1, 2. (a) What may cause us to ask: “How long?” (b) Why can the examples of faithful servants in the past encourage us today?

“HOW long?” That was the question the faithful prophets Isaiah and Habakkuk asked. (Isaiah 6:11; Habakkuk 1:2) When King David wrote Psalm 13, he asked that same question four times. (Psalm 13:1, 2) And when Jesus Christ was surrounded by people who had no faith, he asked: “How long?” (Matthew 17:17) We too may find ourselves asking the same question today.

² What could make us ask: “How long?” Perhaps something unfair has happened to us. Or perhaps we are sick or are getting old. Maybe we feel stressed because we are living in “critical times hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1) Or it could be that the wrong attitudes of people around us are causing us to feel tired and discouraged. No matter the reason, it is encouraging to know that Jehovah did not condemn his faithful servants who asked that question in the past.

3. What can help us when we are in a difficult situation?

³ What can help us when we are in a situation that is difficult to endure? Jesus’ half brother James was inspired to tell us: “Be patient then, brothers, until the presence of the Lord.” (James 5:7) So we all need to be patient. But what is patience, and how can we show this beautiful quality?

WHAT IS PATIENCE?

4, 5. (a) What is patience, and how can we be patient? (b) How does James explain patience? (See opening picture.)

⁴ The Bible says that patience comes from God’s holy spirit. Without God’s help, it can be hard for imperfect humans to be patient in very difficult situations. Patience is a gift from God, and we prove our love for Jehovah and others when we show it. When we are not patient, the love between us and others weakens. (1 Corinthians 13:4; Galatians 5:22) What does patience involve? It involves enduring difficult situations while still having a positive attitude. (Colossians 1:11; James 1:3, 4) Patience also helps us to remain faithful to Jehovah no matter what problems we have. It will help us to avoid retaliating when we suffer. The Bible says that we must willingly accept the need to wait. That is an important lesson we learn from James 5:7, 8. (Read.)

⁵ Why must we be willing to wait for Jehovah to act? The disciple James compares our situation to that of a farmer. Even though a farmer works hard to plant his crop, he cannot control the weather or how fast the plants grow. He needs to wait patiently for “the precious fruit of the earth.” In a similar way, there are many things that we cannot control as we wait for Jehovah’s promises to come true. (Mark 13:32, 33; Acts 1:7) Like the farmer, we need to wait patiently.

6. What can we learn from the example of the prophet Micah?

⁶ The prophet Micah had to endure difficult situations, even as we do today. He lived during the time that King Ahaz ruled. Ahaz was a very wicked king. As a result, there was a lot of corruption in the land. Things were so bad that the Bible says the people had become “expert at doing what is bad.” (Read Micah 7:1-3.) Micah knew that he could not change that situation. So, what would he do? He tells us: “As for me, I will keep on the lookout for Jehovah. I will show a waiting attitude for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7) Like Micah, we too need to show “a waiting attitude.”

7. Why must we do more than simply wait for Jehovah to fulfill his promises?

⁷ If we have faith like that of Micah, we will be willing to wait for Jehovah. Our situation is not like that of a prisoner who is waiting in his cell for the day of his execution. He is being forced to wait, and he is not looking forward to that day. Things are much different for us! We are willing to wait for Jehovah because we know that at exactly the right time, he will fulfill his promise to give us everlasting life! So we “endure fully with patience and joy.” (Colossians 1:11, 12) While we wait, we are careful not to complain that Jehovah is not acting fast enough. If we did that, he would not be pleased.​—Colossians 3:12.

FAITHFUL EXAMPLES OF PATIENCE

8. What do we learn from faithful men and women who lived in the past?

⁸ What will help us to be more willing to wait? We can think about faithful men and women who lived in the past and waited patiently for Jehovah to fulfill his promises. (Romans 15:4) As we think about their examples, it is good to remember how long they had to wait, why they were willing to wait, and how Jehovah blessed them for their patience.

9, 10. How long did Abraham and Sarah wait for Jehovah?

⁹ Consider the example of Abraham and Sarah. Because they showed “faith and patience,” they inherited “the promises.” The Bible tells us that “after Abraham had shown patience,” Jehovah promised that he would bless him and make him the father of a large nation. (Hebrews 6:12, 15) Why did Abraham need to show patience? Because it would take time for that promise to be fulfilled. On Nisan 14 in the year 1943 before Christ, Abraham and Sarah and all the people in their household crossed the Euphrates River and entered the Promised Land. But Abraham then had to wait 25 years before his son Isaac was born and another 60 years before his grandsons Esau and Jacob were born.​—Hebrews 11:9.

¹⁰ How much of the Promised Land did Abraham inherit? The Bible says that Jehovah “did not give him any inheritance in it, no, not even enough to put his foot on; but he promised to give it to him as a possession and after him to his offspring, though as yet he had no child.” (Acts 7:5) It was not until 430 years after Abraham crossed the Euphrates River that his descendants became the nation that would live in that land.​—Exodus 12:40-42; Galatians 3:17.

11. Why was Abraham willing to wait, and what blessings will he see as a result of his patience?

¹¹ Abraham was willing to wait because he was sure that Jehovah would keep his promises. He had faith in Jehovah. (Read Hebrews 11:8-12.) Abraham was happy to wait even though he did not see all of God’s promises come true before he died. But just imagine Abraham’s joy when he is resurrected back to a paradise earth. He will be surprised when he reads about the story of his life and his family in many parts of the Bible.a (See footnote.) Just imagine how happy he will be to learn of his vital role in the fulfillment of Jehovah’s purpose with regard to the promised Messiah! We can be sure that he will feel that those blessings were worth waiting for.

12, 13. Why did Joseph need patience, and what positive attitude did he have?

¹² Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph was also willing to be patient. He was the victim of some terrible injustices. First, his brothers sold him as a slave when he was about 17 years old. Then, he was falsely accused of trying to rape his master’s wife and ended up in prison. (Genesis 39:11-20; Psalm 105:17, 18) Even though Joseph was a faithful servant of God, he seemed to be punished rather than blessed. But after 13 years, everything changed. Joseph was released from prison and became the second most powerful ruler in Egypt.​—Genesis 41:14, 37-43; Acts 7:9, 10.

¹³ Did those injustices make Joseph bitter? Did he feel that Jehovah had abandoned him? No. Joseph waited patiently. What helped him? It was his faith in Jehovah. He understood that Jehovah was in control. We see that from what he said to his brothers: “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? Although you meant to harm me, God intended it to turn out well and to preserve many people alive, as he is doing today.” (Genesis 50:19, 20) Joseph knew that blessings from Jehovah were worth waiting for.

14, 15. (a) Why is David’s patience impressive? (b) What helped David to wait patiently?

¹⁴ King David also suffered many injustices. Jehovah anointed David to be the king of Israel when he was young. But David had to wait 15 years before he became the king of even his own tribe. (2 Samuel 2:3, 4) During some of that time, David had to run and hide from King Saul, who was trying to kill him.b (See footnote.) As a result, David did not then have a home of his own. He had to stay in a foreign country or in caves in the wilderness. Eventually, Saul was killed in battle. But David still had to wait about seven more years before he finally became king of the entire nation of Israel.​—2 Samuel 5:4, 5.

¹⁵ Why was David willing to wait patiently? He gives us the answer in the same psalm where four times he asked: “How long?” He says: “As for me, I trust in your loyal love; my heart will rejoice in your acts of salvation. I will sing to Jehovah, for he has richly rewarded me.” (Psalm 13:5, 6) David knew that Jehovah loved him and would always be loyal to him. He thought about the times when Jehovah had helped him in the past, and he looked forward to the time when Jehovah would end his trials. David knew that Jehovah’s blessings were worth waiting for.

16, 17. How have both Jehovah God and Jesus Christ set excellent examples in being willing to wait?

¹⁶ Jehovah has not asked us to do something that he is not willing to do himself. He has set the greatest example of being willing to wait. (Read 2 Peter 3:9.) For example, thousands of years ago in the garden of Eden, Satan accused Jehovah of being unfair. Jehovah is “waiting patiently” for the time when his name will be fully sanctified. The result will be wonderful blessings for those who are “eagerly waiting for him.”​—Isaiah 30:18; footnote.

¹⁷ Jesus too has been willing to wait. When he was on earth, he was faithful until his death. In the year 33, he presented the value of his sacrifice to Jehovah in heaven. But he had to wait until 1914 to start ruling as King. (Acts 2:33-35; Hebrews 10:12, 13) Even so, Jesus still has to wait until the end of his Thousand Year Rule before all of his enemies are destroyed. (1 Corinthians 15:25) That is a long time to wait. Yet, the blessings will be worth waiting for.

WHAT WILL HELP US?

18, 19. What will help us to be willing to wait patiently?

¹⁸ Clearly, Jehovah wants us to be patient, willing to wait. What will help us to do this? We need to pray for God’s holy spirit. Remember, patience comes from God’s holy spirit. (Ephesians 3:16; 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19) So beg Jehovah to help you to endure patiently!

¹⁹ Remember, too, what helped Abraham, Joseph, and David to wait patiently for Jehovah’s promises to come true. It was their faith and trust in Jehovah. They did not think only about themselves and what they wanted. When we think about how well things turned out for them, we too will be encouraged to show a waiting attitude.

20. What should we be determined to do?

²⁰ So even though we may struggle with trials, we are determined to show “a waiting attitude.” Sometimes we might ask: “How long, O Jehovah?” (Isaiah 6:11) But with the help of God’s holy spirit, we can imitate the prophet Jeremiah and say: “Jehovah is my share,” and “That is why I will show a waiting attitude for him.”​—Lamentations 3:21, 24.

1, 2. What happened to Paul and Silas in Philippi? (See opening picture.)

IMAGINE the scene. It was about midnight. Two missionaries, Paul and Silas, were in the deepest and darkest part of a prison in the city of Philippi. They could not move because their feet were bound, and their backs were hurting from the severe beating they had just received. (Acts 16:23, 24) Earlier that day, a mob had suddenly dragged Paul and Silas to the marketplace. There, they quickly put them on trial. They tore off their clothes and beat them severely with rods. (Acts 16:16-22) What an injustice! Paul was a Roman citizen, and he deserved a proper trial.a​—See footnote.

² While in prison, Paul may have thought about what had happened that day and about the people living in Philippi. They did not even have a synagogue in their city, unlike so many other cities that Paul had visited. So the Jews had to worship outside the city gates near a river. (Acts 16:13, 14) Was this because there were not even ten Jewish men in the city, the number required to have a synagogue? The people living in Philippi were very proud to be Roman citizens. (Acts 16:21) Perhaps that is why they did not think that Paul and Silas, who were Jews, could also be Roman citizens. We do not know for sure, but we do know that Paul and Silas were unjustly thrown into prison.

3. Why may Paul have been confused when he was sent to prison, but what attitude did he have?

³ Perhaps Paul also thought about how he ended up in Philippi. A few months earlier, Paul was on the other side of the Aegean Sea, in Asia Minor. While he was there, the holy spirit repeatedly stopped him from preaching in certain areas. It was as if the holy spirit was pushing him to go somewhere else. (Acts 16:6, 7) But where? While he was in Troas, Paul had a vision in which he was told: “Step over into Macedonia.” Jehovah’s will was clear! So Paul immediately went to Macedonia. (Read Acts 16:8-10.) But what happened next? Soon after he arrived in Macedonia, he ended up in prison! Why did Jehovah allow this to happen to Paul? How long would he stay in prison? Even if Paul did wonder about those things, his faith remained strong and he remained joyful. Both he and Silas started “praying and praising God with song.” (Acts 16:25) The peace of God soothed their hearts and minds.

4, 5. (a) How could our situation be similar to that of Paul? (b) How did Paul’s situation change unexpectedly?

⁴ Have you ever felt like Paul? Perhaps there have been times in your life when you asked God to help you make a decision and you felt that you were following the leadings of the holy spirit. But afterward, you had many challenges or you had to make massive changes in your life. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Now, when you think about the situation, you may wonder why Jehovah allowed certain things to happen. What can help you to continue to endure, trusting fully in Jehovah? We can find the answer in what next happened to Paul and Silas.

⁵ While Paul and Silas were singing, many unexpected events started to happen. First, there was a powerful earthquake. The doors of the prison were instantly opened. Then, all the prisoners’ bonds were loosened. Next, Paul stopped the jailer from committing suicide, and the jailer and his entire family got baptized. Early the next morning, the city officials sent officers to bring Paul and Silas out of prison and asked them to leave the city peacefully. When the officials realized that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they understood the huge mistake they had made, and they themselves came to escort them out. But before Paul and Silas left the city, they insisted on saying good-bye to Lydia, their newly baptized sister. And they used the opportunity to strengthen the other brothers in Philippi. (Acts 16:26-40) How quickly everything changed!

IT “SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING”

6. What will we now discuss and review together?

⁶ What do we learn from those events? Jehovah can do the unexpected, so we do not need to be anxious when we face trials. We know that lesson made a deep impression on Paul because of what he later wrote to the brothers in Philippi about anxiety and the peace of God. In this article we will discuss Paul’s words at Philippians 4:6, 7. (Read.) Then, we will review some other Bible accounts where Jehovah did the unexpected. Finally, we will discuss how “the peace of God” can help us to endure trials with full trust in Jehovah.

7. What lesson did Paul teach when he wrote to the brothers in Philippi, and what can we learn?

⁷ When the brothers in Philippi read Paul’s letter to them, what did they think about? Most of them probably remembered what had happened to Paul and Silas and the unexpected way that Jehovah had helped them. What lesson was Paul teaching them in his letter? The lesson was: Do not worry. Pray, and then you will receive “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.” What does that expression mean? Some Bible translations say “surpasses all our dreams” or “excels all human planning.” So Paul was saying that “the peace of God” is more wonderful than we can imagine. While at times we do not know the solution to our problems, Jehovah does. And he can do the unexpected.​—Read 2 Peter 2:9.

8, 9. (a) Even though Paul had suffered an injustice in Philippi, what good happened because of those events? (b) Why could the brothers in Philippi have full confidence in Paul’s words?

⁸ Paul’s letter must have strengthened the brothers in Philippi as they thought about what Jehovah had done for them in the last ten years. Even though Jehovah had allowed Paul and Silas to suffer an injustice, those earlier events resulted in “the defending and legally establishing of the good news.” (Philippians 1:7) Those city officials in Philippi would not dare persecute the new Christian congregation. Perhaps because of Paul’s mentioning his Roman citizenship, the disciple Luke was able to remain in Philippi after Paul and Silas left. Luke could then give extra help to the new Christians in Philippi.

⁹ When those brothers in Philippi read Paul’s letter, they knew that his words were not just personal opinions. Paul had experienced extreme trials. Even when he wrote to those brothers, he was a prisoner in his house in Rome. But he still showed that he had “the peace of God.”​—Philippians 1:12-14; 4:7, 11, 22.

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS OVER ANYTHING”

10, 11. What do we need to do when we are worried about a problem, and what can we expect?

¹⁰ What can help us not to be “anxious over anything” but instead to have “the peace of God”? Paul’s words to the Philippians show that when we are worried about a problem, the remedy is prayer. So when we feel anxious, we need to turn our worries into prayers. (Read 1 Peter 5:6, 7.) When you pray to Jehovah, be absolutely confident that he cares for you. Always thank him for every blessing you receive. And never forget that Jehovah can “do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive.”​—Ephesians 3:20.

¹¹ Like Paul and Silas, we may be surprised by what Jehovah does to help us. It may not be something spectacular, but it will always be what we need. (1 Corinthians 10:13) That does not mean that we should simply sit back, do nothing, and wait for Jehovah to correct the situation or solve the problem for us. We need to act in harmony with our prayers. (Romans 12:11) Our actions prove that we are sincere and give Jehovah something to bless. We should not forget that Jehovah can do much more than what we ask or expect him to do. Sometimes he surprises us by doing the unexpected. So let us consider some examples that will strengthen our confidence in Jehovah’s ability to do the unexpected for us.

EXAMPLES OF JEHOVAH DOING THE UNEXPECTED

12. (a) What did King Hezekiah do when King Sennacherib threatened him? (b) What do we learn from how Jehovah solved the problem?

¹² In the Bible, we find many examples of Jehovah doing the unexpected. For example, when Hezekiah was the king of Judah, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, invaded Judah and captured all its cities except Jerusalem. (2 Kings 18:1-3, 13) Then, Sennacherib came to attack Jerusalem. What did King Hezekiah do? First, he prayed to Jehovah for help and asked Jehovah’s prophet Isaiah for advice. (2 Kings 19:5, 15-20) Next, Hezekiah showed he was reasonable by paying the fine Sennacherib demanded. (2 Kings 18:14, 15) Finally, Hezekiah prepared the city for a long siege. (2 Chronicles 32:2-4) How did the situation end? Jehovah sent an angel to destroy 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers in one night. Not even Hezekiah expected that to happen!​—2 Kings 19:35.

13. (a) What lesson do we learn from what happened to Joseph? (b) What unexpected thing happened to Sarah?

¹³ Consider what happened to the young man Joseph. While sitting in a prison hole in Egypt, Joseph could not have imagined that he would become the second most powerful person in Egypt or that Jehovah would use him to save his family from starvation. (Genesis 40:15, footnote; 41:39-43; 50:20) No doubt Jehovah’s actions exceeded all of Joseph’s expectations. Think, too, about Joseph’s great-grandmother Sarah. Did aged Sarah expect that Jehovah would allow her to give birth to her own son, not just receive the child of her servant girl? The birth of Isaac was much more than Sarah could ever have imagined.​—Genesis 21:1-3, 6, 7.

14. What confidence can we have in Jehovah?

¹⁴ We do not expect that Jehovah will miraculously take away all our problems before the new world. And we do not demand that Jehovah do spectacular things in our lives. But we do know that Jehovah helped his faithful servants in the past in amazing ways. And he has not changed. (Read Isaiah 43:10-13.) That gives us confidence in him. We can be sure that he will give us the power we need in order to do his will. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9) What do we learn from the examples of Hezekiah, Joseph, and Sarah? Jehovah can help us even when we are in the most difficult situations if we remain faithful to him.

15. What will help us to have “the peace of God” even when we have problems, and how is this possible?

¹⁵ How can we have “the peace of God” even when we have problems? We need to keep our relationship with Jehovah strong. Such a relationship is possible only because of the ransom sacrifice of Christ Jesus. The ransom is one of the amazing works of Jehovah. Because of the ransom, he can forgive our sins, and we can have a clean conscience and draw close to him.​—John 14:6; James 4:8; 1 Peter 3:21.

IT WILL GUARD OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS

16. What will happen when we receive “the peace of God”? Illustrate.

¹⁶ What will happen when we receive “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding”? The Bible says that it will “guard” our hearts and our minds. (Philippians 4:7) The original-language word for “guard” was a military expression that referred to a group of soldiers who were assigned to protect a city. The people living in the city of Philippi were guarded by such a group. They could sleep well at night knowing that their city was protected. In a similar way, when we have “the peace of God,” we do not worry and our hearts and minds can rest. We know that Jehovah cares for us and wants us to succeed. (1 Peter 5:10) And that protects us from feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or discouragement.

17. What will help us to trust Jehovah during the great tribulation?

¹⁷ Soon the great tribulation will come upon all mankind. (Matthew 24:21, 22) We do not know exactly what will happen to us personally. However, we do not need to be overly anxious about that time. Even though we do not know everything that Jehovah will do, we do know our God. We know what he has done in the past for his faithful servants. We have seen that no matter what happens, Jehovah will make sure that his purpose comes true. And he may do so in an unexpected way! Therefore, each time Jehovah does something for us, we experience in a new way “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.”

1, 2. What do people notice about Jehovah’s Witnesses?

MANY people notice that Jehovah’s Witnesses are unique. For example, a writer named Anton Gill praised the qualities of Witnesses in Nazi Germany. He wrote: “Jehovah’s Witnesses attracted the especial enmity of the Nazis. . . . By 1939 there were 6,000 of them in the [concentration camps].” He added that even though the Witnesses experienced terrible suffering, they were known for being trustworthy, calm under pressure, loyal to their God, and united.

² More recently, people in South Africa also noticed something unique about Jehovah’s Witnesses. At one time, Witnesses of different skin color in that country were not allowed to meet together. However, on Sunday, December 18, 2011, more than 78,000 Witnesses of different races from South Africa and nearby countries gathered for a special program at the largest stadium in Johannesburg. One of the stadium managers said: “This is the best-behaved crowd I have ever seen in this stadium. All are neatly dressed. And you people have cleaned the stadium so nicely. But most of all, you are truly multiracial.”

3. What makes our brotherhood unique?

³ So even people who are not Witnesses can see clearly that our international brotherhood is unique. (1 Peter 5:9, footnote.) Why are we so different from any other organization? Because with the help of the Bible and God’s holy spirit, we work hard to change in ourselves whatever does not please Jehovah. We “strip off the old personality,” and we put on “the new personality.”​—Colossians 3:9, 10.

4. What will we discuss in this article? Why?

⁴ After we strip off the old personality, we need to keep it off. In this article, we will first learn how we can strip off the old personality and why this is so important. We will see that it is possible for someone to make big changes in his life no matter how involved he was in doing wrong things. We will then discuss what those who have been in the truth for many years can do to keep off the old personality. Why do we need to discuss this? Well, sadly, some who once served Jehovah have not continued to be careful. They have started to think and act as they did before they knew Jehovah. Each of us needs to remember this warning: “Let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall.”​—1 Corinthians 10:12.

GET RID OF ANY IMMORAL SEXUAL DESIRES

5. (a) Give an illustration that shows why it is urgent to strip off the old personality. (See opening picture.) (b) What practices that are part of the old personality are mentioned at Colossians 3:5-9?

⁵ What would you do if you realized that your clothes were dirty and smelly? You would take them off as soon as you could. In a similar way, if we realize that we are doing things that Jehovah hates, it is urgent that we change. Speaking of such wrong practices, Paul said: “You must put them all away from you.” Let us consider two of these: sexual immorality and uncleanness.​—Read Colossians 3:5-9.

6, 7. (a) How do Paul’s words show that it takes effort to strip off the old personality? (b) What was Sakura’s way of life? What gave her the strength to change?

⁶ Sexual immorality. In the Bible, “sexual immorality” includes sexual relations between any persons other than a legally married husband and wife. Paul said that Christians must “deaden” their “body members” when it comes to sexual immorality. This means that we need to try very hard to get rid of wrong desires. Doing so can be difficult, but we can succeed!

⁷ We can see this from the example of a sister from Japan named Sakura.a (See footnote.) When Sakura was growing up, she often felt lonely and sad. To try to get rid of her loneliness, she began having sex when she was 15 years old. Sakura had sex with various people and eventually had three abortions. She said: “At first, I got a sense of security when having immoral relations, thinking that I was needed and loved. But the more I had sexual relations, the more insecure I felt.” This way of life continued until Sakura was 23 years old. Then she began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, and she loved what she learned. Jehovah helped her to stop living an immoral life and to overcome her deep feelings of guilt and shame. Today, Sakura serves as a regular pioneer, and she does not feel lonely anymore. She says: “I am really happy to be basking in Jehovah’s love day in and day out.”

HOW TO STOP UNCLEAN PRACTICES

8. What are some practices that can make God view us as unclean?

⁸ Uncleanness. In the Bible, “uncleanness” includes much more than sexual immorality. It can refer to things like smoking or telling dirty jokes. (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:3, 4) It can also refer to bad things people might do in private, such as reading books that excite them sexually or viewing pornography. These things may lead to the unclean practice of masturbation. (Colossians 3:5)b​—See footnote.

9. What can happen if someone develops “uncontrolled sexual passion”?

⁹ People who regularly view pornography develop “uncontrolled sexual passion” and may become addicted to sex. Researchers have noted that addiction to pornography is similar to addiction to alcohol or drugs. So it is no surprise that the habit of viewing pornography has harmful results. These can include deep feelings of shame, being less productive at work, unhappy families, divorce, and even suicide. After one man had been free of his addiction to pornography for a year, he said that he could finally respect himself again.

10. How did Ribeiro break his addiction to pornography?

¹⁰ For many people, it is a real struggle to stay free from pornography. But this struggle can be won. Consider the example of Ribeiro from Brazil. When he was a teenager, he left home and went to work at a factory that recycled paper. There he saw pornographic magazines. Ribeiro said: “Slowly, I became addicted. It got so bad that I could not wait for the woman I was living with to leave the house so that I could watch pornographic videos.” Then one day at work, Ribeiro looked at a pile of books that were to be recycled and noticed a book called The Secret of Family Happiness. He picked it up and read it. What he learned led him to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. But it still took Ribeiro a long time to break his addiction to pornography. What helped him? He explained: “Through prayer, Bible study, and meditation on what I learned, my appreciation of God’s qualities increased until my love for Jehovah became stronger than my desire for pornography.” With the help of the Bible and God’s holy spirit, Ribeiro changed his ways, got baptized, and now serves as a congregation elder.

11. What will help a person to stay free from pornography?

¹¹ Notice that to stay free from pornography, Ribeiro had to do more than just study the Bible. He had to think deeply about what he read in the Bible and let it reach his heart. He had to pray to Jehovah, begging him for help. These things helped Ribeiro’s love for God become stronger, so that it overpowered his desire for pornography. To stay free from pornography, we too must love Jehovah deeply and hate what is bad.​—Read Psalm 97:10.

PUT AWAY ANGER, ABUSIVE SPEECH, AND LYING

12. What helped Stephen to put away anger and abusive speech?

¹² Some people get angry very quickly and say cruel and insulting things to others. When this happens, their whole family suffers. A father from Australia named Stephen used to swear a lot and would get very angry over small things. He says: “My wife and I were separated three times and were in the process of getting divorced.” Then, they began to study the Bible with the Witnesses, and Stephen tried to apply what he was learning. He says that before he knew Jehovah, he would get so angry whenever something annoyed him that he felt like a bomb that could explode. But after Stephen began to follow the Bible’s advice, things got better. He says: “Our family life improved dramatically. With Jehovah’s help, I now have an overriding sense of peace and calm.” Today, Stephen serves as a ministerial servant, and his wife has been a regular pioneer for several years. The elders in Stephen’s congregation said: “Stephen is a quiet, hardworking brother, and he has a humble attitude.” They also said that they have never seen him get angry. Stephen does not take any credit for this change in his personality. He says: “None of these beautiful blessings would be part of my life if I hadn’t accepted Jehovah’s help to give my personality a complete makeover.”

13. Why is anger dangerous? What does the Bible warn us about?

¹³ The Bible warns us to avoid getting angry, speaking cruelly to others, and screaming. (Ephesians 4:31) These things often lead to violent acts. Today, many in the world think that angry, violent behavior is normal. But behaving this way actually dishonors our Creator. Many of our brothers had to change their behavior and put on the new personality.​—Read Psalm 37:8-11.

14. Is it possible for a violent person to become meek?

¹⁴ A brother named Hans serves as an elder in a congregation in Austria. The coordinator of the body of elders in Hans’ congregation said: “He is one of the meekest brothers you could ever wish to meet.” But Hans was not always meek. When he was a teenager, he started to drink too much alcohol and became violent. One time when he was drunk, he became so angry that he killed his girlfriend. Hans was sent to prison for 20 years, but life in prison did not change his personality. Then his mother asked an elder to visit him, and Hans began to study the Bible. He said: “It was a struggle for me to strip off my old personality. Bible texts that encouraged me were Isaiah 55:7, which says: ‘Let the wicked man leave his way,’ and 1 Corinthians 6:11, which says about those who had abandoned sinful ways: ‘And yet that is what some of you were.’ For many years, Jehovah patiently helped me by means of his holy spirit to put on the new personality.” Hans got baptized while he was still in prison, and he was released after being in prison for 17 and a half years. He said: “I am grateful for Jehovah’s overwhelming mercy and forgiveness.”

15. What is another part of the old personality? What does the Bible say about it?

¹⁵ Lying is another part of the old personality. For example, many people lie in order to avoid paying taxes or to avoid taking responsibility for their mistakes. But Jehovah is “the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5) So he requires that all of his worshippers “speak truth” and “not lie.” (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9) Clearly, we must tell the truth even if it is embarrassing or difficult.​—Proverbs 6:16-19.

HOW THEY GAINED THE VICTORY

16. What will help us to strip off the old personality?

¹⁶ It is not possible to strip off the old personality in our own strength. Sakura, Ribeiro, Stephen, and Hans all had to fight hard to change their old way of life. What helped them was the power of God’s Word and his holy spirit. (Luke 11:13; Hebrews 4:12) To benefit from that power, we must read the Bible every day, meditate on it, and constantly pray for wisdom and strength to apply what we learn. (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:97; 1 Thessalonians 5:17) We also benefit from God’s Word and his holy spirit when we prepare for and attend congregation meetings. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) And we want to use the many other provisions Jehovah’s organization has given us, such as our magazines, JW Broadcasting, JW Library, and jw.org.​—Luke 12:42.

17. What will we discuss in the next article?

¹⁷ We have discussed several bad practices that Christians must strip off and keep off in order to please Jehovah. But there is more that we need to do. We need to put on the new personality and make it a permanent part of our life. In the next article, we will discuss how we can do this.

1, 2. (a) How do we know that it is possible for us to put on the new personality? (b) What qualities of the new personality do we learn about at Colossians 3:10-14?

IN THE New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, we find the expression “the new personality” two times. (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10) This refers to a personality that is “created according to God’s will.” Is it possible for us to put on this new personality? Yes. Jehovah created humans in his image, so we are able to imitate his beautiful qualities.​—Genesis 1:26, 27; Ephesians 5:1.

² It is true that because we inherited imperfection, we all have wrong desires at times. We are also affected by our environment. But with Jehovah’s merciful help, we can become the kind of people he wants us to be. To help us be determined to do this, let us discuss several qualities that are part of the new personality. (Read Colossians 3:10-14.) Then we will see how we can show these qualities in our ministry.

“YOU ARE ALL ONE”

3. What is one quality of the new personality?

³ Paul explained that impartiality is an important part of the new personality. He stated: “There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave, or freeman.”a (See footnote.) In the congregation, no one should feel that he is better than others because of his race, nationality, or position in the community. Why? Because as Christ’s followers, we “are all one.”​—Colossians 3:11; Galatians 3:28.

4. (a) How do servants of Jehovah need to treat others? (b) What situation can challenge Christian unity?

⁴ When we clothe ourselves with the new personality, we treat all people with respect and honor, no matter what their race or background is. (Romans 2:11) In some parts of the world, this can be especially difficult. For example, in the past in South Africa, the government set aside places for people of different races to live. Most people in that country, including Witnesses, still live in those areas. The Governing Body wanted to encourage our brothers to “widen out.” So in October 2013, they approved a special arrangement that would help brothers of different races to get to know one another better.​—2 Corinthians 6:13, footnote.

5, 6. (a) What arrangements were made in one country to help God’s people to be more unified? (See opening picture.) (b) What have been the results?

⁵ The brothers made arrangements so that on some weekends, Witnesses from two congregations of a different language or race could spend time together. Brothers and sisters from both congregations shared in preaching, went to meetings together, and visited one another’s homes. Hundreds of congregations participated in this arrangement, and the branch office received many good reports. It even impressed some who were not Witnesses. For example, one religious minister said: “I am not a Witness, but I will say that you have an outstandingly organized preaching work, and you have racial unity.” How did the brothers and sisters feel about this arrangement?

⁶ At first, a Xhosa-speaking sister named Noma felt too nervous to invite Witnesses from the English-language congregation to her modest home. But after she preached with white Witnesses and visited them in their homes, she felt more comfortable. She said: “They are normal people just like us!” So when brothers and sisters from the English-language congregation came to preach with the Xhosa-language congregation, Noma invited some of them to her house for a meal. She was impressed when she noticed that one of her guests, an elder who was white, was happy to sit on a low plastic crate. Thanks to this ongoing program, many brothers and sisters made new friends and continue to get to know those from different backgrounds.

CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH COMPASSION AND KINDNESS

7. Why do we always need to show compassion?

⁷ Until Satan’s world comes to an end, Jehovah’s people will have trials. Unemployment, serious illnesses, persecution, natural disasters, loss of possessions because of crime, or other hardships may affect all of us. To help one another during trials, we need to have real compassion. Tender compassion will move us to treat others with kindness. (Ephesians 4:32) These qualities are part of the new personality. They will help us imitate God and comfort others.​—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.

8. What good things can happen when we are compassionate and kind to all in the congregation? Give an example.

⁸ How can we show more kindness to those in our congregation who have moved from another country or who are disadvantaged? We want to welcome them, become their friends, and help them to see that we need them in the congregation. (1 Corinthians 12:22, 25) For example, Dannykarl moved to Japan from the Philippines. Because he was a foreigner, he was not treated as well as the other workers at his job. Then he attended a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Dannykarl said: “Almost all in attendance were Japanese, yet they gave me a warm welcome, as if they were my old acquaintances.” The kindness of the brothers continued to help him draw close to Jehovah. In time Dannykarl got baptized, and today he serves as an elder. His fellow elders are happy that he and his wife, Jennifer, are part of the congregation and say: “They lead a very simple life as pioneers and set a fine example of seeking the Kingdom first.”​—Luke 12:31.

9, 10. Give examples of the good results that come when we show compassion in the ministry.

⁹ We have an opportunity to do “good toward all” when we preach the good news of the Kingdom. (Galatians 6:10) Many Witnesses feel compassion for immigrants and try to learn their language. (1 Corinthians 9:23) Their efforts have brought good results. For example, a pioneer sister in Australia named Tiffany learned Swahili in order to help a Swahili-language congregation in the city of Brisbane. Even though learning the language was a struggle, her life has become more meaningful. Tiffany says: “If you want an exciting ministry, serving in a foreign-language congregation is for you. It’s like traveling without leaving your city. You get to experience our worldwide brotherhood and see its miraculous unity firsthand.”

¹⁰ A family in Japan did something similar. Sakiko, the daughter, says: “We often met Brazilian immigrants when we were in the field ministry. When we showed them scriptures from their Portuguese Bible, such as Revelation 21:3, 4 or Psalm 37:10, 11, 29, they paid attention and sometimes even shed tears.” The family felt compassion for these immigrants and wanted to help them learn the truth, so they began to study Portuguese as a family. Later, the family helped to start a Portuguese-language congregation. Over the years, they have helped many immigrants to become servants of Jehovah. Sakiko says: “It took a lot of work to learn Portuguese, but the blessings far outweigh the efforts. We are so thankful to Jehovah.”​—Read Acts 10:34, 35.

CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY

11, 12. (a) Why do we need to have the right motive for putting on the new personality? (b) What will help us to stay humble?

¹¹ Our motive for putting on the new personality must be to honor Jehovah, not to receive praise from others. Remember that even a perfect angel became proud and sinned. (Compare Ezekiel 28:17.) We are imperfect, so it is much more difficult for us to avoid pride. Still, we can clothe ourselves with humility. What will help us to do this?

¹² One thing that will help us to be humble is to read God’s Word every day and meditate on what we read. (Deuteronomy 17:18-20) We especially need to meditate on what Jesus taught us and on his wonderful example of humility. (Matthew 20:28) Jesus was so humble that he washed the feet of his apostles. (John 13:12-17) Another thing we can do is pray to Jehovah for his spirit. His spirit can help us fight any tendency to feel that we are better than others.​—Galatians 6:3, 4; Philippians 2:3.

13. What are the rewards of being humble?

¹³ Read Proverbs 22:4. Jehovah requires us to be humble. Humility brings many rewards. When we are humble, the congregation will become more peaceful and united. Also, Jehovah will give us his undeserved kindness. The apostle Peter said: “All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”​—1 Peter 5:5.

CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH MILDNESS AND PATIENCE

14. Who is the best example of being mild and patient?

¹⁴ In today’s world, if a person is mild and patient, others often think that he is weak. But this is not true. These beautiful qualities come from Jehovah, the most powerful Person in the universe. He is the best example of being mild and patient. (2 Peter 3:9) For example, think about how patient Jehovah was when he answered Abraham and Lot by means of His angels. (Genesis 18:22-33; 19:18-21) And think about how patient Jehovah was with the disobedient nation of Israel for more than 1,500 years.​—Ezekiel 33:11.

15. What example did Jesus set in showing mildness and patience?

¹⁵ Jesus was “mild-tempered.” (Matthew 11:29) He was very patient with the weaknesses of his disciples. During his ministry on earth, Jesus was often unfairly criticized and accused. But he was mild and patient right up to his death. When Jesus was in extreme pain on the torture stake, he asked his Father to forgive the men who put him to death. He said: “They do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Even when Jesus was under stress or in pain, he remained mild and patient.​—Read 1 Peter 2:21-23.

16. How can we show mildness and patience?

¹⁶ Paul mentioned one way that we can show mildness and patience when he wrote: “Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same.” (Colossians 3:13) In order to forgive others, we need to be mild and patient. This will promote and preserve the unity in the congregation.

17. Why are mildness and patience important?

¹⁷ Jehovah requires us to be mild and patient with others. These qualities are essential if we want to live in his new world. (Matthew 5:5; James 1:21) When we are mild and patient, we honor Jehovah and help others to do the same.​—Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 2:24, 25.

CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH LOVE

18. How are love and impartiality connected?

¹⁸ The qualities we have discussed are all connected with love. For example, the disciple James had to counsel his brothers because they treated rich people better than poor ones. He explained that this was against God’s commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Then he added: “If you continue showing favoritism, you are committing sin.” (James 2:8, 9) If we love people, we will not be prejudiced against anyone because of his education, race, or social status. We cannot simply act as if we are impartial. Impartiality needs to be a genuine part of who we are.

19. Why is it important that we clothe ourselves with love?

¹⁹ Love is also “patient and kind” and “does not get puffed up.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) We need to be patient, kind, and humble in order to continue sharing the good news with our neighbors. (Matthew 28:19) These qualities also make it easier to get along with all our brothers and sisters in the congregation. When we all show such love, our congregations will be united and will bring honor to Jehovah. Others will see this unity and will be drawn to the truth. It is appropriate that the Bible’s description of the new personality concludes: “Besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union.”​—Colossians 3:14.

“CONTINUE TO BE MADE NEW”

20. (a) What questions should we ask ourselves? Why? (b) What wonderful future can we look forward to?

²⁰ We should all ask ourselves, ‘What changes do I still need to make in order to strip off and keep off the old personality?’ We must pray to Jehovah and beg him to help us. We need to work hard to change wrong thoughts or actions so that we can “inherit God’s Kingdom.” (Galatians 5:19-21) We also need to ask, ‘Do I continue to adjust my way of thinking so as to please Jehovah?’ (Ephesians 4:23, 24) We are imperfect, so we need to keep working hard to put on and keep on the new personality. This is an ongoing process. How wonderful life will be when everyone alive will have put on the new personality and will imitate Jehovah’s beautiful qualities perfectly!

JEHOVAH inspired the apostle Paul to write about nine qualities that result from the action of holy spirit. (Galatians 5:22, 23) Together, these beautiful qualities are called “the fruitage of the spirit.”a (See footnote.) This fruitage is also part of “the new personality” that Christians must put on. (Colossians 3:10) Just as a tree will produce fruit when it is watered properly, a person will have these beautiful qualities when holy spirit flows freely in his life.​—Psalm 1:1-3.

The first quality that Paul listed is love. How precious is this quality? Paul said that without love, he was “nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2) But what is love, and how can we develop it and show it every day?

WHAT IS LOVE?

Even though it is very difficult to explain exactly what love is, the Bible describes how a loving person thinks and acts. For example, a loving person is “patient and kind” and “rejoices with the truth.” When a person has love, he “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” He has deep affection for others, he really cares for them, and he is a loyal friend. But when a person does not have love, he is jealous, proud, indecent, selfish, and unforgiving. Instead of showing negative qualities like those, we want to show genuine love for others, the kind of love that “does not look for its own interests.”​—1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

JEHOVAH AND JESUS SET THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF LOVE

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8) All his works and actions prove that. His greatest act of love toward mankind was sending Jesus to the earth to suffer and die for us. The apostle John said: “By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him. The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9, 10) Because of God’s love, our sins can be forgiven and we can have hope and life.

Jesus showed that he loved mankind by sacrificing his life to do God’s will. The apostle Paul tells us: “By this ‛will’ we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.” (Hebrews 10:9, 10) No human could show greater love. Jesus said: “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.” (John 15:13) Can imperfect humans imitate the love Jehovah and Jesus have shown? Yes! Let us consider how we can do so.

“GO ON WALKING IN LOVE”

Paul encourages us: “Become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love, just as the Christ also loved us and gave himself for us.” (Ephesians 5:1, 2) What does it mean to “go on walking in love”? It means to show love at all times. We do not simply say that we love others. We show it by what we do. John wrote: “Little children, we should love, not in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18) For example, we preach the “good news of the Kingdom” because we love Jehovah and our neighbor. (Matthew 24:14; Luke 10:27) We also “go on walking in love” when we are patient, kind, and forgiving. We apply the Bible’s counsel: “Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same.”​—Colossians 3:13.

If we counsel or correct others, however, it does not mean that we are unloving. For example, to stop their child from crying, some parents may simply do whatever the child demands. But a parent who truly loves his child will be firm when necessary. In a similar way, although God is love, “those whom Jehovah loves he disciplines.” (Hebrews 12:6) So it is loving to give proper discipline when needed. (Proverbs 3:11, 12) But remember, we are all sinners and often fail to show love. So we all can improve in showing love. How can we do this? Let us consider three ways.

HOW CAN WE CULTIVATE LOVE?

First, ask God to give you his holy spirit, which produces love. Jesus said that Jehovah gives “holy spirit to those asking him.” (Luke 11:13) So we can be sure that if we pray for holy spirit and allow it to help us, we will become more and more loving. (Galatians 5:16) For example, if you are an elder, you can ask for holy spirit to help you to be loving when you must counsel others from the Bible. Or if you are a parent, you can ask that God’s spirit help you to discipline your children, not in anger, but in love.

Second, think deeply about how Jesus showed love even when others mistreated him. (1 Peter 2:21, 23) When someone offends you or you experience an injustice, ask yourself, ‘What would Jesus do?’ A sister named Leigh found that asking herself that question helped her to think before acting. She says: “Once, a coworker sent an e-mail to my colleagues with negative comments about me and the work I was doing. It hurt me deeply. But then I asked myself, ‘How can I imitate Jesus in dealing with this person?’ After reflecting on what Jesus would have done, I decided to let the matter go and not make an issue of it. Later, I learned that my coworker had been coping with a serious health problem and was under a lot of stress. I concluded that she probably did not really mean what she wrote. Reflecting on Jesus’ example of showing love even when provoked helped me to show similar love to my coworker.” If we imitate Jesus, we will always show love to others.

Third, learn to show self-sacrificing love. This is the kind of love that identifies Jesus’ true followers. (John 13:34, 35) Jesus himself had this kind of love, and he set the perfect example for us. How so? By leaving heaven, “he emptied himself” in our behalf, even “to the point of death.” (Philippians 2:5-8) When we imitate Jesus’ self-sacrificing love, our thoughts and feelings will become more like his, and we will put the needs of others ahead of our own.

BENEFITS OF SHOWING LOVE

There are many benefits of showing love. Let us consider two examples:

• AN INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD: Because of our love for one another, we know that the brothers and sisters in any congregation we may visit around the world will warmly welcome us. What a blessing it is to know that you are loved by “the entire association of your brothers in the world”! (1 Peter 5:9) We can only find such love among God’s people.

• PEACE: “Putting up with one another in love” allows us to enjoy “the uniting bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:2, 3) We experience this peace at our meetings, assemblies, and conventions. Would you not agree that such a peaceful spirit is truly unique in today’s divided world? (Psalm 119:165; Isaiah 54:13) When we pursue peace with others, we show that we truly love them, and this pleases our heavenly Father.​—Psalm 133:1-3; Matthew 5:9.

“LOVE BUILDS UP”

Paul wrote: “Love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1) What does that mean? In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, which some call the “Psalm of Love,” he explains how love builds up. Love seeks the other person’s advantage. Love cares about the needs of others. (1 Corinthians 10:24; 13:5) And because it is thoughtful, considerate, patient, and kind, it builds loving families and united congregations.​—Colossians 3:14.

There are many ways to show love for others, but our love for God is the most valuable and upbuilding love there is. Why? Because our love for him unites us! People from all backgrounds, races, and languages worship Jehovah together, serving him “shoulder to shoulder.” (Zephaniah 3:9) Let us be determined to show this precious quality of the fruitage of God’s holy spirit every day.

IT IS late November 1932 in busy Mexico City, where more than one million people live. Just a week earlier, traffic lights were installed here for the first time. But people are now excited about something else. Reporters are at the train station with their cameras ready, waiting for a special guest to arrive. Who is it? It is Joseph F. Rutherford, the president of the Watch Tower Society. Local Witnesses are also waiting to welcome Brother Rutherford, who has come to attend their three-day convention.

The Golden Age said: “Beyond question this convention will go down in history as an event of outstanding importance” in the efforts to spread the truth in Mexico. But this was a small convention that only about 150 people attended. Why, then, was it so important?

Before that convention, the truth had not spread very much in Mexico. Since 1919, there had been small assemblies, but after that year the number of congregations had actually decreased. When a branch office opened in Mexico City in 1929, it seemed that the situation would get better, but there were still some obstacles to overcome. The organization had instructed the colporteurs, as pioneers were then called, not to mix business with preaching. One colporteur got so angry about this that he left the truth and created his own Bible study group. Also during this time, the branch overseer had to be replaced because of his wrong conduct. Loyal Witnesses in Mexico needed encouragement.

During his visit, Brother Rutherford encouraged these faithful ones very much with two motivating talks at the convention and five lectures that were broadcast on the radio. It was the first time the brothers used radio stations to spread the good news across Mexico. After the convention, a new branch overseer was appointed to organize the work. The Witnesses were now full of zeal, and with Jehovah’s approval, they continued preaching.

In the next year, 1933, there were two conventions in the country, one in Veracruz and one in Mexico City. The brothers were working hard in the territory, and they were having good results. For example, in 1931, there were 82 publishers. By 1941, there were ten times as many! About 1,000 people came to Mexico City for the 1941 Theocratic Assembly.

“INVASION OF THE STREETS”

In 1943 the Witnesses started to advertise the “Free Nation’s” Theocratic Assembly, which would be held in 12 Mexican cities.a (See footnote.) They did this by wearing sandwich signs. These were made of two large signs that were attached together and worn over the shoulders, with one sign hanging in the front and one in the back. Witnesses had been using such signs to advertise their conventions since 1936.

Advertising with sandwich signs was so successful in Mexico City that the magazine La Nación wrote about the Witnesses attending the assembly: “The first day, they were asked to invite more people. The following day, they had outgrown the venue.” The Catholic Church was not happy about this success, so they opposed the Witnesses. But the brothers and sisters were not afraid. They continued to advertise the convention. Another article in La Nación reported: “The whole city saw them.” It said that the brothers and sisters were “transformed into advertising ‘sandwiches.’” The article also showed a picture of brothers on the streets of Mexico City. Below the picture was the caption: “Invasion of the streets.”

BEDS THAT WERE “SOFTER AND WARMER THAN THE CEMENT FLOOR”

In those years, most Witnesses had to make big sacrifices to attend the few conventions held in Mexico. Many brothers and sisters came from isolated villages that were far away from any train lines or even roads. One congregation wrote, “The only line that passes near this place is a telegraph line.” So delegates had to ride mules or walk for many days just to get to a train that would take them to the convention city.

Most Witnesses were poor and could barely afford to get to the convention. When they got there, many stayed with local Witnesses, who showed them love and hospitality. Others slept in Kingdom Halls. One time, about 90 brothers stayed at the branch, where they slept on boxes of books. The Yearbook said that the brothers were thankful because the boxes were “softer and warmer than the cement floor.”

For those Witnesses, being able to gather with their brothers and sisters was worth any sacrifice. Today, there are more than 850,000 Witnesses in Mexico, and they have the same grateful attitude.b (See footnote.) A report in the 1949 Yearbook said that the sacrifices the brothers had to make did not lessen their zeal for Jehovah’s worship. Each assembly they had was “one of their main topics of conversation for a long time afterward.” The question the brothers asked again and again was, “When are we going to have another assembly?”​—From our archives in Central America.

Why is Matthew’s account of Jesus’ early life different from Luke’s account?

Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth and early life is different from Luke’s account because each writer focuses on the thoughts and experiences of a different person.

Matthew’s account focuses on events that involved Joseph. It describes Joseph’s reaction when he learned that Mary was pregnant, his dream in which an angel explained the situation, and the way he followed the angel’s instructions. (Matthew 1:19-25) It also describes how an angel warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt with his family and how he obeyed. Matthew then tells us that Joseph had another dream in which an angel told him to return to the land of Israel and that he returned and decided to settle his family in Nazareth. (Matthew 2:13, 14, 19-23) In the first two chapters of his Gospel, Matthew mentions Joseph’s name eight times, but Mary’s, only four.

However, Luke’s account focuses on Mary. It describes Mary’s visit from the angel Gabriel, her visit to her relative Elizabeth, and her words of praise to Jehovah. (Luke 1:26-56) It also describes what Simeon told Mary about Jesus’ future sufferings. Then Luke describes the occasion when Jesus visited the temple with his family when he was 12 years old. Even in this account, Luke quotes the words of Mary, not those of Joseph, and he tells us that Mary was deeply affected by these events. (Luke 2:19, 34, 35, 48, 51) In the first two chapters of his Gospel, Luke mentions Mary’s name 12 times, but Joseph’s, only 3. So Matthew tells us more about what Joseph thought and did. Luke, though, focuses on Mary’s thoughts and experiences.

Jesus’ family line is also listed differently in the two Gospels. Matthew lists Joseph’s family line and shows that Jesus, as Joseph’s adopted son, had the legal right to David’s kingship. Why? Because Joseph was a descendant of King David through David’s son Solomon. (Matthew 1:6, 16) However, Luke lists Mary’s family line and shows that Jesus had the natural right to David’s kingship “according to the flesh.” (Romans 1:3) Why? Because Mary was a descendant of King David through David’s son Nathan. (Luke 3:31) But why does Luke not list Mary as the daughter of Heli, her father? Because official records generally included only the men of a family. So when Luke lists Joseph and describes him as the son of Heli, people understood this to mean that Joseph was Heli’s son-in-law.​—Luke 3:23.

The lists of Jesus’ family line in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke prove that Jesus was the Messiah whom God had promised. The fact that Jesus was a descendant of King David was so well-known that even the Pharisees and Sadducees could not deny it. Matthew’s and Luke’s descriptions of Jesus’ family line strengthen our faith and make us confident that the rest of God’s promises will come true.