SHTODDI ARTICLE 16
SONG 87 Kummet! ’Sis Refreshing
Nayksht sei zu Nannah Is Goot fa Uns!
“Gukket moll! Vi goot un shay es es is vann breedah bei-nannah voona in [unity]!”—PS. 133:1.
DA MAYN POINT
Vass miah du kenna fa naychah kumma zu nannah, un vi feel blessings es miah greeya koss funn sell.
1-2. Vass is importand zu Jehova, un vass vill eah havva es miah doon?
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. Vass missa miah meinda veyyich leevi?
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.
FAVASS MIAH NAYCHAH KUMMA SEDDA ZU NANNAH
4. Vi’s sawkt an Psalm 133:1, vi kenna miah unsah appreciation halda fa da unity es miah henn? (Gukket aw di piktahs.)
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.
Never take for granted the beauty of our Christian unity (See paragraph 4)
5. Vi kann’s anri leit afekta vann si sayna vi miah nannah gleicha?
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. Vi kann’s uns protekta vann miah naychah kumma zu unsah breedah un shveshtra?
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. Vi kann leevi veisa macha es ma united sinn? (Kolosser 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.
NANNAH RESPEKT VEISA
8. Vi dutt Jehova uns helfa united sei?
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. Vass lanna miah funn Römer 12:9 deich 13 veyyich respekt veisa zu nannah?
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. Vi kenna miah effort nei du in respekt veisa zu nannah? (Gukket aw’s piktah)
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.
We should take the initiative to help our brothers and sisters who are in need (See paragraph 10)
11. Vass kann uns helfa fa naychah kumma zu nannah?
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. Vi dutt Jehova uns helfa anri fagevva?
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.
ES SEDDA KENN DIVISIONS SEI UNNICH EICH
13. Vass kend divisions macha unnich uns?
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. Vass sedda miah immah boviahra du, un favass?
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. Vass noch kenna miah du fa united sei? (Gukket aw’s piktah)
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.
Think about what you will say before you say it (See paragraph 15)
16. Veah sett boviahra encouraging sei in vass si sawwa?
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.
LEEVI VEISA “MITT VASS MIAH DOON, UN DEICH DI VOAHHEIT”
17. Vi kenna miah shuah macha es miah unsah breedah un shveshtra gleicha funn’s hatz?
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.
SONG 90 Nannah Ufbauwa