Drawing Close to One Another Is Good for Us!

1-2. What is one thing that is important to Jehovah, and what does he want us to do?

FEW things are more important to Jehovah than the way we treat fellow humans. Jesus taught that we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (Matt. 22:37-39) That includes being kind even toward those who do not share our beliefs. When we show this kindness, we imitate Jehovah God, who “makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous.”​—Matt. 5:45.

² Although Jehovah loves all mankind, he is especially fond of those who practice what is right. (John 14:21) He wants us to imitate him. He urges us to have “intense love” for our brothers and sisters and to show them “tender affection.” (1 Pet. 4:8; Rom. 12:10) When we think of showing such love and affection to someone, we might have in mind the warm feeling of attachment we have toward a beloved relative or a dear friend.

3. What must we remember about love?

³ Love, like a houseplant, needs to be nurtured in order to grow. The apostle Paul counseled Christians: “Let your brotherly love continue.” (Heb. 13:1) Jehovah wants us to keep cultivating our love for others. This article will discuss why we should draw closer to our fellow worshippers and how we can do so continually.

WHY WE SHOULD DRAW CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER

4. As described at Psalm 133:1, how can we maintain appreciation for our united brotherhood? (See also pictures.)

⁴ Read Psalm 133:1. We agree with the psalmist who wrote that true friendship with those who love Jehovah is “good” and “pleasant.” But just as a person could take for granted a majestic tree that he sees every day, we could take for granted the beauty of our Christian unity. We see our brothers and sisters often, perhaps several times a week. How can we maintain appreciation for them? Our love for our brothers and sisters will grow if we take time to think about how valuable each one is to the congregation and to us.

5. What effect can our loving brotherhood have on others?

⁵ Some who attend a meeting for the first time are deeply impressed by the love we have for one another. On that basis alone, they may conclude that they have found the truth. Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples​—if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) Consider the experience of Chaithra, a university student who was studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses. She accepted an invitation to attend a regional convention. After attending the first day in person, she told her Bible teacher: “I have never been hugged by my parents. But at your convention, I received 52 hugs in just one day! I felt Jehovah’s love through this spiritual family. I want to be part of that family.” Chaithra continued to progress and got baptized in 2024. Yes, when new ones see our fine works, including the love we have for one another, they are often moved to serve Jehovah.​—Matt. 5:16.

6. How can drawing closer to our brothers and sisters protect us?

⁶ Drawing closer to our brothers and sisters can serve as a protection. Paul admonished fellow Christians: “Keep on encouraging one another each day . . . so that none of you should become hardened by the deceptive power of sin.” (Heb. 3:13) If we become so discouraged that our feet are beginning to stray from the path of righteousness, Jehovah may move an observant fellow believer to provide the help we need. (Ps. 73:2, 17, 23) Such encouragement is indeed good for us.

7. What is the connection between love and unity? (Colossians 3:13, 14)

⁷ We belong to a group of people who work hard to show love to one another, so we enjoy many blessings. (1 John 4:11) For instance, love moves us to “continue putting up with one another,” and that contributes to our Christian unity. (Read Colossians 3:13, 14; Eph. 4:2-6) Thus, at our meetings, we enjoy a pleasant atmosphere matched by no other group on earth.

SHOW HONOR TO ONE ANOTHER

8. What role does Jehovah play in helping us achieve unity?

⁸ The global unity we enjoy is a miracle. Jehovah makes it possible despite our imperfections. (1 Cor. 12:25) The Bible says that we are “taught by God to love one another.” (1 Thess. 4:9) In other words, through the Scriptures, Jehovah tells us exactly what we need to do in order to draw closer to one another. We can be “taught by God” by carefully examining his teachings and applying them. (Heb. 4:12; Jas. 1:25) And that is exactly what Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to do.

9. What do we learn from Romans 12:9-13 about showing honor to one another?

⁹ How does God’s Word teach us to draw closer to one another? Consider what Paul had to say on this matter, as indicated at Romans 12:9-13. (Read.) Of special note are the words “in showing honor to one another, take the lead.” What does that mean? We should take the initiative to show “tender affection” to others by extending forgiveness, showing hospitality, and practicing generosity, among other things. (Eph. 4:32) There is no need to wait for your brother or sister to draw closer to you. You can “take the lead” in doing so. Jesus aptly said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”​—Acts 20:35.

10. How can we be industrious “in showing honor to one another”? (See also picture.)

¹⁰ Interestingly, immediately after telling us to take the lead in showing honor to one another, Paul exhorts us to “be industrious, not lazy.” Someone who is industrious is zealous and hardworking. When he is given a task, he carries it out diligently. Proverbs 3:27, 28 urges us: “Do not withhold good from those to whom you should give it if it is within your power to help.” Accordingly, when we see that someone is in need, we do what we can to come to his aid. We do not procrastinate; nor do we assume that someone else will care for the matter.​—1 John 3:17, 18.

11. What can help us to draw closer to one another?

¹¹ Another way we can show honor to others is by being quick to forgive them when they offend us. Ephesians 4:26 says: “Do not let the sun set while you are still angry.” Why not? Verse 27 states that doing so would “give the Devil an opportunity.” In his Word, Jehovah tells us again and again to forgive one another. Colossians 3:13 urges us to “continue . . . forgiving one another freely.” Few things are as effective in drawing us closer to others as overlooking their mistakes and offenses. When we do, we help “to maintain the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3) In short, forgiveness can directly contribute to our unity and peace.

12. How does Jehovah help us to be forgiving?

¹² Granted, we might find it difficult to forgive those who have hurt us. But we can succeed with the help of God’s spirit. After exhorting us to “have tender affection for one another” and to “be industrious,” the Scriptures admonish: “Be aglow with the spirit.” A person who is “aglow” is “overflowing with or radiating zeal and enthusiasm as a result of the influence” of holy spirit. (See study note on Romans 12:11.) So God’s spirit can help us to show tender affection and to forgive one another freely. Hence, we earnestly beg Jehovah to help us.​—Luke 11:13.

“THERE SHOULD BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU”

13. What could create divisions among us?

¹³ The congregation is made up of “all sorts of people” from a variety of backgrounds. (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) If we are not careful, these differences could create divisions in areas of personal choice, such as dress and grooming, health care, or entertainment. (Rom. 14:4; 1 Cor. 1:10) Because God has taught us to love one another, we must be careful not to promote our personal choices as being better than those of others.​—Phil. 2:3.

14. What should we always strive to be, and why?

¹⁴ We can also prevent divisions in the congregation by striving to be refreshing and upbuilding to others at all times. (1 Thess. 5:11) In recent times, a number of people who were inactive or who were removed from the congregation have returned. We warmly welcome them! (2 Cor. 2:8) Note what happened to one sister who returned to the Kingdom Hall after being inactive for ten years. She said, “I was greeted with smiles and handshakes.” (Acts 3:19) How did those simple kindnesses affect her? She says, “It made me feel that Jehovah’s hand was guiding me back to happiness.” By being upbuilding to all, we can be used by Christ to provide refreshment to those “who are toiling and loaded down.”​—Matt. 11:28, 29.

15. What is another way we can promote unity? (See also picture.)

¹⁵ Another way we can promote unity is by means of our speech. Job 12:11 states: “Does not the ear test out words as the tongue tastes food?” Just as a good cook will always sample his food to make sure it is tasty before serving it to others, we do well to think carefully about what we will say before we say it. (Ps. 141:3) Our goal should always be to ensure that what we are about to say will be upbuilding, refreshing, and “beneficial to the hearers.”​—Eph. 4:29.

16. Who especially should be interested in using encouraging speech?

¹⁶ Husbands and parents especially should be conscious of being upbuilding in their speech. (Col. 3:19, 21; Titus 2:4) Elders too should be a source of refreshment and comfort as shepherds of Jehovah’s flock. (Isa. 32:1, 2; Gal. 6:1) A Bible proverb reminds us: “A word spoken at the right time​—how good it is!”​—Prov. 15:23.

LOVE “IN DEED AND TRUTH”

17. How can we make sure that our love for our brothers and sisters is sincere?

¹⁷ The apostle John encourages us to “love, not in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18) We want our love for our brothers and sisters to come from the heart. How can we accomplish that? The more time we spend with our brothers and sisters, the closer we will draw to one another and the stronger our love for one another will be. So create opportunities to spend time with others​—at the meetings and in the ministry. Take time to visit others. When we do, we show that we are being “taught by God to love one another.” (1 Thess. 4:9) And we will continue to experience firsthand “how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”​—Ps. 133:1.