October

When we get to know Jesus, we will imitate his way of thinking and acting. And the better we know and imitate his way of thinking, the closer our friendship with him will be. How can we imitate Jesus? Note just one example. Jesus thought more about helping others than about pleasing himself. (Matt. 20:28; Rom. 15:1-3) Because he had this mental attitude, he was self-sacrificing and forgiving. He did not easily become offended at what people said about him. (John 1:46, 47) And he did not freeze people in time by holding their past mistakes against them permanently. (1 Tim. 1:12-14) Jesus said: “All will know that you are my disciples​—if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) Why not ask yourself, “Am I following Jesus’ example by doing everything in my power to maintain peace with my brothers and sisters?” w20.04 17:11

Despite being in a world full of people who slander and blaspheme Jehovah’s name, you have the opportunity to stand up and speak the truth​—that Jehovah is holy, righteous, good, and loving. You can support his rule. You can promote it as the only way of ruling that is truly righteous and that will bring peace and happiness to all creation. (Ps. 37:9, 37; 146:5, 6, 10) When we teach Bible truths to others, we often emphasize God’s sovereignty, that Jehovah has the right to rule the universe, and this is perfectly true. However, while it is important to focus on God’s laws, our main goal is that of helping others come to love Jehovah, our Father, and to be loyal to him. We thus need to highlight Jehovah’s appealing qualities, emphasizing the kind of Person that the name Jehovah represents. (Isa. 63:7) As we teach in that way, we will help others to love Jehovah and to obey him because they want to be loyal to him. w20.06 23:16, 19

The human brain is a marvel of engineering. When you were in your mother’s womb, your brain was built according to a preset plan, and thousands of new brain cells were constructed every minute! Researchers estimate that an adult’s brain contains close to 100 billion special cells called neurons​—assembled into a package that weighs about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). One of the brain’s amazing abilities concerns speech. With each word you say, your brain has to coordinate the movement of some 100 muscles in your tongue, throat, lips, jaw, and chest. All those muscles have to move according to precise timing if the words are to be understood. A study published in 2019 showed that newborn babies can pick out individual words. This finding reinforces what many researchers believe​—that we are born with the ability to recognize and learn languages. Certainly, our ability to speak is a gift from God. w20.05 21:8-9

Abraham willingly left the comfortable lifestyle available to him in the city of Ur. Why? Because he was awaiting “the city having real foundations.” (Heb. 11:8-10, 16) The city that Abraham awaited is God’s Kingdom. That Kingdom is made up of Jesus Christ and 144,000 anointed Christians. Paul refers to the Kingdom as “a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem.” (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:8-10; 14:1) Jesus taught his disciples to pray for this same Kingdom, asking that it come so that God’s will can take place on earth as it does in heaven. (Matt. 6:10) Did Abraham know the details of how God’s Kingdom would be structured? No. For many centuries, those details were a “sacred secret.” (Eph. 1:8-10; Col. 1:26, 27) But Abraham did know that some of his offspring would become kings. Jehovah had specifically made that promise to him.​—Gen. 17:1, 2, 6. w20.08 31:2-4

We must reject apostate teachings. Since the beginning of the Christian congregation, the Devil has been using many deceivers to plant doubts in the minds of God’s faithful servants. As a result, we need to know how to discern the difference between facts and lies. Our enemies may use the Internet or social media to try to undermine our trust in Jehovah and our love for our brothers. Remember who is behind such propaganda, and reject it! (1 John 4:1, 6; Rev. 12:9) To resist Satan’s attacks, we need to deepen our trust in Jesus and in the role he plays in God’s purpose. We also need to trust in the only channel that Jehovah is using today. (Matt. 24:45-47) We deepen our trust by regularly studying God’s Word. Then our faith will be like a tree that has roots that go deep into the ground. The apostle Paul made a similar point when he wrote the words of today’s text. w20.07 30:11-12

As imperfect humans, all of us have a tendency to judge others by their outward appearance. (John 7:24) But we learn only a little about a person from what we see with our eyes. To illustrate, even a brilliant and experienced doctor can learn only so much by just looking at a patient. He must listen attentively if he is to learn about the patient’s medical history, his emotional makeup, or any symptoms he is having. The doctor may even order an X-ray to see the inside of the patient’s body. Otherwise, the doctor could misdiagnose the problem. Similarly, we cannot fully understand our brothers and sisters by simply looking at their outward appearance. We must try to look beneath the surface​—at the inner person. Of course, we cannot read hearts. But we can do our best to imitate Jehovah. He listens to his worshippers. He takes into account their background and situation. And he shows compassion for them. w20.04 16:1-3

We need to cultivate humility because those who are proud do not have “a sound mind.” Proud people are contentious and egotistical. Their thinking and actions often cause them to hurt themselves and others. Unless they change their way of thinking, their minds will be blinded and corrupted by Satan. (2 Cor. 4:4; 11:3) A humble person has a sound mind. He has a balanced and reasonable view of himself, recognizing that in many ways others are superior to him. (Phil. 2:3) And he knows that “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.” (1 Pet. 5:5) Those with a sound mind do not want to have Jehovah as an opponent. To remain humble, we must apply the Bible’s counsel to “strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe [ourselves] with the new personality.” We need to study Jesus’ example and try to imitate him as closely as possible.​—Col. 3:9, 10; 1 Pet. 2:21. w20.07 27:16-17

What a privilege we have to be part of Jehovah’s congregation! We are in a spiritual paradise that is full of peaceful, happy people. What is your place in the congregation? The apostle Paul compared the congregation to the human body. He also compared the individuals in a congregation to parts of the body. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:16) One lesson we can learn from Paul’s illustration is that each one of us has an important place in Jehovah’s family. Paul begins his illustration by saying: “Just as we have in one body many members, but the members do not all have the same function, so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but individually we are members belonging to one another.” (Rom. 12:4, 5) What was Paul’s point? Each one of us has a different role in the congregation, but each one of us is valuable. w20.08 34:1-2, 4

Parents, how can you imitate Jehovah’s example of humility? When appropriate, ask your children for their opinions on how a task should be done. And when fitting, follow their suggestions. Jehovah also set an example in the matter of exercising patience, even when those who served him questioned his decisions. He listened as Abraham stated his concerns about the decision to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. (Gen. 18:22-33) And remember how Jehovah dealt with Abraham’s wife, Sarah. He did not become offended or angry when she laughed at his promise that she would become pregnant in her old age. (Gen. 18:10-14) Instead, he treated Sarah with dignity. Parents and elders, what can you learn from Jehovah’s example? Consider how you respond when those under your authority question your decisions. Is your initial reaction to correct them? Or do you try to understand their point of view? Families and congregations surely benefit when those in authority imitate Jehovah. w20.08 32:7-9

When we first began to associate with Jehovah’s people, we may have been eager to accept help from others, realizing that we were spiritual infants and had a lot to learn. (1 Cor. 3:1, 2) But what about now? If we have been serving Jehovah for many years and have gained a lot of experience, we may not be as ready to accept help, especially if it is offered by someone who has not been in the truth as long as we have. However, Jehovah often uses our brothers and sisters to strengthen us. (Rom. 1:11, 12) We must recognize that fact if we are to gain the power that Jehovah supplies. Success depends, not on a person’s physical strength, education, wealth, or social background, but on his humility and reliance on Jehovah. May all of us press forward (1) by relying on Jehovah, (2) by learning from Bible examples, and (3) by accepting help from fellow believers. Then, no matter how weak we may feel, Jehovah will make us powerful! w20.07 29:2, 18-19

One area in which we may find it difficult to be patient is when witnessing to unbelieving relatives. The principle found at Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 can help us. It states: “There is . . . a time to be silent and a time to speak.” We can let our good conduct be a silent witness, yet we are always alert to opportunities to speak about the truth. (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) We are patient with all people​—including family members—​as we preach and teach with zeal. We can learn patience from the examples of faithful ones in the Bible as well as in modern times. Habakkuk longed for an end to wickedness, but he confidently declared: “At my guardpost I will keep standing.” (Hab. 2:1) The apostle Paul expressed his heartfelt desire to “finish” his ministry. Yet, he patiently continued “to bear thorough witness to the good news.”​—Acts 20:24. w20.09 37:12-14

Jesus, whose authority is second only to Jehovah’s, does not think more of himself than is necessary. In imitation of Jesus, humble servants of Jehovah contribute to the loving spirit that identifies God’s organization. (Luke 9:48; John 13:35) What if it seems that there are problems in the congregation and you feel that they are not being dealt with properly? Rather than complain, you can show humility by supporting those taking the lead. (Heb. 13:17) To help you do that, ask yourself: ‘Are the problems that I see really so serious that they need to be corrected? Is this the right time to correct them? Is it my place to correct them? In all honesty, am I really trying to promote unity, or am I trying to promote myself?’ Jehovah values humility more than ability and unity more than efficiency. Therefore, do your best to serve Jehovah with humility. In doing so, you will promote unity in the congregation.​—Eph. 4:2, 3. w20.07 27:9-11

Jesus valued the help he received from the godly women who ministered to him “from their belongings.” (Luke 8:1-3) He revealed to them deep spiritual truths. For example, he informed them that he would die and be resurrected. (Luke 24:5-8) He prepared these women, as he had the apostles, for the trials they would encounter. (Mark 9:30-32; 10:32-34) It is worth noting that though the apostles fled when Jesus was arrested, some of the women who had supported him were by his side while he was dying on the torture stake. (Matt. 26:56; Mark 15:40, 41) Godly women were the first witnesses of his resurrection. He assigned those women to tell the apostles that he had been raised from the dead. (Matt. 28:5, 9, 10) And at Pentecost 33 C.E., women may have been present when the holy spirit was poured out and all there received the miraculous ability to speak in foreign languages and tell others about “the magnificent things of God.”​—Acts 1:14; 2:2-4, 11. w20.09 39:11-12

The disciple-making work is a lifesaving work! How do we know? When Jesus gave the command that is recorded at Matthew 28:19, 20, he said: “Go, . . . make disciples . . . , baptizing them.” What do we know about the importance of baptism? It is a requirement for those seeking salvation. The baptism candidate must have faith that salvation is possible only because Jesus died a sacrificial death and was resurrected. That is why the apostle Peter told fellow Christians: “Baptism [is] now saving you . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 3:21) So when a new disciple gets baptized, he puts himself in line for salvation. To make disciples, we need to develop the “art of teaching.” (2 Tim. 4:1, 2) Why? Because Jesus commanded us: “Go, . . . make disciples . . . , teaching them.” The apostle Paul said to “persevere” in that work, “for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” w20.10 42:1-2

The disciple Peter learned to love being a fisher of men. And with Jehovah’s backing, Peter became very good at that work. (Acts 2:14, 41) We preach because we love Jehovah; that is our primary motivation for doing this work. Our love for Jehovah can help us to overcome any feelings of inadequacy. When Jesus invited Peter to become a fisher of men, he told him: “Stop being afraid.” (Luke 5:8-11) Peter was not gripped by fear of what might happen if he became a disciple. Rather, he was astonished at the miraculous catch of fish that Jesus had just given the men, and Peter felt unworthy of being asked to work with Jesus. On the other hand, you may feel overwhelmed when you realize what is involved in being a disciple of Christ. If so, strengthen your love for Jehovah, Jesus, and your neighbor, and you will be motivated to accept Jesus’ invitation to become a fisher of men.​—Matt. 22:37, 39; John 14:15. w20.09 36:4-5

We gladly give of our time, energy, and resources to find those who are “rightly disposed for everlasting life.” (Acts 13:48) When we do this, we follow Jesus’ example. He stated: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34; 17:4) That is also our heartfelt desire. We want to finish the work that has been entrusted to us. (John 20:21) And we want others, including inactive ones, to endure in this work with us. (Matt. 24:13) Granted, fulfilling Jesus’ great commission is a challenge. However, we are not facing this task alone. Jesus promised that he would be with us. We carry out the assignment to make disciples as “God’s fellow workers” and “in company with Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 2:17) Therefore, we can accomplish it. What a privilege and pleasure it is to carry out this assignment and help others to do so as well!​—Phil. 4:13. w20.11 45:19-20

Often, the choices that parents make affect their children for a long time. If parents make poor choices, they can cause problems for their children. But if they make wise choices, they give their children the best chance of having a happy, satisfying life. Of course, children must also make good decisions. The best decision anyone can make is to serve our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah. (Ps. 73:28) Jesus’ parents were determined to help their children to serve Jehovah, and the choices the parents made proved that this was their main goal in life. (Luke 2:40, 41, 52) Jesus likewise made good choices that helped him to fulfill his role in Jehovah’s purpose. (Matt. 4:1-10) Jesus grew up to be a kind, loyal, and courageous man​—the type of son who would bring pride and joy to the heart of any God-fearing parent. w20.10 44:1-2

Imagine the following scenarios. An elderly Christian sister reflects on good times from her past. Even though her life is more challenging now, she continues to do all she can for Jehovah. (1 Cor. 15:58) Every day she imagines herself and her loved ones living together in the promised new world. Another sister remembers that she was hurt by a fellow believer, but she chooses to let go of her resentment. (Col. 3:13) A brother is keenly aware of his past mistakes but focuses on staying faithful from now on. (Ps. 51:10) What do these three Christians have in common? All of them remember what happened in their past, but they are not living in it. Rather, they “look straight ahead” to the future. Why is that important? Just as a person cannot walk in a straight line if he is constantly looking back, we cannot move forward in our service to Jehovah if we are constantly looking back on our past.​—Luke 9:62. w20.11 48:1-3

David was viewed as weak by the physically powerful warrior Goliath. After all, Goliath was bigger, better equipped, and better trained for war. David, on the other hand, was just an inexperienced boy who seemed to be poorly equipped for battle. But David relied on Jehovah for power, and he defeated his enemy. (1 Sam. 17:41-45, 50) David had to deal with another challenge that could have made him feel weak and powerless. David loyally served the one whom Jehovah had appointed as king of Israel, Saul. King Saul at first respected David. Later on, pride caused Saul to become jealous of David. Saul treated David badly, even trying to kill him. (1 Sam. 18:6-9, 29; 19:9-11) Despite the unjust way that he was treated by King Saul, David continued to show respect for Jehovah’s appointed king. (1 Sam. 24:6) David relied on Jehovah to give him the strength he needed to endure this difficult trial.​—Ps. 18:1, superscription. w20.07 29:11-13

A large portion of the prophecy about the king of the north and the king of the south has already been fulfilled, so we can be confident that the rest of it will also come true. To understand the prophecy recorded in Daniel chapter 11, we need to keep in mind that it identifies only rulers and governments that have had a direct influence on God’s people. And even though God’s servants make up only a small portion of the world’s population, they are often at the center of major world events. Why? Because Satan and his entire system have one prime objective​—conquering those who serve Jehovah and Jesus. (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 11:7; 12:17) In addition, the prophecy recorded by Daniel must harmonize with other prophecies in God’s Word. In fact, we can come to the right understanding of Daniel’s prophecy only if we compare it with other portions of the Scriptures. w20.05 19:1-2

Many people today have personal views about life after death. But what does the Bible teach? When someone dies, his body decomposes. But the One who created the universe from nothing can resurrect that person, giving him a suitable body. (Gen. 1:1; 2:7) The apostle Paul used an illustration to show that God would not need to bring back the same body. Think of “a bare grain,” or a plant “seed.” A seed of grain that is planted in the ground germinates and becomes a new plant. The resulting plant is quite different from the small seed. Paul used this comparison to show that our Creator can provide “a body just as it [pleases] him.” Paul also stated that “there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies.” How so? Well, on earth, we have bodies of flesh, but in heaven there are spirit bodies, like the ones the angels have.​—1 Cor. 15:36-41. w20.12 50:7-9

We all want to lead a calm and peaceful life. No one enjoys feeling anxious. At times, however, we may struggle with anxieties and ask the same question as King David did in today’s text. We may have little or no control over some things that could cause us to feel anxious. For example, we cannot regulate how much the cost of food, clothing, and shelter will rise each year; nor can we control how frequently our workmates or schoolmates will try to tempt us to be dishonest or immoral. And we cannot stop the crime that happens in our neighborhood. We face these challenges because we live in a world where most people’s thinking is not based on Bible principles. Satan, the god of this world, knows that some people will allow “the anxiety of this system of things” to keep them from serving Jehovah. (Matt. 13:22; 1 John 5:19) No wonder that the world is so full of stressful situations! w21.01 1:1, 3

The apostle John urged us not to hate our brothers or sisters. If we fail to heed that counsel, we leave ourselves open to being manipulated by Satan. (1 John 2:11) This happened to some at the end of the first century C.E. Satan was doing all that he could to promote hatred and divide God’s people. By the time John wrote his letters, men who showed the same spirit as Satan had slipped into the congregation. For instance, Diotrephes was creating serious divisions in one congregation. (3 John 9, 10) He was disrespectful to traveling representatives of the governing body. He even tried to throw out of the congregation those who were hospitable to people whom he disliked. How arrogant! Satan is still desperately trying to divide and conquer God’s people today. May we never allow hatred to drive us apart. w21.01 2:14

In the first world war, both the German government and the British government persecuted God’s servants who refused to take up arms. And the U.S. government threw into prison those who were taking the lead in the preaching work. This persecution fulfilled the prophecy recorded at Revelation 11:7-10. Then, in the 1930’s and especially during the second world war, the king of the north attacked God’s people without mercy. Hitler and his followers banned the work of God’s people. The opposers killed hundreds of Jehovah’s people and sent thousands more to concentration camps. The king of the north was able to “profane the sanctuary” and “remove the constant feature” by severely restricting the freedom of God’s servants to praise Jehovah’s name publicly. (Dan. 11:30b, 31a) Its leader, Hitler, even vowed that he would exterminate God’s people in Germany. w20.05 19:12-13

When we show tender affection for one another, we protect the congregation from a spirit of competition. Recall that Jonathan did not try to compete with David, viewing him as a rival to the throne. (1 Sam. 20:42) All of us can imitate Jonathan’s example. Do not view your fellow workers as rivals because of their abilities, “but with humility consider others superior to you.” (Phil. 2:3) Keep in mind that each person in the congregation has something to contribute. By keeping a humble view of ourselves, we see the good in our brothers and sisters and benefit from their faithful example. (1 Cor. 12:21-25) When we show tender affection for one another, we strengthen the unity among God’s people. We prove that we are Jesus’ disciples, and this attracts honesthearted ones to true worship. Above all, we glorify “the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort,” Jehovah.​—2 Cor. 1:3. w21.01 4:14, 16

Today, as Jehovah’s people, we are sometimes looked down on and ridiculed as being unintelligent and weak. Why? Because we do not agree with the attitudes of those around us. We try to be humble, meek, and obedient. The world, on the other hand, admires the proud, the arrogant, and the rebellious. In addition, we do not get involved in politics, and we do not join the military forces of any country. We do not fit into the world’s mold, so we are considered to be inferior to others. (Rom. 12:2) Despite what the world thinks of us, Jehovah is achieving extraordinary things with us. He is accomplishing the greatest preaching campaign in human history. His servants today produce the most widely translated and distributed journals on earth and use the Bible to help millions of people to improve their lives. All credit for these remarkable accomplishments goes to Jehovah. w20.07 29:5-6

Jesus is subject to Jehovah, but certainly not because he lacks intelligence or skill. Only a highly intelligent person could teach as simply and clearly as Jesus did. (John 7:45, 46) Jehovah respected Jesus’ ability so much that He allowed Jesus to work beside Him when Jehovah created the universe. (Prov. 8:30; Heb. 1:2-4) And since Jesus’ resurrection, Jehovah has entrusted him with ‘all authority in heaven and on earth.’ (Matt. 28:18) Even though Jesus is talented, he still looks to Jehovah for guidance. Why? Because he loves his Father. Husbands should note that Jehovah did not make a wife subject to her husband because He views women as inferior to men. Jehovah himself has made that evident by choosing women as well as men to be corulers with Jesus. (Gal. 3:26-29) Jehovah has shown confidence in his Son by entrusting him with authority. Similarly, a wise husband will entrust his wife with a measure of authority. w21.02 6:13-14

God’s Word acts like a mirror, helping us to identify and address what we need to work on. (Jas. 1:23-25) For example, after studying God’s Word, we might realize that we need to control our temper. With Jehovah’s help, we learn how to be mild when dealing with people or problems that could provoke us. Now we are able to think more clearly and make better decisions. (Jas. 3:13) How important it is that we know the Bible well! Sometimes we learn what to avoid only after we make a mistake. A better way to gain wisdom is to learn from both the successes and the mistakes of others. That is why James encourages us to look at examples set by such Bible characters as Abraham, Rahab, Job, and Elijah. (Jas. 2:21-26; 5:10, 11, 17, 18) Those loyal servants of Jehovah were able to endure trials that could have robbed them of joy. Their examples of endurance show that with Jehovah’s help we can do the same. w21.02 8:12-13

At a Bible study, the teacher is primarily responsible for helping the student to understand God’s Word. If the teacher invites you to accompany him, you should view yourself as his partner. Your role is to support him. (Eccl. 4:9, 10) What, specifically, can you do to help make the Bible study session productive? Prepare for the Bible study. First, ask the teacher to tell you a little about the student. What is the Bible student’s background? What topic will you be studying with him? What is your objective for this session? Is there anything that I should or should not do or say while at the study? What might encourage the student to progress? Obviously, the teacher would not share any confidential information, but what he does share can be helpful. A missionary named Joy acknowledges: “This discussion helps my companion to be interested in the student and to know how to contribute to the study.” w21.03 10:5-6

Sometimes we are hated because we live by God’s righteous standards. These standards contrast sharply with the world’s degraded morals. For example, many people now openly approve of grossly immoral practices similar to the ones for which God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah! (Jude 7) Because we hold to the Bible’s standards regarding such practices, many people ridicule us and call us intolerant. (1 Pet. 4:3, 4) What can help us to endure when people hate us and insult us? We need to have strong faith that Jehovah will help us. Like a shield, our faith can “extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows.” (Eph. 6:16) But we need more than faith. We also need love. Why? Because love “does not become provoked.” It bears and endures all hurtful things. (1 Cor. 13:4-7, 13) Love for Jehovah, love for our fellow worshippers, and even love for our enemies will help us to endure hatred. w21.03 12:3-4

Sometimes, we prove our love for our brothers and sisters by what we do not do. For example, we do not get easily offended by what they say. Consider an incident that happened toward the end of Jesus’ life on earth. He told his disciples that to gain life they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood. (John 6:53-57) That speech was so shocking that many of his disciples abandoned him​—but not so his real friends. They loyally stuck with him. They did not understand what Jesus said, and they were likely surprised by it. However, Jesus’ loyal friends did not assume that what he said was wrong and become offended by it. Instead, they trusted him, knowing that he spoke the truth. (John 6:60, 66-69) How important it is that we do not become easily offended by what our friends say! Rather, we allow them the opportunity to explain misunderstandings.​—Prov. 18:13. w21.01 2:13