” We have hope because we trust in all the things that Jehovah has promised us. And because we love people, we will do our best to tell them about our hope. (1 Peter 3:15) When we face very difficult situations, we pray and hope for the best results. Even if somebody sins against us or persecutes us, we endure. As Paul said, love “endures all things.” He also said: “Love never fails.” Those who are obedient to Jehovah will show love to their neighbor forever.

KEEP ON LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

19, 20. What scriptures teach us that we must keep on showing love to our neighbor?

¹⁹ If we follow the Bible’s counsel, we will always love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) Jehovah and Jesus expect us to do this. We must love all people, no matter where they come from or what their culture is. Whenever it is difficult to show love for our neighbor, we can pray to Jehovah and ask for his holy spirit. We know this will please Jehovah, and he will help us.​—Romans 8:26, 27.

²⁰ The command to love our neighbor is so important that it is called “the royal law.” (James 2:8) In the Mosaic Law, Jehovah gave his people many commandments that taught them to love their neighbor. Later, Jehovah inspired Paul to write: “Whatever other commandment there is, is summed up in this saying: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’”​—Romans 13:8-10.

21, 22. Why should we love God and our neighbor?

²¹ Jesus helped us to understand more about who our neighbor is when he said that his Father “makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:43-45) Jesus was teaching us that we should show love to all people, whether they are righteous or unrighteous. As mentioned earlier, an important way to show love for our neighbor is to teach him about Jehovah and his Kingdom. If our neighbor applies what he learns from the Bible, he can have the great joy of becoming God’s friend.

²² We have already learned why we should love Jehovah with our whole heart, soul, and mind. We have also learned how we can show love for our neighbor. If we love Jehovah and our neighbor, we are obeying the two greatest commandments. Best of all, we please our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah.

1, 2. Why could Paul show empathy to the weak?

WE ALL feel weak at times. Some days when we are not feeling well, we may have no energy and may find it difficult to do what we need to do. But now imagine feeling this way for a long time. How would we want others to treat us? Of course, we would want them to try to understand how we feel, that is, to show empathy toward us.

² The apostle Paul sometimes felt weak because of pressures from outside and from inside the congregation. More than once, he felt that he could not go on. (2 Corinthians 1:8; 7:5) Because of his own experiences, Paul could understand what it means to feel weak. He said: “Who is weak, and I am not weak?” (2 Corinthians 11:29) When he compared the members of the Christian congregation to parts of the human body, he said that those who “seem to be weaker are necessary.” (1 Corinthians 12:22) What did he mean? How does Jehovah feel about those who seem to be weak? How can we learn to view our brothers as Jehovah does? And how does this benefit us?

JEHOVAH’S VIEW OF WEAKNESS

3. Why might we have negative feelings toward our brothers?

³ In the world today, many take advantage of those who are frail and weak in order to get what they want. They believe that to be successful, a person must be young and strong. The world’s attitude could affect us too. We may begin to have a negative view of certain brothers who often need help. How can we view each member of the congregation as Jehovah does?

4, 5. (a) What does Paul’s illustration of the human body teach us about how Jehovah views each one of us? (b) How can we benefit when we help the weak?

⁴ Jehovah views each member of the congregation as important. In chapter 12 of his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us that even the weakest part of the human body is needed. (Read 1 Corinthians 12:12, 18, 21-23.) Some who believe in evolution have said that certain parts of the body are not needed.a (See footnote.) For example, the little toe was once considered useless. But now scientists have discovered that our little toe helps our whole body remain steady when we are standing up.

⁵ Paul’s illustration about the human body shows that every member of the congregation is needed. Satan wants us to believe that we are useless. But Jehovah views all of his servants as “necessary,” even those who may seem to be weaker. (Job 4:18, 19) This means that we can feel good that we are needed in our congregation and among God’s people worldwide. For example, think of a time when you helped an elderly person. He benefited, but did you also benefit? Yes. When we help others, we are happy, we become more patient, we love our brothers even more, and we become better Christians. (Ephesians 4:15, 16) Jehovah wants us to think of our brothers and sisters as important, even those who seem to be weak. When we have this view, we will not expect too much of our brothers, and the congregation will be more loving.

6. How did Paul use the words “weak” and “strong”?

⁶ It is true that Paul did use the words “weak” and “weakness” when he spoke about some in the congregation. This was because some unbelievers viewed Christians in that way. But Paul was not saying that some Christians were better than others. Also, sometimes he described himself as weak. (1 Corinthians 1:26, 27; 2:3) And when he used the word “strong” to describe certain Christians, he was not saying that they were better than others. (Romans 15:1) He was simply saying that those with more experience should be patient with those with less experience.

DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK?

7. Why may it not be easy for us to help those in need?

⁷ Jehovah helps the weak, and it makes him happy when we do the same. (Psalm 41:1; Ephesians 5:1) But this is not always easy for us to do. Why? Maybe we think that our brother should take responsibility for his own problems. Or maybe we avoid him because we do not know what to say. For example, consider what happened to a sister named Cynthia.b (See footnote.) She needed help when her husband left her. She says: “If brothers avoid you or do not act the way you would expect close friends to act, it can hurt. When you are going through trials, you need people around you.” King David too felt hurt when his friends avoided him.​—Psalm 31:12.

8. What will help us to be understanding toward our brothers?

⁸ What will help us to be more understanding toward our brothers who need help? Remember that many of them are suffering because of sickness or depression or because they live with family members who are not in the truth. If we had the same problems, we would want others to show empathy to us. Think about the Israelites. They had suffered a lot in Egypt, yet before entering the Promised Land, Jehovah reminded them that they should not harden their heart. Jehovah expected the Israelites to help their brothers who were poor and weak.​—Leviticus 25:35-38; Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.

9. When our brother is weak, what does he really need? Give an example.

⁹ We should not be quick to blame our brothers for their problems or think that we are better than they are. We want to help our brothers when they are weak. (Job 33:6, 7; Matthew 7:1) For example, imagine that someone is injured in a motorcycle accident and is rushed to the hospital. When he arrives, would the doctors and nurses waste time discussing who was to blame for the accident? No. They would immediately give medical help. It is the same with us. When our brother is weak, what he really needs is our spiritual help.​—Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

10. How are some “rich in faith” even though they seem to be weak?

¹⁰ Some brothers and sisters may seem to be weak. But if we stop to think about their situation, we may find that they are not weak at all. Imagine how difficult it must be for a sister whose husband does not serve Jehovah. What about a single mother who is working hard to raise her children on her own and who still regularly comes to meetings? Or think about teenagers in school who daily resist pressure to leave the truth. They all have real love for Jehovah and are determined to remain loyal to him. When we think about all that our brothers are doing to serve Jehovah, this will help us to view them as “rich in faith,” even if they seem to be weak.​—James 2:5.

THINK THE WAY JEHOVAH DOES

11, 12. (a) What will help us to think the way Jehovah does when our brothers make mistakes? (b) Why did Jehovah forgive Aaron? What do we learn from that?

¹¹ We need to think of our brothers the way Jehovah does, even when they make mistakes. Bible examples will help us to learn how Jehovah views his servants. (Read Psalm 130:3.) For example, imagine that you were with Moses when he was listening to Aaron make many excuses about why he made the golden calf. What would you have thought about Aaron? (Exodus 32:21-24) How would you have felt when Aaron listened to Miriam and then criticized Moses for marrying a foreign woman? (Numbers 12:1, 2) And what about when Aaron and Moses did not honor Jehovah after He made water come out of a rock?​—Numbers 20:10-13.

¹² Jehovah could have immediately punished Aaron for making those mistakes. But Jehovah knew that even though Aaron was weak at certain times, he was not a bad person. He made mistakes because he was in difficult situations and because he listened to the wrong people. But Aaron was willing to admit that he made those mistakes, and he accepted Jehovah’s counsel. (Exodus 32:26; Numbers 12:11; 20:23-27) Aaron loved Jehovah and was repentant. So Jehovah forgave him. That is why many years later, Aaron and his family were still remembered as faithful servants of Jehovah.​—Psalm 115:10-12; 135:19, 20.

13. How can we change the way we think? Give an example.

¹³ Like Aaron, your brother may make mistakes. When this happens, how do you view him? Do you need to change your thinking? (1 Samuel 16:7) For example, think about a teenager who seems to have a bad attitude. Maybe he is not careful in his choice of entertainment. Do not be quick to think that he is a bad person. Instead, think about how you can help him. Take the time to teach him how to make wise decisions. When you help your brothers in this way, you will be more patient with them and your love for them will grow.

14, 15. (a) How did Jehovah feel about Elijah when he was scared? (b) What can we learn from the way Jehovah helped Elijah?

¹⁴ How does Jehovah feel about those who are depressed? Consider how he helped one of his servants who felt this way. Elijah was a prophet of Jehovah who had courageously challenged 450 prophets of Baal. But then Elijah heard that Queen Jezebel wanted to kill him. He was so afraid that he ran 150 kilometers (95 miles) to Beer-sheba and then far away into the wilderness. He was extremely exhausted and was so depressed that he wished he were dead.​—1 Kings 18:19; 19:1-4.

¹⁵ What did Jehovah do when he saw how scared and depressed Elijah was? Did he reject Elijah? No. Jehovah sent an angel to help him. Twice the angel gave Elijah something to eat so that he would be strong enough to continue his trip. (Read 1 Kings 19:5-8.) Even before Jehovah gave Elijah instructions, He listened to Elijah and gave him the help he needed.

16, 17. How can we help our brothers the way Jehovah does?

¹⁶ How can we help our brother the way Jehovah helped Elijah? Do not be quick to tell your brother what you think he should do. (Proverbs 18:13) When he is depressed or feels useless, he first needs you to listen to him and to show him that you care. (1 Corinthians 12:23) Then you will know what he really needs, and you will be able to help him.

¹⁷ Remember the experience of Cynthia. When her husband left, she and her two daughters felt abandoned. How did some in the congregation help them? Cynthia says: “They were at our house within 45 minutes. They were in tears. They did not leave us alone for the first two or three days.” Cynthia and her two daughters were very tired and emotional. Members of the congregation invited them to stay in their home and gave them food to eat. This experience reminds us of what the Bible says in the book of James: “If a brother or a sister is lacking clothing and enough food for the day, yet one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but you do not give them what they need for their body, of what benefit is it? So, too, faith by itself, without works, is dead.” (James 2:15-17) The help that the brothers and sisters gave to Cynthia and her daughters was exactly what they needed. Only six months later, they felt strong enough to auxiliary pioneer.​—2 Corinthians 12:10.

MANY BENEFIT

18, 19. (a) How can we help those who are weak? (b) Who benefit when we help those who are weak?

¹⁸ It takes time for us to recover when we have been sick for a long time. When our brother makes a mistake or is in a difficult situation, it may also take time for him to recover. It is true that he must study God’s Word, pray to Jehovah, and attend meetings to strengthen himself. But he also needs our help. During this time of recovery, we need to be patient with him. We need to continue to show him that we love him and that he is a necessary part of the congregation.​—2 Corinthians 8:8.

¹⁹ Helping others makes us happy. We also learn to show empathy and to be patient. But we are not the only ones who benefit. The entire congregation will become more loving. More important, when we “assist those who are weak,” we show that we want to be like Jehovah. Our loving Father views every person as precious.​—Acts 20:35.

1, 2. How does Jehovah feel about each of his servants?

WHEN parents watch their little ones play, they are often amazed by the abilities that their children have. You may have seen this too. One child may be good at playing sports, while another likes drawing or making things. Whatever those abilities are, parents enjoy helping their children to reach their full potential, in other words, to do the very best they can.

² As a loving parent, Jehovah is interested in his servants. They are “precious” to him especially because they are faithful and loyal to him. (Haggai 2:7) Yet, you may have noticed that your brothers and sisters also have many different talents and abilities. For example, some brothers are excellent speakers, and others are good organizers. Many sisters are good at learning foreign languages and use them in the ministry. Others are good at caring for the needs of the sick or giving encouragement to those who need it. (Romans 16:1, 12) We are deeply grateful to be in the congregation with all such brothers and sisters.

3. What questions will we discuss in this article?

³ Some Christians, especially young or newly baptized brothers, may feel that they have not yet found their place in the congregation. How can we help them reach their full potential? Why should we try to imitate Jehovah and look for the good qualities in our brothers?

JEHOVAH SEES THE GOOD IN US

4, 5. What did Jehovah see in Gideon? What do we learn from Jehovah’s example?

⁴ The Bible shows that Jehovah not only sees the good qualities of his servants but also sees their potential. For example, Jehovah chose Gideon to free the Israelites from their enemies the Midianites. Gideon felt unimportant, so he must have been shocked when an angel told him: “Jehovah is with you, you mighty warrior.” Gideon did not feel “mighty” at all, and he felt unable to save God’s people. But Jehovah saw things differently. He saw what Gideon was capable of and knew that He could use Gideon to save Israel.​—Read Judges 6:11-16.

⁵ Jehovah had full confidence in Gideon because He knew his potential. For example, Jehovah saw that when Gideon beat and prepared wheat, he worked with all his strength. Also, farmers usually worked outside, but Gideon was preparing the wheat inside a winepress so that the Midianites would not see his crop and steal it. Jehovah saw that Gideon was more than a hard worker. He was a clever man who was able to understand a situation and make wise decisions to avoid danger. Yes, Jehovah saw Gideon’s abilities and trained him.

6, 7. (a) How was Jehovah’s view of Amos different from that of some Israelites? (b) How do we know that Amos was not a poor choice?

⁶ Similarly, Jehovah saw potential in the prophet Amos. To many, he may have seemed to be a quiet, unimportant man. He was doing very simple work as a shepherd and a field worker. But Jehovah assigned Amos to correct the ten tribes of Israel who had stopped worshipping Him. Some Israelites might have thought that Amos was a poor choice. Why?​—Read Amos 7:14, 15.

⁷ Amos came from an isolated village. But he knew a lot about the customs and the rulers surrounding him, perhaps from men who traveled through his village on business. For example, Amos knew much about the nations nearby and the bad conditions in Israel. (Amos 1:6, 9, 11, 13; 2:8; 6:4-6) Also, Amos was a good writer. He was able to use simple but powerful words. He was not afraid to condemn the corrupt priest Amaziah. Truly, Jehovah had chosen the right person to deliver his message. He saw abilities in Amos that others may not have seen.​—Amos 7:12, 13, 16, 17.

8. (a) What did Jehovah promise to do for David? (b) Why is Psalm 32:8 encouraging to those who might not be confident about their abilities?

⁸ Jehovah notices the abilities of all of his servants, and he wants to help each of us to do the very best we can. For example, Jehovah promised that he would guide David and give him the advice he needed. (Read Psalm 32:8.) Why is this encouraging to us? Even though we may not be confident in ourselves, Jehovah can help us to do more than we ever imagined. Just as a good teacher might guide an inexperienced student every step of the way, Jehovah guides us so that we can reach our full potential. And he may use our brothers and sisters to help us to do that. In what ways?

LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN OTHERS

9. How can we “look out” for the interests of our brothers and sisters?

⁹ Paul encouraged all Christians to “look out” for the interests of their brothers and sisters. (Read Philippians 2:3, 4.) What was included in this counsel? That we should notice the abilities of our brothers and mention them. How do you feel when someone notices a good quality in you? You feel like making more progress. The same is true with our brothers. If we take the time to notice the efforts that our brothers make, they will be encouraged to make progress and succeed in their service to Jehovah.

10. Who especially need our attention?

¹⁰ At times, we all need attention from others. But young or newly baptized brothers especially need to feel involved in the congregation. This will help them to understand that they are a useful part of Jehovah’s people. The Bible encourages these brothers to qualify for more responsibilities. (1 Timothy 3:1) But if they do not feel appreciated for the work that they do, this may discourage them from doing more in Jehovah’s service.

11. (a) How did one elder help a young brother to make progress? (b) What do you learn from Julien’s experience?

¹¹ An elder named Ludovic says that when sincere interest is shown in a brother, he makes progress more quickly. One such brother was Julien. Ludovic noticed that Julien was shy, and when he tried to do more in the congregation, Julien was unsure of himself and behaved in an awkward way. Ludovic says, “But I could see that he was very kind and really wanted to help.” So instead of criticizing Julien, Ludovic focused on his good qualities and encouraged him. As a result, Julien was able to qualify to become a ministerial servant and later a regular pioneer.

HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL

12. What must we do in order to help our brothers? Give an example.

¹² If we want to help our brothers to reach their full potential, we need to see more than their weaknesses. We need to look for their good qualities and abilities. Jesus was able to do this with the apostle Peter. At times, Peter did not seem to be dependable. But Jesus saw good qualities in him and gave him the name Peter, which means “A Piece of Rock.” Hence, Jesus said that he would become as stable as a rock.​—John 1:42.

13, 14. (a) How did Barnabas view young Mark? (b) How did Alexandre benefit from the help he received from an elder? (See opening picture.)

¹³ Let us also review the example of Barnabas and Mark. (Acts 12:25) Mark was supposed to care for the needs of Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary trip. But suddenly, when they reached the area of Pamphylia, Mark abandoned them. Paul and Barnabas were left to travel alone through a dangerous region. (Acts 13:5, 13) What did Barnabas do? It seems that he focused on Mark’s good qualities, not on his weaknesses. He did not view Mark as unreliable. Instead, Barnabas later trained Mark, and as a result, he became a mature Christian. (Acts 15:37-39) Years later, Mark was in Rome assisting Paul, who was in prison. And when Paul wrote to the Colossians, he spoke well of Mark. (Colossians 4:10) Can you imagine how pleased Barnabas must have felt when Paul even asked for Mark’s help?​—2 Timothy 4:11.

¹⁴ An elder named Alexandre remembers how a brother helped him: “When I was younger, saying a prayer in public was a real struggle for me. An elder showed me how to prepare myself and be more relaxed. Instead of not calling on me anymore, he gave me opportunities to pray regularly at meetings for field service. In time, I became more confident.”

15. How did Paul show that he valued his brothers?

¹⁵ What do you do when you see good qualities in other Christians? Do you commend them? In Romans chapter 16, Paul acknowledged more than 20 of his brothers and sisters for qualities that he valued. (Romans 16:3-7, 13) For example, Paul commended Andronicus and Junias because they had been serving Christ longer than he had and because of their endurance. Paul also mentioned the mother of Rufus for the loving care she had given him.

16. What can result when we commend young ones?

¹⁶ We too can have good results when we commend others. Consider the example of Rico, a young boy in France whose father did not serve Jehovah. Rico was very discouraged because his father did not want him to get baptized. He was afraid that he would have to wait until he was an adult to do so. Rico was also sad that children at school made fun of him because of his beliefs. But an elder named Frédéric commended Rico, telling him that the opposition he faced meant that he was courageous enough to preach. As a result of these kind words, Rico was determined to continue making progress, and he improved his relationship with his father. Rico got baptized when he was 12 years old.

17. (a) How can we help our brothers to give Jehovah their best? (b) How did one missionary help young brothers? What was the result?

¹⁷ Each time we commend our brothers for something they did well, they will be even more motivated to give Jehovah their best. Sylvie, who has served for years at Bethel in France, says that sisters too can commend brothers.a (See footnote.) She even feels that it is her responsibility to do so. (Proverbs 3:27) Many times, sisters notice details that brothers may not. So when sisters commend brothers for their efforts, this can add to what experienced brothers may say to them. Jérôme, a missionary in French Guiana, has helped many young brothers to set the goal of becoming missionaries. He says that when he compliments young brothers on something specific they did in the ministry or for giving good comments, they become more confident and their abilities improve.

18. Why is it good to work along with younger brothers?

¹⁸ We can also encourage Christians to make progress by working with them. For example, an elder may ask a young brother to print information from jw.org that will be helpful to older ones who have no computer. Or you may ask a young brother to help you with cleaning or repairing the Kingdom Hall. When you make the effort to work with young ones, you will have an opportunity to notice their abilities, to commend them, and to see their progress.​—Proverbs 15:23.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

19, 20. Why should we help others to make progress?

¹⁹ Jehovah chose Joshua to lead the Israelites. At that time, God commanded Moses to train, “encourage,” and “strengthen” Joshua. (Read Deuteronomy 3:28.) Today, there are many people who are beginning to worship Jehovah. We need qualified brothers to take the lead in the organization. So all in the congregation must help young or newly baptized brothers reach their full potential. As a result, more and more brothers will enter the full-time service, and a greater number of them will be “qualified to teach.”​—2 Timothy 2:2.

²⁰ Whether our congregation is large and has a lot of experienced brothers or whether we are part of a small group, we can assist with the future needs of the organization. To do this, we must imitate Jehovah and look for the good in others.

You probably know someone who is divorced. That is because divorce is very common. When people get divorced, they have to cope with painful emotions. They may feel anger, regret, despair, and shame. One brother said: “When we divorced, my ex-wife prevented me from seeing my two little girls. That led me to feel that no one cared for me anymore and even that Jehovah must have abandoned me. I lost my desire to live. In time, I realized how wrong my thinking had been.”

After a divorce, some may also feel that the brothers and sisters in the congregation no longer care about them or do not understand their feelings. They may think that others are judging or avoiding them. But later, as divorced ones adjust to their circumstances, they may realize that others actually showed them much love and understanding.

FEELINGS OF LONELINESS AND REJECTION

Even though we may try our best to help a divorced brother or sister, he or she may still feel lonely and rejected at times. One sister says that even eight years after her divorce, she sometimes still feels unloved and sad. At such times, she just wants to be alone to cry.

It is important that those who are divorced do not make a habit of isolating themselves. (Proverbs 18:1) At the same time, they need to be careful not to make a habit of seeking comfort from someone of the opposite sex. Doing this could lead to improper romantic feelings.

When our divorced brothers and sisters feel lonely, rejected, and anxious about the future, we want to try to understand their feelings and do what we can to assist them, in imitation of Jehovah. (Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:6, 7) We can be sure that they will appreciate the help we give them as true friends.​—Proverbs 17:17; 18:24.

WHEN the Israelites left Babylon in the year 537 before Christ, Jehovah was very interested in their trip back to Jerusalem. He told them: “Clear the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway. Rid it of stones.” (Isaiah 62:10) What might they have done to obey this command? Maybe a group of Israelites went ahead of their brothers and filled in ditches or smoothed rough parts of the road. Certainly this effort would have made the trip back home much easier.

In a similar way, we follow a path as we care for different assignments in Jehovah’s service. And Jehovah wants us to care for these with as few obstacles as possible. To succeed in that effort, we all can benefit from the following advice found in the Bible: “Smooth out the course of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.”​—Proverbs 4:26.

MAKE GOOD DECISIONS

The Bible says: “The glory of young men is their strength.” (Proverbs 20:29) Most young people are healthy, energetic, intelligent, and eager to succeed in life. Adults often see the abilities and talents of young people and hope that they will reach their full potential. Young people will be truly happy if they use their talents and abilities in Jehovah’s service.

Some people in the world also appreciate the abilities and talents of our young ones. For example, many Witnesses do well in school, so teachers and other students may try to persuade them to pursue higher education. Or young ones who are good at playing sports may be encouraged by others to make this a career. Perhaps you or someone you know is facing this situation. What will help a Christian to make wise decisions?

Bible principles can help us as we follow a path that leads to a successful future in Jehovah’s service. Consider, for example, what the Bible says at Ecclesiastes 12:1: “Remember, then, your Grand Creator in the days of your youth.” How can you or a young person you know remember Jehovah?

Let us consider the story of a young brother in West Africa named Eric.a (See footnote.) He loved soccer. By the time he was 15, he was playing on a national team. He would likely have the opportunity to receive the best training in Europe, perhaps even becoming a professional soccer player. During this time, Eric began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. How would he be able to “remember” Jehovah? And what can we learn from his experience?

From his study of the Bible, Eric learned that God will solve all mankind’s problems. As a result, he realized that doing God’s will was far more important than soccer. So he got baptized and used his time and energy in Jehovah’s service. Eventually, he became a ministerial servant, assisting the congregation. And instead of receiving training to play professional soccer, he later received Christian training at the Bible School for Single Brothers.

If he had become a professional soccer player, Eric may have become rich and famous. But he realized that the Bible is right when it says: “The wealth of the rich is his fortified city; it is like a protective wall in his imagination.” (Proverbs 18:11) Money can fool people. It does not give them real security. Instead, those who try to become rich often ‘stab themselves with many pains.’​—1 Timothy 6:9, 10.

Many young people feel happy and secure in the full-time service. Eric says: “I have joined a large ‘team’ of full-time servants of Jehovah. That is the best team I can belong to, and I thank Jehovah for showing me the only way to true happiness and success in life.”

What about you? Instead of setting goals in this world, can you follow a path that will help you to enjoy more opportunities in Jehovah’s service? Can you make real efforts to become a pioneer?​—See the box “Gaining Benefits Unattainable at the University.”

REMOVING OBSTACLES FROM YOUR WAY

While visiting the United States branch office, one couple saw how happy the Bethelites were. Later, the sister wrote: “We had become too comfortable in our routine.” So the couple decided to make better use of their time and energy in Jehovah’s service.

It was overwhelming for the couple to make the needed changes. But one day, they considered what Jesus said at John 8:31: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples.” They realized that to be true disciples of Jesus, they had to make sacrifices. They reasoned: “Whatever we do to simplify life is worth the sacrifice.” They sold their large house, got rid of other unnecessary things, and moved to a congregation that needed help. Now they are pioneering. They also help build Kingdom Halls and volunteer at district conventions. How do they feel about the changes they made? “We are amazed at the joy we have from living a simpler life, doing just what Jehovah’s organization encourages us to do.”

STAY ON THE ROAD

Solomon wrote: “Your eyes should look straight ahead, yes, fix your gaze straight ahead of you.” (Proverbs 4:25) What does this mean? We must stay focused on the path that will lead us to more opportunities in Jehovah’s service. We should avoid distractions that could prevent us from setting and reaching our goals.

What goals might you set? Perhaps you could enter the full-time service. Or maybe you could move to a congregation that has a large territory but only a few publishers. If you are a brother, you may be able to serve in a congregation that needs more elders or ministerial servants. You can speak to your circuit overseer to find out which congregations in your area need assistance. If you would like to serve farther from home, you can ask for more information about distant congregations that need help.b​—See footnote.

Let us think again about the scene described at Isaiah 62:10. The Jews needed to reach Jerusalem, so some of them may have worked very hard to prepare the road. Today, you too need to continue making efforts to reach your goals. Never give up. With Jehovah’s help you can reach those goals. Ask him for wisdom when you try to remove any obstacles. Eventually, you will see how God can help you “smooth out the course of your feet.”​—Proverbs 4:26.