34567MARCH 2019

LARGE PRINT EDITION

STUDY ARTICLES FOR:MAY 6–JUNE 2, 2019

2

STUDYARTICLE 10

What PreventsMe From GettingBaptized?“Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,and he baptized him.”—ACTS 8:38.

SONG 52Christian Dedication

PREVIEW

The most important decision you will ever make iswhether you will get baptized or not. Why is that decisionso important? This article will answer that question. It willalso help those who are thinking about getting baptizedto overcome challenges that might be holding them back.

WHO do you think should set the standards forwhat is good and what is bad? When Adam and Eveate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge ofgood and bad, they sent a clear message: They didnot trust Jehovah and his standards. They choseto set their own standards of good and bad. (Gen.3:22) But look at what they lost. They lost theirfriendship with Jehovah. They also lost the oppor-tunity to live forever, and they passed sin anddeath on to their children. (Rom. 5:12) Adam andEve’s choice led to misery.

2 Compare the way Adam and Eve behaved withthe way that the Ethiopian eunuch responded whenPhilip preached to him.The eunuch appreciated somuch what Jehovah and Jesus had done for himthat he immediately got baptized. (Acts 8:34-38)When we dedicate ourselves to God and, like thateunuch, get baptized, we send a clear message.Weshow that we appreciate what Jehovah and Jesushave done for us. We also show that we trust Je-hovah and recognize that he is the one who shouldset the standard of good and bad.

1. What did Adam and Eve lose, and with what result?2-3. (a) How did the Ethiopian eunuch respond when Philippreached to him? (b) What blessings do we receive by getting bap-tized, and what questions will we consider?

MARCH 2019 3

3 Think of the blessings we receive when weserve Jehovah! For one thing, we have the pros-pect of eventually gaining all that Adam and Evelost, including the opportunity to live forever. Be-cause of our faith in Jesus Christ, Jehovah for-gives our mistakes and gives us a clean conscience.(Matt. 20:28; Acts 10:43) We also become partof Jehovah’s family of approved servants with ablessed future ahead of us. (John 10:14-16; Rom.

After he accepted Jesus, the Ethiopian eunuchwanted to get baptized as soon as possible

(See paragraphs 2-3)

MARCH 2019 5

8:20, 21) Despite these obvious benefits, though,some who have come to know Jehovah hesitate tofollow the example of the Ethiopian eunuch. Whatmight prevent them from getting baptized? Andhow can they overcome those challenges?

CHALLENGES THAT PREVENTSOME FROM GETTING BAPTIZED

4 Lack of confidence. Avery’s parents are Jeho-vah’s Witnesses. His father has an excellent repu-tation as a caring father and an effective elder.Yet,Avery held back from getting baptized.Why? “I didnot think that I would be able to live up to my fa-ther’s reputation,” he says. Avery also lacked con-fidence that he would be able to handle respon-sibilities that he might be given in the future.“I worried about being asked to pray in public,to give talks, or to lead a group in the field ser-vice.”

5 Hannah, aged 18, suffered from a severe lackof confidence. She was raised by parents whoserve Jehovah. Even so, she doubted that shecould live by Jehovah’s standards. Why? Hannah

4-5. What challenges did a young man named Avery and a youngwoman named Hannah face?

6 THE WATCHTOWER

had developed a very low opinion of herself. Attimes, she felt so bad that she would deliberatelyinjure herself, which only made things worse. “Inever told anyone about what I did, not even myparents,” she says, “and I imagined that Jehovahwould never want me because of what I was doingto myself.”

6 Influence of friends.Vanessa, aged 22, says, “Ihad a really good friend whom I had known for al-most a decade.” However, Vanessa’s friend did notsupport Vanessa in her goal of getting baptized.That hurt Vanessa, and she says, “I find it hard tomake friends, and I was worried that if I endedthat relationship, I would never have another closefriend.”

7 Fear of failure. Makayla was five years oldwhen her brother was disfellowshipped. As shegrew up, she saw the impact that her brother’s ac-tions had on her parents. “I was afraid that if I gotbaptized,” says Makayla, “I would make a mistake,be disfellowshipped, and bring even more sadnessto my parents.”

6. What held Vanessa back from getting baptized?7. A young woman named Makayla was afraid of what, and why?

MARCH 2019 7

8 Fear of opposition. Miles’ father and step-mother serve Jehovah, but his mother is not aWit-ness. “I lived with my mother for 18 years,” saysMiles, “and I was afraid to tell her that I wanted toget baptized. I had seen the way she reacted whenmy father became a Witness. I was afraid that shewould cause trouble for me.”

HOW CAN YOU OVERCOMETHE CHALLENGES?

9 Adam and Eve chose not to serve Jehovah be-cause they failed to develop a strong love for him.Even so, Jehovah allowed them to live long enoughto have children and to set their own standards forraising those children. The results of Adam andEve’s decision to be independent of Jehovah soonmade it clear how foolish they had been.Their old-est son murdered his innocent brother, and intime violence and selfishness dominated the hu-man family. (Gen. 4:8; 6:11-13) All the while, Je-hovah had a means to save all of Adam and Eve’schildrenwho want to serve him. (John 6:38-40, 57,

8. What did a young man named Miles fear?9. What will likely happen when you learn how loving and patientJehovah is?

8 THE WATCHTOWER

58) As you learn more about how patient and lov-ing Jehovah is, your love for him will likely grow.You will want to reject the course that Adam andEve chose and dedicate yourself to Jehovah.

10 Continue learning about Jehovah. The moreyou learn about Jehovah, the more confident youwill become that you can serve him successfully.Avery, mentioned earlier, says: “I gained confi-dence by reading about and meditating on thepromise found at Psalm 19:7.” (Read.) When Av-ery saw how Jehovah fulfilled that assurance, his

10. Why can meditating on Psalm 19:7 help you to serve Jehovah?

Challengessome face beforechoosing to getbaptized(See paragraphs 4-8)

How you canovercome thesechallenges(See paragraphs 9-16)

Lack of Confidence Influence of Friends

MARCH 2019 9

love for God grew stronger. Love not only buildsconfidence but also helps us to focus on Jehovahand on what he wants. Hannah, mentioned earlier,says: “Through my personal Bible reading andstudy, I came to realize that when I hurt myself, Ihurt Jehovah as well.” (1 Pet. 5:7) Hannah becamea ‘doer of God’s word.’ (Jas. 1:22) With what re-sult? She says: “When I saw how obeying Jehovahbenefited me, I developed a strong love for him.Now I’m sure that Jehovah will always guide mewhen I need his help.” Hannah was able to over-come the urge to hurt herself. She dedicated her-self to Jehovah and got baptized.

Fear of Failure Fear of Opposition

10 THE WATCHTOWER

11 Choose your friends wisely. Vanessa, men-tioned earlier, eventually realized that her friendwas holding her back from serving Jehovah. Soshe ended the friendship. But Vanessa did more.She worked hard to make new friends, inside thecongregation. She says that the example set byNoah and his family helped her. “They were sur-rounded by people who didn’t love Jehovah,” shesays, “but they had good association with one an-other.” After she got baptized, Vanessa became apioneer. She now says, “This has helped me tomake good friends not only in my own congrega-tion but also in other congregations.” You too canmake good friends by being as involved as possi-ble in the work that Jehovah has assigned us to do.—Matt. 24:14.

12 Have a balanced view of fear. Some kinds offear are good for us. For example, we need to havea healthy fear of displeasing Jehovah. (Ps. 111:10)If Adam and Eve had developed that type of fear,they would not have rebelled against Jehovah. Butthey did rebel. After they did so, their eyes were

11. What did Vanessa do to make good friends, and what can welearn from this?12. What kind of fear did Adam and Eve lack, and with what result?

MARCH 2019 11

opened in that they became fully aware that theywere sinners. They could only pass sin and deathon to their children. Because they could see, orunderstand, their condition, they became ashamedof their nakedness and covered themselves.—Gen.3:7, 21.

13 While we need to have a healthy fear of Jeho-vah,we do not need to have a morbid fear of death.Jehovah has made a way for us to gain everlastinglife. If we commit a sin but are genuinely repen-tant, Jehovah will overlook our mistakes. He willforgive us in line with our faith in the ransom sac-rifice of his Son. A primary way we show faith isby dedicating our life to God and getting baptized.—Read 1 Peter 3:21.

14 We have many reasons to love Jehovah. Notonly does he supply the good things we enjoy eachday but he also teaches us the truth about himselfand his purposes. (John 8:31, 32) He has given usthe Christian congregation to guide and supportus. He helps us carry our burdens now, and heoffers us the hope of living forever in perfect

13-14. (a) In line with 1 Peter 3:21, why do we not need to have amorbid fear of death? (b) What reasons do we have to love Jeho-vah?

12 THE WATCHTOWER

conditions in the future. (Ps. 68:19; Rev. 21:3, 4)When we meditate on how much Jehovah has al-ready done to show that he loves us, we are drawnto love him. And when we love Jehovah, we gain abalanced view of fear. We fear hurting the One wehave come to love so much.

15 Makayla, mentioned earlier, overcame herfear of failure when she understood just how for-giving Jehovah is. “I realized that we are all imper-fect and will make mistakes. But I also came to un-derstand that Jehovah loves us and will forgive uson the basis of the ransom.” Her love for Jehovahmoved her to dedicate herself to him and get bap-tized.

16 Miles, who was afraid that his mother wouldoppose his decision to get baptized, sought helpfrom the circuit overseer. “He too had grown upin a religiously divided household,” says Miles. “Hehelped me to think about what I could say to con-vince my mother that it was my decision to getbaptized and that my father was not pushing meto do so.” Miles’ mother did not react well. Even-tually, he had to move out of her home, but he

15. How did Makayla overcome her fear of failure?16. How was Miles helped to overcome his fear of opposition?

MARCH 2019 13

stuck to his decision. “Learning about the goodthings that Jehovah has done for me touched myheart,” he says. “When I thought deeply about theransom sacrifice of Jesus, I came to realize justhow much Jehovah loves me. That thought movedme to dedicate myself to Jehovah and get bap-tized.”

We can show that we appreciate what God has done for us(See paragraph 17)

14 THE WATCHTOWER

STICK TO YOUR DECISION17 When Eve ate of the fruit from that tree in

Eden, she rejected her Father. When Adam joinedher, he displayed a callous lack of appreciation forall the good that Jehovah had done for him.We allhave the opportunity to show just how much wedisagree with the decision that Adam and Evemade. By getting baptized, we show Jehovah thatwe believe that he has the authority to set the stan-dard of what is right and what is wrong for us. Weprove that we love our Father and trust in him.

18 The challenge we face after baptism is to liveeach day by Jehovah’s standards, not our own.Millions of people are living that way each year.You can be like them if you continue to deep-en your understanding of God’s Word, the Bible;associate regularly with your brothers and sis-ters; and zealously share what you have learnedabout your loving Father. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Whenyou make decisions, listen to the advice Jehovahgives you through his Word and his organization.(Isa. 30:21) Then all you do will be successful.—Prov. 16:3, 20.

17. What opportunity do we have?18. How can you succeed in serving Jehovah?

19 When you continue to recognize how muchyou benefit from Jehovah’s guidance, your lovefor him and his standards will grow. Then nothingSatan offers you will entice you away from servingJehovah. Imagine yourself a thousand years fromnow. You will look back on your decision to getbaptized as the best decision you ever made!

19. What should you continue to recognize, and why?

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Pages 8-9: Confidence: A young man isnervous about commenting, so he enhances his personal study.Friends: A young Witness with a bad associate is embarrassed whenshe sees fellow Witnesses. She learns to be proud to be a Witness.Failure: When her brother is disfellowshipped and leaves home, a younggirl is concerned that she too might fail. But she makes the truth herown and gets baptized. Opposition: A boy is nervous about prayingwhile his unbelieving mother looks on. Later, he courageously explainshis beliefs to her.

HOWWOULDYOUANSWER?

˛ What do wegain by gettingbaptized?

˛ What challengesdo some face?

˛ What will helpus to succeed inserving Jehovah?

SONG 28Gaining Jehovah’s Friendship

16

STUDYARTICLE 11

Listen toJehovah’s Voice“This is my Son . . . Listen to him.”—MATT. 17:5.

SONG 89Listen, Obey, and Be Blessed

PREVIEW

When Jesus was on earth, Jehovah spoke from heavenon three occasions. On one of those occasions, Jehovahurged Christ’s disciples to listen to his Son. Today,Jehovah speaks to us by means of his written Word,which includes the teachings of Jesus, as well as bymeans of his organization. This article will consider howwe benefit from listening to Jehovah and to Jesus.

MARCH 2019 17

JEHOVAH loves to communicate with us. In thepast, he used prophets, angels, and his Son, ChristJesus, to convey his thoughts to us. (Amos 3:7;Gal. 3:19; Rev. 1:1) Today, he communicates withus through his Word, the Bible. He gave it to us sothat we can learn his thinking and understand hisways.

2 When Jesus was on earth, Jehovah spoke fromheaven on three occasions. Let us consider whatJehovah said, what we can learn from his words,and how we benefit from what he said.

“YOU ARE MY SON, THE BELOVED”3 Mark 1:9-11 records the first occasion when

Jehovah spoke from heaven. (Read.) He said:“You are my Son, the beloved; I have approvedyou.” How it must have touched Jesus’ heartto hear his Father’s voice expressing love andreassurance to him! Jehovah’s words confirmedthree important facts about Jesus. First, Jesus ishis Son. Second, Jehovah loves his Son. And third,

1-2. (a) How has Jehovah communicated with humans? (b) Whatwill we consider in this article?3. As we read at Mark 1:9-11, what did Jehovah say when Jesus gotbaptized, and what important facts did those words confirm?

18 THE WATCHTOWER

Jehovah has approved his Son. Let us look at eachone closely.

4 “You are my Son.” With these words, Jehovahindicated that his beloved Son, Jesus, had enteredinto a new relationship with Him. While Jesus wasin heaven, he was a spirit son of God. However, athis baptism, he was anointed by holy spirit. At thattime, God indicated that Jesus as His anointedSon now had the hope of returning to heaven tobecome God’s appointed King and High Priest.(Luke 1:31-33; Heb. 1:8, 9; 2:17) So at Jesus’ bap-tism, his Father had good reason to say: “You aremy Son.”—Luke 3:22.

5 “You are . . . the beloved.”Jehovah’s examplein expressing love and approval reminds us to lookfor opportunities to encourage others. (John 5:20) We blossom when someone we care aboutshows love to us and commends us for the goodwe do. Likewise, our brothers and sisters in thecongregation and our family members need ourlove and encouragement. When we commend oth-ers, we strengthen their faith and help them to

4. What new relationship with God did Jesus enter into at his bap-tism?5. How can we imitate Jehovah’s example in expressing love andapproval?

serve Jehovah loyally. Parents especially need toencourage their children. When parents commendtheir children sincerely and show them affection,they help their children to flourish.

6 “I have approved you.” These words show thatJehovah was confident that Jesus would faithfullycarry out his Father’s will. Jehovah has such con-fidence in his Son, so we can likewise be complete-ly confident that Jesus will faithfully carry out all

6. Why can we have confidence in Jesus Christ?

We thrive on commendation and encouragement(See paragraph 5)

20 THE WATCHTOWER

of Jehovah’s promises. (2 Cor. 1:20) When we con-sider Jesus’ example, we are even more deter-mined to learn from him and to follow in hisfootsteps. Jehovah is equally confident that, as agroup, his servants will continue to learn from hisSon.—1 Pet. 2:21.

“LISTEN TO HIM”7 Read Matthew 17:1-5. The second time Je-

hovah spoke from heaven was when Jesus “wastransfigured.”Jesus had invited Peter, James, andJohn to accompany him up into a high mountain.While there, they saw a remarkable vision. Jesus’face shone brightly and his clothes glistened. Twofigures, representing Moses and Elijah, began talk-ing to Jesus about his coming death and resurrec-tion. Although the three apostles were “weigheddown with sleep,” they saw this amazing visionwhen they were fully awake. (Luke 9:29-32) Next,a bright cloud covered them, and they heard avoice from the cloud—God’s voice! As at Jesus’baptism, Jehovah expressed his approval of hisSon and his love for him, saying: “This is my Son,

7. According to Matthew 17:1-5, on which occasion did Jehovahspeak from heaven, and what did he say?

MARCH 2019 21

the beloved, whom I have approved.” But this timeJehovah added: “Listen to him.”

8 The vision gave a preview of Jesus’ future glo-ry and power as King of God’s Kingdom. No doubt,Christ was encouraged and fortified for the suffer-ings and painful death he would endure.The visionalso built up the disciples’ faith and strengthenedthem for the tests of integrity and years of hardwork that lay ahead. Some 30 years later, the apos-tle Peter referred to the vision of the transfigura-tion, showing that the vision was still vivid in hismind.—2 Pet. 1:16-18.

9 “Listen to him.”Jehovah made it clear that hewants us to listen to his Son’s words and obeythem. What did Jesus say when he was on earth?He said many things worth listening to! For exam-ple, he lovingly taught his followers how to preachthe good news, and he repeatedly reminded themto keep on the watch. (Matt. 24:42; 28:19, 20) Healso urged them to exert themselves vigorously,and he encouraged them not to give up. (Luke 13:24) Jesus stressed the need for his followers tolove one another, to remain united, and to observe

8. What effect did the vision have on Jesus and the disciples?9. What practical counsel did Jesus give his disciples?

22 THE WATCHTOWER

his commandments. (John 15:10, 12, 13) Whatpractical counsel Jesus gave his disciples! Thatcounsel is just as valid today as it was when Jesusgave it.

10 Jesus said: “Everyone who is on the side of thetruth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37) We showthat we are listening to his voice when we “contin-ue putting up with one another and forgiving oneanother freely.” (Col. 3:13; Luke 17:3, 4) We fur-ther show that we are listening to his voice by zeal-ously preaching the good news “in favorable timesand difficult times.”—2 Tim. 4:2.

11 Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice.”(John 10:27) Christ’s followers show that they lis-ten to Jesus by not only paying attention to hiswords but also acting on them. They are not dis-tracted by the “anxieties of life.” (Luke 21:34)Rather, they make obeying Jesus’ commands a pri-ority in life, even in the face of challenging cir-cumstances. Many of our brothers are enduringsevere trials, including attacks by opposers, ex-treme poverty, and natural disasters. Through itall, they remain faithful to Jehovah, cost what itmay. To them, Jesus gives the following assur-

10-11. How can we show that we are listening to Jesus?

MARCH 2019 23

ance: “Whoever has my commandments and ob-serves them is the one who loves me. In turn, who-ever loves me will be loved by my Father.”—John14:21.

12 Here is another way we can show that weare listening to Jesus: by cooperating with thosewhom he has appointed to take the lead among us.(Heb. 13:7, 17) God’s organization has made manyadjustments in recent years, including the use ofnew tools and methods in our ministry, the format

12. What is another way we can show that we are listening to Je-sus?

Our ministry helps us stay focused(See paragraph 12)

24 THE WATCHTOWER

of our midweek meeting, and the way we build,renovate, and maintain our Kingdom Halls. Howwe appreciate the loving and carefully thought-outguidance! We can be sure that Jehovah will blessour efforts to follow the organization’s timely di-rection.

13 We benefit from listening to all the things Je-sus taught. Jesus assured his disciples that histeachings would refresh them. “You will find re-freshment for yourselves,” he said. “For my yokeis kindly, and my load is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)God’s Word, which includes the four Gospel ac-counts of Jesus’ life and ministry, refreshes us, re-stores our spiritual strength, and makes us wise.(Ps. 19:7; 23:3) Jesus stated: “Happy are thosehearing the word of God and keeping it!”—Luke11:28.

‘I WILL GLORIFY MY NAME’14 Read John 12:27, 28. The Gospel of John re-

cords a third occasion on which Jehovah spokefrom heaven. A few days before his death, Jesus

13. What are the benefits of listening to Jesus?14-15. (a) What was the third occasion, related at John 12:27, 28,on which Jehovah spoke from heaven? (b) Why would Jehovah’swords have comforted and strengthened Jesus?

MARCH 2019 25

was in Jerusalem to celebrate his last Passover. “Iam troubled,” he said. Then he prayed: “Father,glorify your name.” In response, his Father spokefrom heaven: “I have glorified it and will glorify itagain.”

15 Jesus was troubled because of the great re-sponsibility he had to remain faithful to Jehovah.Jesus was aware that he was going to suffer a bru-tal scourging and a cruel death. (Matt. 26:38)More than all else, Jesus wanted to glorify his Fa-ther’s name. Jesus was charged with blasphemy,and he was concerned that his death would bringreproach on God. How reassuring Jehovah’s wordsmust have been to Jesus! He could be sure thatJehovah’s name would be glorified. His Father’swords must have done much to comfort Jesus andstrengthen him for what was to come. AlthoughJesus may have been the only one present who un-derstood what his Father said at that time, Jeho-vah made sure that His words were recorded for allof us.—John 12:29, 30.

16 Like Jesus,we too may be concerned about re-proach brought on Jehovah’s name. Perhaps like

16. Why may we at times be concerned about the reproach onGod’s name?

26 THE WATCHTOWER

Jesus, we are victims of unjust treatment. Orwe may be disturbed by false stories that oppos-ers spread about us. We may think about the re-proach these reports bring on Jehovah’s name andhis organization. At such times, Jehovah’s wordsare of great comfort to us. We need not be un-duly anxious. We can be sure that “the peace ofGod that surpasses all understanding will guard[our] hearts and [our] mental powers by means ofChrist Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6, 7) Jehovah will never failto glorify his name. By means of the Kingdom, hewill reverse all the damage that Satan and thisworld bring on His faithful servants.—Ps. 94:22,23; Isa. 65:17.

BENEFIT FROM JEHOVAH’S VOICE TODAY17 Jehovah is still speaking to us today. (Read

Isaiah 30:21.) True, we do not hear God speak tous from heaven. He has, however, provided hiswritten Word, the Bible, in which he gives usinstruction. Additionally, Jehovah’s spirit moves“the faithful steward” to keep giving His ser-vants their food supply. (Luke 12:42) What anabundance of spiritual food we receive in the form

17. In line with Isaiah 30:21, how does Jehovah speak to us today?

MARCH 2019 27

of printed and online material, videos, and audiopublications!

18 Let us keep in mind the words that Jehovahspoke when his Son was on earth! May God’s ownwords, as recorded in the Bible, give us confidencethat Jehovah has everything under control and

18. How do Jehovah’s words build your faith and give you courage?

Jehovah will glorify his name and deliver his people(See paragraph 16)

that he will reverse any damage brought on us bySatan and his wicked world. And may we be deter-mined to listen intently to Jehovah’s voice. If wedo, we will successfully endure whatever problemswe now face and any challenges that are yet tocome.The Bible reminds us: “You need endurance,so that after you have done the will of God, youmay receive the fulfillment of the promise.”—Heb.10:36.

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Page 19: An elder notices a ministerialservant helping to maintain the Kingdom Hall and working at theliterature counter. The elder offers warm commendation. Page 23: Acouple in Sierra Leone give a meeting invitation to a local fisherman.Page 27: Witnesses in a country where our work is restricted meet ina private home. They are dressed casually to avoid drawing attentionto themselves.

EXPLAINWHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM JEHOVAH’SWORDSFOUNDAT . . .

˛ Mark 1:11 ˛ Matthew 17:5 ˛ John 12:28

SONG 4“Jehovah Is My Shepherd”

29

STUDYARTICLE 12

Show Concernfor the Feelingsof Others“All of you have . . . fellow feeling.”—1 PET. 3:8.

SONG 90Encourage One Another

PREVIEW

Jehovah and Jesus are concerned about the feelingsof others. This article will consider what we can learn fromtheir examples. We will also discuss why we need to showfellow feeling and how we can do so.

30 THE WATCHTOWER

WE ENJOY being around people who care aboutour feelings and welfare. They try to put them-selves in our place, to discern what we are think-ing and feeling. They anticipate our needs andoffer help—sometimes even before we ask for it.We appreciate people who show that they have“fellow feeling”� for us.—Read 1 Peter 3:8.

2 As Christians, we all want to show empathy, orfellow feeling. Realistically, though, we may needto work at it. Why? For one thing, we are im-perfect. (Rom. 3:23) So we must fight the in-born tendency to think mainly of ourselves. Also,some of us may struggle to show empathy becauseof our upbringing or past circumstances. Finally,we could be influenced by the attitude of peoplearound us. In these last days, many do not consid-er the feelings of others. Rather, they are “loversof themselves.” (2 Tim. 3:1, 2) What can help us

� EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED: To show “fellow feeling” means to try tounderstand what others are feeling and to feel the same way ourselves.(Rom. 12:15) In this article, “fellow feeling” and “concern” mean thesame thing.

1. In line with 1 Peter 3:8, why do we enjoy being around peoplewho care about our feelings and welfare?2. Why may we need to work at showing empathy?

MARCH 2019 31

overcome these challenges to our showing con-cern for the feelings of others?

3 We can improve in showing fellow feeling byimitating Jehovah God and his Son, Jesus Christ.Jehovah is a God of love, and he sets the best ex-ample in showing concern for others. (1 John 4:8)Jesus perfectly imitated his Father’s personality.(John 14:9) While on earth, he demonstrated howa human can show compassion. In this article, wewill first consider how Jehovah and Jesus haveshown concern for the feelings of others. Then wewill consider how we can imitate their examples.

JEHOVAH’S EXAMPLEOF CONCERN FOR OTHERS

4 The Bible teaches that Jehovah cares about thefeelings of his servants. For example, considerhow Jehovah felt when the ancient Israelites wentthrough trials. “During all their distress it was dis-tressing to him,” says God’s Word. (Read Isa-iah 63:7-9.) Later, through the prophet Zechari-ah, Jehovah declared that when his people are

3. (a) How can we improve in showing fellow feeling? (b) What willwe consider in this article?4. How does Isaiah 63:7-9 show that Jehovah cares about the feel-ings of his servants?

32 THE WATCHTOWER

mistreated, he takes it personally. Jehovah toldhis servants: “Whoever touches you touches thepupil of my eye.” (Zech. 2:8) What a powerful im-age of the concern Jehovah has for his people!

5 Jehovah does more than just feel compassionfor his servants who suffer. He takes action to helpthem. For example, when the Israelites were suf-fering as slaves in Egypt, Jehovah understoodtheir pain and felt moved to relieve it. Jehovahsaid to Moses: “I have certainly seen the afflictionof my people . . . , and I have heard their outcry. . . I well know the pains they suffer. I will go downto rescue them out of the hand of the Egyptians.”(Ex. 3:7, 8) Because Jehovah felt compassion forhis people, he freed them from slavery. Centurieslater, in the Promised Land, the Israelites facedenemy attacks. How did Jehovah respond? He“was moved to pity over their groaning caused bythose who oppressed them and those who weretreating them abusively.” Again, empathy movedJehovah to help his people. He sent judges tosave the Israelites from their enemies.—Judg. 2:16, 18.

5. Give an example of how Jehovah has taken action to help his ser-vants who suffer.

6 Jehovah shows consideration for the feelingsof his people—even when their thinking is not al-ways sound. Consider the case of Jonah. God sentthis prophet to proclaim a message of judgmentagainst the Ninevites. When they repented, Godchose to spare them. However, Jonah was nothappy about this outcome. He “became hot withanger” because his prophecy of doom did not

6. Give an example of how Jehovah showed regard for the feelingsof someone whose thinking was not sound.

Jehovah compassionately freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt(See paragraph 5)

34 THE WATCHTOWER

come true. But Jehovah was patient with Jonahand helped him to adjust his thinking. (Jonah3:10–4:11) In time, Jonah got the point, and hewas even used by Jehovah to record this accountfor our benefit.—Rom. 15:4.�

7 Jehovah’s dealings with his people assure usthat he has empathy for his servants. He is awareof the pain and suffering of each one of us. Jeho-vah “truly know[s] the human heart.” (2 Chron. 6:30) He understands our intimate thoughts, ourdeepest emotions, and our limitations. And “hewill not let [us] be tempted beyond what [we] canbear.” (1 Cor. 10:13) How comforting that assur-ance is!

JESUS’ EXAMPLE OF CONCERN FOR OTHERS8 As a human on earth, Jesus had deep con-

cern for others. At least three factors must havecontributed to his concern. First, as noted earli-

� Jehovah also responded with compassion to other faithful individu-als’ strong emotions. Think of the accounts about Hannah (1 Sam. 1:10-20), Elijah (1 Ki. 19:1-18), and Ebed-melech (Jer. 38:7-13; 39:15-18).

7. Jehovah’s dealings with his servants assure us of what?8-10. What factors must have contributed to Jesus’ concern forothers?

MARCH 2019 35

er, Jesus perfectly reflected his heavenly Father’spersonality. Like his Father, Jesus loved peo-ple. Although he rejoiced over everything he hadhelped Jehovah make, Jesus “was especially fondof the sons of men.” (Prov. 8:31) Love moved Je-sus to care about the feelings of others.

9 Second, like Jehovah, Jesus could read hearts.He could know people’s motives and feelings.(Matt. 9:4; John 13:10, 11) So when Jesus dis-cerned that people were brokenhearted, concernmoved him to provide comfort.—Isa. 61:1, 2; Luke4:17-21.

10 Third, Jesus himself experienced some of thechallenges people faced. For example, Jesus appar-ently grew up in a poor family. From working withhis adoptive father, Joseph, Jesus learned how todo hard physical work. (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) Itseems that Joseph died sometime before the endof Jesus’ ministry. So Jesus likely felt the pain oflosing a loved one in death. And Jesus knew whatit was like to be in a family with differing religiousviews. (John 7:5) Those circumstances and otherswould have helped Jesus to understand the chal-lenges and feelings of ordinary people.

36 THE WATCHTOWER

11 Jesus’ concern was especially evident when heperformed miracles. Jesus did not perform mira-cles out of a mere sense of duty. He was “movedwith pity” for those who were suffering. (Matt.20:29-34; Mark 1:40-42) For example, imagine Je-sus’ feelings as he took a man away from thecrowd and healed his deafness or as he resurrect-ed the only son of a widow. (Mark 7:32-35; Luke 7:12-15) Jesus sympathized with those people andwanted to help them.

12 Jesus showed fellow feeling for Martha andMary. When he saw their grief over the death oftheir brother, Lazarus, “Jesus gave way to tears.”(Read John 11:32-35.) He did not weep just be-cause he had lost the company of a close friend.After all, he knew that he was going to resurrectLazarus. Rather, Jesus wept because he under-stood and was touched by the heartache of hisdear friends.

13 We benefit greatly from learning about Jesus’

11. When was Jesus’ concern especially evident? Explain. (See cov-er picture.)12. How does John 11:32-35 show Jesus’ fellow feeling for Marthaand Mary?13. How are we encouraged by knowing about Jesus’ fellow feel-ing?

MARCH 2019 37

fellow feeling. Of course, we are not perfect as hewas. Yet, we love him for the way he treated oth-ers. (1 Pet. 1:8) We are encouraged to know thathe is now ruling as King of God’s Kingdom. He willsoon eliminate all suffering. He is in the best po-sition to help humanity recover from the woundsinflicted by Satan’s rulership, for Jesus too wasonce human. Indeed, we are blessed to have a Rul-er who can “sympathize with our weaknesses.”—Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:15, 16.

IMITATE THE EXAMPLESET BY JEHOVAH AND JESUS

14 When we consider the example set by Jehovahand Jesus, we ourselves feel moved to try to showgreater fellow feeling. (Read Ephesians 5:1, 2.)We cannot read hearts as they do. Even so, we cantry to understand the emotions and needs of oth-ers. (2 Cor. 11:29) Unlike the selfish world aroundus, we strive to “look out not only for [our] owninterests, but also for the interests of others.”—Phil. 2:4.

15 Congregation elders in particular need to

14. In view of Ephesians 5:1, 2, what do we feel moved to do?15. Who in particular need to show fellow feeling?

Our congregationsthrive when we showfellow feeling(See paragraphs 15-19)

In congregations aroundthe world, you will findexamples of Jehovah’speople caring for oneanother. What examplesof fellow feeling can yousee here?

How can you addto the loving spirit inyour congregation?

1

2

3

MARCH 2019 39

show fellow feeling. They know that they are ac-countable for the sheep entrusted to their care.(Heb. 13:17) To help their fellow believers, eldersneed to be understanding. How can elders demon-strate fellow feeling?

16 A sympathetic elder spends time with hisChristian brothers and sisters. He asks questionsand then listens attentively and patiently. That isespecially important if one of these dear sheepwants to pour out his heart but struggles tofind the right words. (Prov. 20:5) By willinglygiving of his time, an elder forms strong bondsof trust, friendship, and love with his brothers.—Acts 20:37.

17 Many brothers and sisters say that the qualitythey most value in congregation elders is theirconcern for the feelings of others.Why? “It is eas-ier to talk to them because you know that theywill understand you,” says Adelaide. She adds:“You can discern that they have fellow feeling foryou by the way they respond when you talk withthem.” A brother recalls appreciatively: “I saw

16. What does a sympathetic elder do, and why is this important?17. What do many brothers and sisters say that they most value inelders? Give an example.

40 THE WATCHTOWER

tears well up in the eyes of one elder as he con-templated my situation. That image will always re-main in my mind.”—Rom. 12:15.

18 Of course, elders are not the only ones whoneed to show fellow feeling. All of us can developthis quality. How? Try to understand what familymembers and fellow believers are going through.Take an interest in the teenagers in the congrega-tion as well as in the sick, the elderly, and thosewho have lost loved ones in death. Ask how theyare doing. Really listen as they express themselves.Help them sense that you truly understand whatthey are dealing with. Offer to help in whateverway you can. When we do this, we show genuinelove in action.—1 John 3:18.

19 We need to be flexible when trying to helpothers. Why? Because people react to hardship indifferent ways. Some are eager to talk, while oth-ers are more reserved. So we want to offer help,but we should avoid asking questions that are toopersonal. (1 Thess. 4:11) Even when others doopen up, we may find that we do not always sharetheir point of view. Yet, we need to recognize that

18. How can we develop fellow feeling for others?19. Why do we need to be flexible when trying to help others?

this is how they feel. We want to be quick to listenand slow to speak.—Matt. 7:1; Jas. 1:19.

20 Besides showing fellow feeling in the congre-gation, we want to show this beautiful quality inour ministry. How can we display fellow feelingwhen making disciples? We will consider that inthe following article.

20. What will we consider in the following article?

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Page 38: Meetings at the Kingdom Halloffer many opportunities for warm fellowship.We see (1) an elderkindly talking to a young publisher and his mother, (2) a father and hisdaughter helping an older sister to the car, and (3) two elders listeningattentively to a sister seeking guidance.

HOWWOULDYOUANSWER?

˛ How has Jehovahshown concernfor the feelingsof others?

˛ How did Jesusshow concernfor the feelingsof others?

˛ How can we showfellow feeling?

SONG 130Be Forgiving

42

STUDYARTICLE 13

Show Fellow Feelingin Your Ministry“He was moved with pity for them . . . And he started toteach them many things.”—MARK 6:34.

SONG 70Search Out Deserving Ones

PREVIEW

When we show fellow feeling, we can increase ourjoy—and often our results—in the ministry. Why isthat so? In this article, we will consider what we canlearn from Jesus’ example, as well as four specific waysthat we can show fellow feeling for those whom we meetin the preaching work.

MARCH 2019 43

ONE of the most heartwarming aspects of Jesus’personality is his ability to understand the chal-lenges that we imperfect humans face. While onearth, Jesus was able to “rejoice with those whorejoice” and “weep with those who weep.” (Rom.12:15) For example, when his 70 disciples returnedwith joy after completing a successful preachingassignment, Jesus “became overjoyed in the holyspirit.” (Luke 10:17-21) On the other hand, whenhe saw the effect that the death of Lazarus had onthose who loved him, Jesus “groaned within him-self and became troubled.”—John 11:33.

2 What enabled this perfect man to be so merci-ful and compassionate in his dealings with sinfulhumans? First of all, Jesus loved people. As men-tioned in the preceding article, he was “especiallyfond of the sons of men.” (Prov. 8:31) That lovefor people moved him to become thoroughly ac-quainted with the way humans think. The apostleJohn explains: “He knew what was in man.” (John2:25) Jesus had tender feelings for others. Peo-ple sensed his love for them and responded fa-vorably to the Kingdom message. The more we

1. What is one of the most heartwarming aspects of Jesus’ person-ality? Explain.2. What enabled Jesus to show fellow feeling for people?

44 THE WATCHTOWER

develop similar tender feelings for people, themore effective we will be in accomplishing ourministry.—2 Tim. 4:5.

3 The apostle Paul knew that he had an obliga-tion to preach, and so do we. (1 Cor. 9:16) How-ever, if we have fellow feeling, we will view ourministry as more than just an obligation. We willwant to prove that we care about people and areeager to help them. We know that “there is morehappiness in giving than there is in receiving.”(Acts 20:35) The more we view our ministry withthat in mind, the more we will enjoy it.

4 In this article, we will consider how to show fel-low feeling in our ministry. First, we will see whatwe can learn from the way Jesus felt about people.Then, we will consider four ways that we can imi-tate his example.—1 Pet. 2:21.

JESUS SHOWED FELLOW FEELINGIN THE MINISTRY

5 Consider an example of how Jesus showed fel-

3-4. (a) If we have fellow feeling, how will we view our ministry?(b) What will we consider in this article?5-6. (a) To whom did Jesus show fellow feeling? (b) Why did Jesusfeel pity for the people to whom he preached, as foretold at Isaiah61:1, 2?

low feeling. On one occasion, Jesus and his disci-ples had been preaching the good news tirelessly.They had not had “time even to eat a meal.” So Je-sus took his disciples to “an isolated place to be bythemselves” and “rest up a little.” However, a largecrowd ran ahead to where Jesus and his discipleswere going.When Jesus got there and saw the peo-ple, how did he react? “He was moved with pity�for them, because they were as sheep without a

� EXPRESSION EXPLAINED: As used in this context, pity means tohave tender feelings for someone who is suffering or who has beentreated harshly. Such feelings may move a person to do whatever hecan to help people.

Fellow feeling moved Jesus to preach a message of comfort(See paragraphs 5-6)

46 THE WATCHTOWER

shepherd. And he started to teach them manythings.”—Mark 6:30-34.

6 Note the reason why Jesus felt pity, which canreflect fellow feeling. He observed that the people“were as sheep without a shepherd.” Maybe Jesussaw that some of them were poor and were work-ing long hours to provide for their families. Per-haps others were dealing with the loss of a lovedone. If so, Jesus could likely relate to their situa-tion. As discussed in the preceding article, Jesusmay have faced some of these problems himself.Jesus was concerned about others, and he feltmoved to bring them a message of comfort.—ReadIsaiah 61:1, 2.

7 What do we learn from Jesus’ example? LikeJesus, we are surrounded by people who are “assheep without a shepherd.” They struggle withmany problems. We have what they need—theKingdom message. (Rev. 14:6) So in imitation ofour Master, we preach the good news because we“have pity on the lowly and the poor.” (Ps. 72:13)We feel for people, and we want to do somethingto help them.

7. How can we imitate Jesus’ example?

MARCH 2019 47

HOW WE CAN EXPRESS FELLOW FEELING8 What can help us show fellow feeling to those

to whom we preach? We want to put ourselves inthe place of those we meet in the ministry andtreat them as we would like to be treated.� (Matt.7:12) Let us consider four specific ways we can dothat. First, consider the needs of each individual.When we preach the good news, our role is similarto that of a doctor. A good doctor considers theneeds of each patient. He asks questions and lis-tens carefully as the patient describes his condi-tion or symptoms. Instead of prescribing the firsttreatment he can think of, the doctor may let timego by so that he can observe a patient’s symptomsand then offer the right treatment. Similarly, weshould not try to use the same approach witheveryone we meet in our ministry. Rather, we takeinto consideration the specific circumstances andviewpoints of each individual.

9 When you meet someone in the ministry, do

� See the article “Follow the Golden Rule in Your Ministry” in theMay 15, 2014, issue of The Watchtower.

8. What is one way we can show fellow feeling in the ministry?Illustrate.9. What should we not assume? Explain.

48 THE WATCHTOWER

not assume that you know what his circumstancesare or what he believes and why he believes it.(Prov. 18:13) Rather, draw the person out withtactful questions. (Prov. 20:5) If it is appropriatein your culture, ask about his work, his family, hisbackground, and his viewpoints. When we drawothers out, we in effect allow them to tell us whythey need the good news. Once we know that, wecan show fellow feeling for their specific needs andrespond accordingly, just as Jesus did.—Compare1 Corinthians 9:19-23.

10 Second, try to imagine what their life may belike. In some ways, we can relate to their situation.After all, we are not immune to the problems thatall imperfect humans face. (1 Cor. 10:13) We knowthat life in this present system can be very difficult.We endure only with Jehovah’s help. (Read 2 Co-rinthians 4:7, 8.) But think of those who struggleto survive in this world without a close friendshipwith Jehovah. Like Jesus, we feel pity for them,and we are moved to bring them “good news ofsomething better.”—Isa. 52:7.

11 Consider the example of a brother named Ser-

10-11. In harmony with 2 Corinthians 4:7, 8, what is a second waywe can show fellow feeling? Give an example.

MARCH 2019 49

gey. Before learning the truth, Sergey was verywithdrawn. He struggled to express himself. Intime, he accepted a Bible study. “As I studied theBible, I learned that Christians have an obligationto share their faith with others,” says Sergey. “Isincerely believed that I could never do that.”Still, he thought of those who had not yet heardthe truth, and he could only imagine what theirlife without knowing Jehovah was like. “The newthings I was learning brought me great happinessand inner peace,” he says. “I knew that others

Consider the needsof each individual(See paragraphs 8-9)

Imagine what life maybe like for someone towhom you give a witness(See paragraphs 10-11)

50 THE WATCHTOWER

needed to learn these truths too.” As Sergey’sfellow feeling increased, so did his courage topreach. “To my great surprise,” says Sergey, “tell-ing others about the Bible actually boosted myself-confidence. It also strengthened these new be-liefs in my own heart.”�

12 Third, be patient with those whom you teach.Remember, they may never have considered someof the Bible truths we know very well. And manyhave a strong emotional connection to their cur-rent beliefs. They may see their religious views asuniting them with their family, their culture, andtheir community. How can we help them?

13 Think of this comparison: What happens whenan old, rickety bridge needs to be replaced? Often,a new bridge is constructed while the old bridge isstill in use. Once the new bridge is ready, the oldone can be torn down. Likewise, before we ask peo-ple to give up their cherished “old” beliefs, we mayfirst need to help them build a strong appreciationfor “new” truths—Bible teachings that at the out-set are unfamiliar to them. Only then will they

� See The Watchtower, August 1, 2011, pp. 21-22.

12-13. Why do we need to be patient with those whom we teach inthe ministry? Illustrate.

MARCH 2019 51

be ready to abandon their former viewpoint. Itmay take time to help people make such changes.—Rom. 12:2.

14 If we are patient with people in the ministry,we will not expect them to understand or accept Bi-ble truth the first time they hear it. Rather, fellowfeeling moves us to help them reason on the Scrip-tures over a period of time. As an example, consid-er how we might reason with someone about the

14-15. How can we help those who know little or nothing about thehope of everlasting life on a paradise earth? Give an example.

It may take time for some to progress spiritually(See paragraphs 12-13)

52 THE WATCHTOWER

hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth. Manyknow little or nothing about this teaching. Theymay believe that death is the end of it all. Or theymay think that all good people go to heaven. Howcan we help them?

15 One brother relates an approach that he findseffective. First, he reads Genesis 1:28. Then, heasks the householder where and in what conditionsGod wanted the human family to live. Most peopleanswer, “On earth, in good conditions.” Next, thebrother reads Isaiah 55:11 and asks whether God’spurpose has changed. Often, the householder willanswer no. Finally, the brother reads Psalm 37:10,11 and asks what mankind’s future will be like. Us-ing this Scriptural reasoning, he has helped a num-ber of people to understand that God still wantsgood people to live forever in Paradise on earth.

16 Fourth, look for practical ways to show con-sideration. For example, have we called at a timethat seems to be inconvenient for the household-er? We can apologize and offer to return at a bet-ter time. What if a householder needs help with aminor task? Or what if someone who is home-

16-17. Bearing in mind Proverbs 3:27, what are some practical waysthat we can show fellow feeling? Illustrate.

MARCH 2019 53

bound needs someone to run an errand? In suchcases, we may be able to help the person.—ReadProverbs 3:27.

17 One sister had good results from a seeminglysmall act of kindness. Moved by fellow feeling, shewrote a letter to a family who had lost a child indeath. The letter included some comfort from theScriptures. How did the family respond? “I washaving a horrible day yesterday,” wrote the be-reaved mother. “I don’t think you have any idea

A small act of kindness, such as sending anencouraging letter, may do much good

(See paragraphs 16-17)

54 THE WATCHTOWER

what impact your letter had on us. I can’t thankyou enough or even begin to describe how much itmeant to us. I must have read your letter at least20 times yesterday. I just could not believe howkind, caring, and uplifting it was. Thank you fromthe bottom of our hearts.” Without doubt, we canexperience good results when we put ourselves inthe place of those who suffer and then do some-thing to help them.

KEEP A BALANCED VIEW OF YOUR ROLE18 Of course, we want to keep a balanced view of

our role in the ministry.We can play a part in help-ing others learn about God, but we do not play themost important part. (Read 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7.)Jehovah is the one who draws people. (John 6:44)In the end, each individual will respond to thegood news based on his or her heart condition.(Matt. 13:4-8) Remember that most people did notaccept Jesus’ message—and he was the greatestTeacher who ever lived! Really, then, we should notbecome discouraged if many of the people we tryto help do not respond favorably.

18. In line with 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7, what balanced view do we wantto keep?

19 We will see benefits when we show fellow feel-ing in our ministry. We will enjoy our preachingwork more. We will experience the greater happi-ness that comes from giving. And we make it eas-ier for those who are “rightly disposed for ever-lasting life” to accept the good news. (Acts 13:48)So “as long as we have the opportunity, let us workwhat is good toward all.” (Gal. 6:10) Then we willhave the joy of bringing glory to our heavenly Fa-ther.—Matt. 5:16.

19. What benefits come from showing fellow feeling in our minis-try?

HOWWOULDYOUANSWER?

˛ Why is itimportant forus to showfellow feelingin our ministry?

˛ What exampledid Jesus set inshowing fellowfeeling in hisministry?

˛ What are somepractical waysthat we can showfellow feeling inour preachingwork?

SONG 64Sharing Joyfully in the Harvest

EACH of us naturally wants to be thought of as be-ing a good person. However, displaying goodness isa challenge in today’s world. Many people are “with-out love of goodness.” (2 Tim. 3:3) They may followa personal standard of right and wrong that, in ef-fect, says that “good is bad and bad is good.” (Isa.5:20) And we all contend with our own backgroundand imperfections. Hence, we may feel like Anne,�who despite serving Jehovah for decades admits, “Istruggle to believe that I can be a good person.”

Happily, all of us can cultivate goodness! It is aproduct of God’s holy spirit, and his spirit is morepowerful than any external or internal obstacle wemight face. Let us examine goodness more closelyand learn how we can display this quality more fully.� Some names have been changed.

GOODNESSHow Can YouCultivate It?

LOVEJOY

PEACEPATIENCEKINDNESS

GOODNESSFAITH

MILDNESSSELF-CONTROL

56 THE WATCHTOWER

MARCH 2019 57

WHAT IS GOODNESS?Simply put, goodness is the quality or state of be-

ing good. It involves moral excellence and virtue,without badness or rottenness. Goodness is evidentby its beneficial effect on others. It is an active,positive quality manifested in helpful deeds.

You have likely seen that some readily do goodthings for their family and friends, but is that wheregoodness should stop? Granted, we are limited inour ability to display this quality, for the Bible saysthat “there is no righteous man on earth who al-ways does good and never sins.” (Eccl. 7:20) Theapostle Paul candidly admitted: “I know that in me,that is, in my flesh, there dwells nothing good.”(Rom. 7:18) How reasonable, therefore, to go tothe Source of goodness if we want to develop thatquality.

“JEHOVAH IS GOOD”Jehovah God sets the standard of what is good.

Regarding him, we read: “You are good and yourworks are good. Teach me your regulations.” (Ps.119:68) Let us examine the two aspects of Jehovah’sgoodness mentioned in that verse.

58 THE WATCHTOWER

Jehovah is good. Goodness is an inseparablepart of Jehovah’s personality. Consider what hap-pened when Jehovah told Moses: “I will make allmy goodness pass before your face.” As Jehovah’sglory—including his goodness—passed by, Mosesheard these words: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merci-ful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundantin loyal love and truth, showing loyal love to thou-sands, pardoning error and transgression and sin,but he will by no means leave the guilty unpun-ished.” (Ex. 33:19; 34:6, 7) We have reason to un-derstand, then, that goodness is reflected in everyfacet of Jehovah’s being. Though Jesus was the epit-ome of goodness in a human, he could say: “No-body is good except one, God.”—Luke 18:19.Jehovah’s works are good. Goodness is apparent

in all of God’s doings. “Jehovah is good to all, andhis mercy is evident in all his works.” (Ps. 145:9) Je-hovah’s goodness is impartial, providing life and allthat humans need to sustain it. (Acts 14:17) Hisgoodness is also shown when he forgives us. Thepsalmist wrote: “You, O Jehovah, are good andready to forgive.” (Ps. 86:5) We can be certain that“Jehovah will not hold back anything good fromthose walking in integrity.”—Ps. 84:11.

“LEARN TO DO GOOD”We are created in God’s image, so we have the po-

tential for being good and for doing good. (Gen. 1:27) Nevertheless, God’s Word urges his servants to“learn to do good.” (Isa. 1:17) But how can we fos-ter this appealing quality? Consider three ways wecan do this.

First, we can pray for holy spirit, which canhelp Christians to produce genuine goodness. (Gal.5:22) Yes, God’s spirit can help us come to lovewhat is good and reject what is bad. (Rom. 12:9) Infact, the Bible indicates that Jehovah can make us

We see evidence of Jehovah’s goodness in creation

60 THE WATCHTOWER

“firm in every good deed and word.”—2 Thess. 2:16, 17.

Second, we should read God’s inspired Word. Aswe do, Jehovah can instruct us in “the entire courseof what is good” and equip us “for every goodwork.” (Prov. 2:9; 2 Tim. 3:17) By such reading, fol-lowed by meditation, we fill our heart with goodthings about God and his will. We thus add to atreasure that we can draw on later.—Luke 6:45;Eph. 5:9.

Third, we try our best to “imitate what is good.”(3 John 11) We find examples to imitate in the Bi-ble. Of course, the prime examples are Jehovah andJesus. But we can also consider others who werenoted for their goodness. Two who might come tomind are Tabitha and Barnabas. (Acts 9:36; 11:22-24) You can profitably analyze their record, takingnote of what they did in practical ways to help oth-ers. Give some thought to how you can take the ini-tiative to render aid to some in your family or con-gregation. And do not overlook how each of thosetwo benefited from having the reputation of being agood person. You can benefit similarly.

MARCH 2019 61

We can also give some thought to modern-day ex-amples of those who do good. For instance, consid-er hardworking elders in the congregation who are‘lovers of goodness.’ Not to be overlooked are faith-ful sisters who by word and example are “teachersof what is good.” (Titus 1:8; 2:3) A sister namedRoslyn relates: “My friend goes out of her way tohelp and encourage others in the congregation. Shethinks about their situation and often gives them lit-tle gifts or helps them in other practical ways. I viewher as a truly good person.”

Jehovah encourages his people to “search forwhat is good.” (Amos 5:14) Doing so, we will notonly come to love his standards but also strengthenour motivation to do what is good.

We need not imagine that practicing good re-quires grand gestures or dramatic sacrifices. To il-lustrate: Do you think of an artist painting a por-trait with only one or two brushstrokes? Rather, hemay use many brushstrokes to create his painting.

We strive to be goodand to do good

62 THE WATCHTOWER

Similarly, our goodness can be seen in many helpfulacts.

The Bible urges us to be “prepared” and “ready”to render good. (2 Tim. 2:21; Titus 3:1) Being alertto the circumstances of others, we may see ways toplease our neighbor “for his good, to build him up.”(Rom. 15:2) That may involve sharing something wehave. (Prov. 3:27) We might invite someone over fora simple meal or for upbuilding association. If weknow someone is sick, we can send him a card, vis-it him, or call him. Yes, we may identify many oppor-tunities to say “what is good for building up as theneed may be, to impart what is beneficial to thehearers.”—Eph. 4:29.

Like Jehovah, we seek to do good to all people.We therefore treat others impartially. An outstand-ing way is by preaching the good news of the King-dom to all. As Jesus commanded, we seek to dogood even to those who seem to hate us. (Luke 6:27) It is never wrong to be kind and to do what isgood to others, for “against such things there is nolaw.” (Gal. 5:22, 23) By good conduct despite oppo-sition or trials, we may draw others to the truth andglorify God.—1 Pet. 3:16, 17.

REWARDED BY GOODNESS“The good man reaps the reward of his dealings.”

(Prov. 14:14) What are some of the rewards? Whenwe are good toward others, they are more likely totreat us well in return. (Prov. 14:22) Even if othersdo not, our persisting in good deeds may softentheir disposition and melt their hardness.—Rom. 12:20, ftn.

Many can testify to how they have benefited fromdoing good and turning away from bad. ConsiderNancy’s experience. “I grew up reckless, immor-al, and disrespectful,” she admits. “However, as Ilearned and applied God’s standards of good, I be-gan to feel happier. Now I have dignity and self-respect.”

The greatest reason for us to cultivate goodnessis that doing so makes Jehovah happy. Even if manydo not see what we do, Jehovah does. He is awareof our every good deed and thought. (Eph. 6:7, 8)With what result? “The good person obtains Jeho-vah’s approval.” (Prov. 12:2) So let us continue tocultivate goodness. Jehovah promises “glory andhonor and peace for everyone who works what isgood.”—Rom. 2:10.

wlp

19

.03

-E1

81

13

0

The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) March 2019 is published by Watch-

tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; L. Weaver, Jr., Pres-

ident; G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill,

NY 12589-3299, and by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada,

PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON L7G 4Y4. ˘ 2018 WatchTower Bible and Tract

Society of Pennsylvania. Printed in Canada.

Visit the jw.org˙ website,or scan code

s

34567˙March 2019

Vol. 140, No. 4 ENGLISH

This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwideBible educational work supported by voluntary donations. To make adonation, please visit donate.jw.org.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from themodern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

COVER PICTURE:Away from the crowd, Jesus compassionately heals a deaf man(See study article 12, paragraph 11)

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 10: May 6-12 2What Prevents Me From Getting Baptized?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 11: May 13-19 16Listen to Jehovah’s Voice�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 12: May 20-26 29Show Concern for the Feelings of Others�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 13: May 27–June 2 42Show Fellow Feeling in Your Ministry�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Goodness—How Can You Cultivate It? 56