Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site
Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site
Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site
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54<br />
“COMEBEMYFOLLOWER”<br />
addition, wisdom will guide those in positions of responsibility<br />
to acknowledge that they have limitations and<br />
that they need help and support from time to time. Modesty<br />
will enable such ones to accept the help graciously,<br />
recognizing that Jehovah may well use a fellow believer to<br />
become “a strengthening aid” to them.—Colossians 4:11.<br />
18 “Thewisdomfromaboveis...reasonable,”saysJames<br />
3:17. Jesus was reasonable and positive in dealing with his<br />
disciples. He was well aware of their faults, yet he looked<br />
for the good in them. (John 1:47) He knew that they<br />
were going to abandon him on the night of his arrest,<br />
but he did not doubt their loyalty. (Matthew 26:31-<br />
35; Luke 22:28-30) Peter three times denied even knowing<br />
Jesus. Still, Jesus made supplication in Peter’s behalf<br />
and expressed confidence in his faithfulness. (Luke 22:31-<br />
34) On the last night of his earthly life, Jesus in prayer<br />
to his Father did not focus on the mistakes his disciples<br />
had made. Rather, he spoke positively about their course<br />
up to that night, saying: “They have observed your word.”<br />
(John 17:6) Despite their imperfections, he placed in their<br />
hands the earthly interests of his Kingdom. (Matthew 25:<br />
14, 15; Luke 12:42-44) The confidence and faith that he<br />
expressed in them no doubt strengthened them to carry<br />
out the work he commanded them to do.<br />
19 <strong>Follower</strong>s of Jesus have reason to imitate his example<br />
in this regard. If the perfect Son of God was patient<br />
in dealing with his imperfect disciples, how much more<br />
should we as sinful humans be reasonable in our dealings<br />
with one another! (Philippians 4:5) Rather than focusing<br />
on the shortcomings of fellow worshippers, we do<br />
well to look for the good in them. We are wise to remem-<br />
18, 19. (a) What shows that Jesus was reasonable and positive in dealing<br />
with his disciples? (b) Why do we have good reason to be positive<br />
and reasonable in dealing with one another, and how can we do so?