25. What viewpoint of Jehovah will aid us to keep peace with our brothers?

²⁵ To help us to maintain Jehovah’s viewpoint on life, Ephesians 4:32 says: “Become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you.” How can you nurse resentment toward a brother for whom Jehovah has shown love? In some strained situation, remember there are two sides and some of your imperfection contributes to the strain. There has to be a pull on both ends to keep a rope tight. Your brother wants life just as much as you do. You need his support as he needs yours.

26. What points should we bear in mind and apply to be at peace with our God and with one another?

²⁶ Remember the big things when strain over a small thing looms up. Ask yourself, ‘Why are we ministers of Jehovah? Where are we headed? What is our purpose in life?’ Keep these all-important matters before you always. Know that Jehovah loves his people; all of them are precious to him. Ease the way for your brother, just as you would want him to ease the way for you. To gain the prize of everlasting life you must be at peace with the Source of life, Jehovah. But that peace is assured only if you are at peace with your brother. So in all things pursue peace, to Jehovah’s glory and your eternal happiness.

Paul wrote: “Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Even as Jehovah freely forgave you, so do you also. Also, let the peace of the Christ control in your hearts, for you were, in fact, called to it in one body.” (Col. 3:13, 15) Paul here acknowledged that there would be causes for complaint. But unlike mankind in general, we have become reconciled to God. He has freely forgiven us. We received a good conscience and a peaceful start from Jehovah with our dedication and baptism. If the righteous God can be so ready to forgive and forget, why should not we be more so toward one another?

20. What is the key to having peaceful relationships with our brothers?

²⁰ The key is the peace with Jehovah that we enjoy through Christ, giving us control over our inclinations and emotions so that we too can forgive and forget. Then we do not have a festering memory in our heart that generates coolness toward a brother that we think was out of line. If we keep our peace with God intact, then we will not let ourselves be provoked. We will neither retaliate in kind nor silently erect a barrier in our mind between ourselves and our brother.