References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook
© 2025 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
JULY 7-13
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 21
Wise Principles for a Happy Marriage
w06 9/15 28 ¶13
“Rejoice With the Wife of Your Youth”
13 What if the marriage is under stress because of the way that the mates treat each other? The search for a solution takes effort. For instance, it may be that a pattern of unkind speech has crept into their marriage and now characterizes it. (Proverbs 12:18) As discussed in the preceding article, this can have devastating effects. A Bible proverb says: “Better is it to dwell in a wilderness land than with a contentious wife along with vexation.” (Proverbs 21:19) If you are a wife in such a marriage, ask yourself, ‘Is my disposition making it difficult for my husband to be around me?’ The Bible tells husbands: “Keep on loving your wives and do not be bitterly angry with them.” (Colossians 3:19) If you are a husband, ask yourself, ‘Is my demeanor cold, tempting my wife to seek comfort elsewhere?’ Of course, there is no excuse for sexual immorality. Yet, the fact that such a tragedy could happen is good reason to discuss problems openly.
JULY 14-20
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 22
Wise Principles for Raising Children
w06 4/1 9 ¶4
Parents—Be a Fine Example for Your Children
Of course, children are children, and some are prone to be contrary, even wayward. (Genesis 8:21) What can parents do? “Foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy; the rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him,” says the Bible. (Proverbs 22:15) Some view this as harsh treatment that is out-of-date. Actually, the Bible is against violence and abuse of any sort. The “rod,” though at times literal, represents parental authority that is administered firmly but lovingly and appropriately out of concern for the children’s eternal welfare.—Hebrews 12:7-11.
JULY 28–AUGUST 3
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 24
Strengthen Yourself for Adversities
w20.12 15
Questions From Readers
Proverbs 24:16 says: “The righteous one may fall seven times, and he will get up again.” Does this refer to someone who repeatedly falls into sin but then is forgiven by God?
Actually, that is not the point of this verse. Rather, it refers to someone who falls in the sense of repeatedly facing problems or adversities and who gets up again in the sense of being able to recover.
Yes, rather than speak of “falling” in the moral sense of falling into sin, Proverbs 24:16 refers to experiencing problems or difficulties, even repeatedly. In the present wicked system of things, a righteous one may face health or other problems. He may even be the object of intense governmental persecution. But he can trust that God is his support and will help him to cope and succeed. Ask yourself, ‘Have I not seen that things often work out well for God’s servants?’ Why? We are assured that “Jehovah supports all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.”—Ps. 41:1-3; 145:14-19.
Spiritual Gems
w09 10/15 12
Questions From Readers
In Bible times, if a man wanted to “build up [his] household,” or establish a family by getting married, he needed to ask himself, ‘Am I ready to care for and support a wife and any children we may later have?’ Before starting a family, he had work to do, caring for his fields or crops. Thus, Today’s English Version pointedly renders this verse: “Don’t build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.” Does the same principle apply today?
Yes. A man who wants to marry needs to prepare properly for that responsibility. If he is physically able, he will have to work. Of course, a man’s hard work in caring for his family should not be limited to physical matters. God’s Word indicates that a man who does not care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of his family is worse than one without faith! (1 Tim. 5:8) Hence, in preparing for marriage and family life, a young man should ask himself such questions as these: ‘Am I reasonably prepared to provide materially for a family? Am I ready to be the spiritual head of a household? Will I fulfill the responsibility of conducting a regular Bible study with my wife and children?’ God’s Word certainly stresses those vital responsibilities.—Deut. 6:6-8; Eph. 6:4.
So a young man who seeks a wife should think carefully about the principle found at Proverbs 24:27. Likewise, a young woman does well to ask herself if she is prepared for the responsibilities of being a wife and mother. A young couple may ask similar questions when thinking about the possibility of raising children. (Luke 14:28) Living by such inspired guidance can help God’s people to avoid much heartache and to enjoy a rewarding family life.
AUGUST 4-10
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 25
Wise Principles for Our Speech
w15 12/15 19 ¶6-7
Use the Power of Your Tongue for Good
6 The words of Proverbs 25:11 illustrate the importance of choosing the right time to speak: “Like apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time.” Golden apples by themselves would be beautiful. Placing them against the background of silver carvings would enhance their beauty. Similarly, carefully picking a suitable time to speak can make our speech more appealing and effective. How?
7 Our words may be just what our hearer truly needs, but unless we discern the best time to speak, their meaning could be lost. (Read Proverbs 15:23.) For example, in March 2011 an earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of eastern Japan, wiping out entire cities. More than 15,000 lost their lives. Although Jehovah’s Witnesses in the area suffered along with their neighbors, they took advantage of every opportunity to use the Bible to comfort those who were mourning. However, many of the local people have deep-rooted Buddhist beliefs and little or no knowledge of Bible teachings. Our brothers discerned that immediately following the tsunami was not necessarily the best time to tell the grief-stricken victims about the resurrection hope. Instead, they used their gift of speech to focus on giving emotional support and explaining from the Bible why such terrible things happen to innocent people.
w15 12/15 21 ¶15-16
Use the Power of Your Tongue for Good
15 How we say something can be as important as what we say. When Jesus spoke in the synagogue of his hometown of Nazareth, the people were “amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth.” (Luke 4:22) Gracious speech appeals to the heart and in no way weakens the power of our tongue. In fact, graciousness can make our speech more persuasive. (Prov. 25:15) We can imitate Jesus’ gracious speech by being kind, courteous, and considerate of others’ feelings. Seeing the effort a crowd made to hear him speak, Jesus was moved with pity and “started to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34) Even when he was being insulted, Jesus did not resort to harsh speech.—1 Pet. 2:23.
16 Speaking with mildness and tact can be a challenge when our listener is someone whom we know very well. We might feel at liberty to be very frank. That can be true whether we speak with a family member or a close friend in the congregation. Did Jesus feel that his close relationship with his disciples granted him liberty to speak harshly to them? Not at all! When his closest followers continued to argue over who was greater, Jesus corrected them with kind words and an illustration of a young child. (Mark 9:33-37) Elders can imitate Jesus’ example by giving counsel “in a spirit of mildness.”—Gal. 6:1.
w95 4/1 17 ¶8
Incite to Love And Fine Works—How?
8 In serving our God, all of us may incite one another by example. Jesus certainly incited his listeners. He loved the work of the Christian ministry and exalted the ministry. He said it was like food for him. (John 4:34; Romans 11:13) Such enthusiasm can be infectious. Can you likewise let your joy in the ministry show? While carefully avoiding a boastful tone, share your good experiences with others in the congregation. When you invite others to work with you, see if you can help them find genuine pleasure in talking to others about our Grand Creator, Jehovah.—Proverbs 25:25.
AUGUST 11-17
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 26
Stay Away From “Someone Stupid”
it-2 729 ¶6
Rain
Seasons. The two primary seasons in the Promised Land, summer and winter, can rather accurately be viewed as the dry season and the rainy season. (Compare Ps 32:4; Ca 2:11, ftn.) From about mid-April to mid-October very little rain falls. Rain is rare in this period during which the harvest takes place. Proverbs 26:1 shows that rain at harvesttime was considered quite out of place. (Compare 1Sa 12:17-19.) During the rainy season the rain is not constant; it alternates with clear days. Since this is also the cold period, exposure to the rain is very chilling. (Ezr 10:9, 13) Therefore, a comfortable shelter is most appreciated.—Isa 4:6; 25:4; 32:2; Job 24:8.
w87 10/1 19 ¶12
Discipline Yields Peaceable Fruit
12 With some persons more drastic measures may be necessary, as Proverbs 26:3 indicates: “A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the ass, and the rod is for the back of stupid people.” At times Jehovah let his nation of Israel be subdued by the troubles they brought upon themselves: “They had behaved rebelliously against the sayings of God; and the counsel of the Most High they had disrespected. So with trouble he proceeded to subdue their heart; they stumbled, and there was no one helping. And they began calling to Jehovah for help in their distress; out of the stresses upon them he as usual saved them.” (Psalm 107:11-13) Some stupid ones, however, harden themselves beyond the reach of any kind of healing discipline: “A man repeatedly reproved but making his neck hard will suddenly be broken, and that without healing.”—Proverbs 29:1.
it-2 191 ¶4
Lame, Lameness
Proverbial usage. “As one that is mutilating his feet [which would make him lame], as one that is drinking mere violence, is he that is thrusting matters into the hand of someone stupid,” said wise King Solomon. Truly, the man employing a stupid person to handle any project for him is doing crippling violence to his own interests. He is certain to see his proposed work collapse, with damage to himself.—Pr 26:6.
AUGUST 18-24
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 27
How We Benefit From True Friends
w19.09 5 ¶12
Jehovah Values His Humble Servants
12 A humble person appreciates counsel. To illustrate: Imagine that you are at a Christian meeting. After talking with several fellow believers, you are pulled aside by one of them who discreetly mentions that you have some food on your teeth. No doubt, you would feel embarrassed. But would you not also appreciate that he or she let you know? In fact, you might wish that someone else had told you sooner! Likewise, we should humbly appreciate a fellow believer who has the courage to offer us counsel when we need it. We view that person as our friend, not our enemy.—Read Proverbs 27:5, 6; Gal. 4:16.
it-2 491 ¶3
Neighbor
However, faith and trust in a companion, and the advisability of calling on such a person in time of need are counseled in the Proverbs: “Do not leave your own companion or the companion of your father, and do not enter the house of your own brother on the day of your disaster. Better is a neighbor [sha·khenʹ] that is near than a brother that is far away.” (Pr 27:10) Here the writer seems to be saying that a close family friend is one to be valued and should be looked to for help rather than even so close a relative as a brother, if that brother is far away, because he may not be as ready or at least not in as favorable a position to render help as the family companion.
AUGUST 25-31
TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PROVERBS 28
Contrasts Between a Wicked Person and a Righteous Person
w93 5/15 26 ¶2
Do You Follow Jehovah Fully?
“THE righteous are like a young lion that is confident.” (Proverbs 28:1) They exercise faith, confidently rely on God’s Word, and boldly go forward in Jehovah’s service in the face of any danger.
it-2 1139 ¶3
Understanding
Those turning from the Source. The person who turns to transgression begins to discount God as a factor to be considered when making decisions and plans. (Job 34:27) Such a person allows his heart to blind him to the wrongness of his ways and he loses insight. (Ps 36:1-4) Even if claiming to worship God, he puts men’s precepts above God’s; he prefers them. (Isa 29:13, 14) He rationalizes and excuses his loose conduct as mere “sport” (Pr 10:23) and becomes perverted, brutish, stupid in his reasoning, to the extreme of assuming that the invisible God does not see or discern his wrongdoing, as though God’s powers of perception had failed. (Ps 94:4-10; Isa 29:15, 16; Jer 10:21) By his course and actions he says, in effect, “There is no Jehovah” (Ps 14:1-3) and leaves him ‘out of the picture.’ Not being guided by divine principles, he cannot judge matters correctly, see the issues clearly, evaluate the factors involved, and arrive at right decisions.—Pr 28:5.