Jesus asked: “Indeed, which father is there among you who, if his son asks for a fish, will perhaps hand him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he also asks for an egg, will hand him a scorpion?”

Luke 11:11-

12. How does the illustration of the father hearing his son’s request highlight Jehovah’s willingness to respond to our prayers?

¹² With this example of a father responding to his son, Jesus reveals how Jehovah feels about those who turn to him in prayer. (Luke 10:22) First, note the contrast. Unlike the man in the first illustration who was reluctant to respond to a call for help, Jehovah is like a caring human parent, who is eager to respond to a request from his child. (Psalm 50:15)

14. (a) What erroneous idea troubles some who face trials? (b) When facing trials, why may we pray to Jehovah with confidence?

¹⁴ Jesus’ illustration of the caring father also emphasizes that Jehovah’s goodness is far greater than the goodness shown by any human parent. Hence, none of us should ever feel that the trials we may be facing must be an expression of God’s displeasure with us. It is our archenemy, Satan, who wants us to think that way. (Job 4:1, 7, 8; John 8:44) There is no Scriptural basis for such self-condemnatory thoughts. Jehovah does not try us “with evil things.” (James 1:13) He does not hand us a serpentlike trial or a scorpionlike test.