Comments You Will Not Hear at the 08-31-2014 WT Study (JUNE 15, 2014, pages 28-32 (HELP OTHERS)
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Help Others Reach Their Full Potential
“I will give you advice with my eye upon you.”
—PS. 32:8.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What are some Bible examples of Jehovah’s seeing potential in his servants?
Why should we try to look for the good in others?
How can young or newly baptized brothers be helped to reach their full potential?
OPENING COMMENTS
For my sake, I am starting up my comments again, for me, and anyone who gets something useful from them.
I start this out the same way I have for almost 50 years of attending meetings or reading the WT publications.
What does the title mean, what is their goal?
What do I think about how this has played out in my life?
Other people’s lives in the organization including people on JWN?
When this topic has been covered in the past, what were the results in the congregation; did people see themselves in reality or illusion?
How does the WTS twist or trick jws with the vocabulary?
1, 2. How does Jehovah view his servants on earth?
WHEN parents watch their children play, they are often
amazed by the inborn abilities the young ones have. Can you
confirm that from your personal experience? One child may
appear to have natural agility or athletic ability, while a sibling
seems more at ease with board games or some art or
craft. But regardless of their children’s gifts, parents find
pleasure in discovering their potential.
Why can’t children be athletic and artistic? Why look for differences/competition in siblings? Only potentials approved by the WTS, not athletics or art.
2 Jehovah too takes a keen interest in his earthly children.
He sees his modern-day servants as “the precious things of
all the nations.” (Hag. 2:7) They are precious particularly because
of their faith and devotion. You may, though, have noticed
that among fellow Witnesses today, there are many different
talents. Some brothers are gifted at public speaking,
whereas others excel at organizing matters. Many sisters
have a knack for learning foreign languages and use them in
the ministry, while others are outstanding examples of giving
support to those who need encouragement or of caring
for the sick. (Rom. 16:1, 12) Do we not appreciate being in the
congregation with all such Christians?
Do jws look for the good or the bad in people, including their own children? What was your experience? Not precious though if their faith and devotion does not match their parents expectations.
Fellow Witnesses—why not Christians.
Sisters don’t have the abilities of public speaking; how would anyone know since they are not allowed to give public talks. Organizing, is that a male trait only? Do sisters have a knack for foreign languages, but not to be used in public speaking but only in one on one preaching/teaching with one individual? Sisters who move to other countries or foreign language congregations because husband hunting is more likely to be successful.
So why then are only women seen as being responsible for helping and supporting the sick and depressed.
Does this scripture indicate that the elders are supposed to hand off this duty to women?
(1 Peter 5:2, 3) . . .Shepherd the flock of God in YOUR care, not under compulsion, but willingly; neither for love of dishonest gain, but eagerly; 3 neither as lording it over those who are God’s inheritance, but becoming examples to the flock.
Such Christians—do you know that the WTS says that jws are the only true Christians and all others are merely professed or so-called?
*** w92 6/15 p. 4 Is There a Way Out Of Man’s Sinful State? ***
However, many of the 3,500,000,000 non-Christians of the world (twice the number of so-called Christians) find the idea of a ransom very difficult to grasp
3. What questions will we consider in this article?
3 However, some fellow believers, including
young or newly baptized brothers,
may not yet have found their place in
the congregation. How can we help them
to reach their full potential? Why should
we strive to look for the good in them,
thus viewing them as Jehovah does?
“have not found their place” and who is qualified to determine what that is?
Who judges what the “full potential” is.
Viewing them as God does…who on earth knows what God thinks of that individual, where is Jesus in this equation?
JEHOVAH SEES THE GOOD IN HIS SERVANTS
4, 5. How does the account at Judges 6:11-16
4 A number of Bible accounts make it
clear that Jehovah sees not only the good
in his servants but also their potential.
For example, when Gideon was chosen
to set God’s people free from Midianite
oppression, he must have been
stunned by the angel’s greeting: “Jehovah
is with you, you mighty warrior.”
It seems clear that at the time, Gideon
felt anything but “mighty.” He acknowledged
his doubts and his own sense of insignificance.
But as the ensuing conversation revealed,
Jehovah certainly had a much more positive view of
his servant than Gideon had of himself.
—Read Judges 6:11-16.
Right, now the WTS starts with an OT, non-Christian example for Christians. No examples in the first century?
Must have been – the bible does not say
It seems clear—is it clear or not, what does the bible say, are they guessing
God may have but what did Gideon’s fellow worshippers think of him”
Did his family follow his example?
*** it-1 p. 934 Gideon ***
Gideon came to have many wives, by whom he had 70 sons. After Gideon’s death at a good old age, Israel again fell victim to Baal worship. Furthermore, Abimelech the son of Gideon by his concubine, a woman of Shechem, killed Gideon’s other sons. Only Jotham, the youngest, escaped.
5 Jehovah trusted Gideon to deliver Israel
because He had observed his skills.
For one thing, Jehovah’s angel had noticed
how Gideon threshed wheat with
all his might. Something else had caught
the angel’s attention. In Bible times,
farmers usually beat out grain in an
open area to take advantage of the wind,
which would blow away the chaff. Surprisingly,
Gideon was secretly threshing
wheat in a winepress in order to conceal
his meager harvest from the Midianites.
What a clever strategy! No wonder
that in Jehovah’s eyes, Gideon was more
show that Jehovah sees the potential in his servants?
than a cautious farmer—he was a shrewd
man. Yes, Jehovah saw his potential and
worked with him.
Gideon was a soldier and he and his men killed many people. Will jws today do that?
6, 7. (a) How did Jehovah’s view of the prophet
Amos differ from that of some Israelites?
(b) What indicates that Amos was not an uneducated
person?
6 Similarly, we see in the case of the
prophet Amos that Jehovah noticed the
potential of one of his servants, even
though he might have appeared to many
to be rather insignificant or unassuming.
Amos described himself as a raiser
of sheep and a nipper of sycamore
figs—a variety regarded as food for the
poor. When Jehovah appointed Amos to
condemn the idolatrous ten-tribe kingdom
of Israel, some Israelites might have
thought that he was a poor choice.—Read
Amos 7:14, 15.
Another OT example, Amos, to condemn the 10-tribe kingdom, God’s true people.
Some…might have—guessing again?
7 Amos came from a remote village,
but his knowledge of the customs
and rulers of his time gave evidence
that he was not ignorant. He was likely
well-informed about conditions in
Israel, and he may have been knowledgeable
about neighboring nations as a
result of his dealings with traveling merchants.
(Amos 1:6, 9, 11, 13; 2:8; 6:4-6)
Some Bible scholars today credit Amos
with good writing skills. Not only did
the prophet choose simple and powerful
words but he made good use of parallelism
and wordplay. Indeed, Amos’ bold
response to the corrupt priest Amaziah
confirmed that Jehovah had chosen the
right person and could use his abilities
that might not at first seem obvious.
—Amos 7:12, 13, 16, 17.
Not ignorant—not in Jewish wisdom???
Some Bible scholars—who, what, where
God had chosen the right person—God has chosen the right people today, the GB, is the WTS underlying message
8. (a) What assurance did Jehovah give David?
(b) Why are the words at Psalm 32:8 reassuring
to those who may lack self-confidence or skills?
8 Yes, Jehovah notices the potential
in each of his servants. He assured
King David that he would always guide
him, with ‘his eye upon him.’ (Read
Psalm 32:8.) Do you see why that should
be encouraging to us? Even though we
may lack self-confidence, Jehovah can
help us to go beyond our perceived limits
and reach goals that we would not have
imagined. Just as an instructor watches
an inexperienced rock climber attentively
in order to help him find the best
handholds, Jehovah is willing to guide us
as we make spiritual advancement. Jehovah
might also use fellow believers to
help us reach our full potential. How so?
His servants—not Jesus’ followers
OT—King David, an adulterer and murdered that escaped the punishment of death
Amazingly, the WTS picks a sport they look down on as dangerous, not for jws.
*** g02 10/8 pp. 22-23 Thrill Seekers—Why the Fatal Attraction? ***
Rock climbing up the sheer sides of mountains with nothing but tiny fingerholds and toeholds is attracting thousands. Even television and magazine commercials advertising everything from trucks to headache remedies show climbers hanging precariously from steep mountain precipices hundreds of feet in the air, secured only by a thin rope. It is reported that in 1989 some 50,000 people in the United States dared to take part in this sport; more recently an estimated half-million are drawn by its fatal attraction. Worldwide the numbers are increasing.
Christians view life as a precious gift from Jehovah God. When one deliberately puts his life in danger by taking needless chances just to demonstrate his daring courage—his machismo—or to excite the crowd or satisfy his own need to experience a rush, he is, in effect, showing contempt for the marvelous gift of life that God has given us. Jesus certainly showed deep respect for his life and did not unnecessarily endanger it. He refused to put God to the test.—Matthew 4:5-7.
Christians, likewise, have an obligation to show respect for life. “I once climbed a steep rock cliff and found myself unable to go backward or forward,” wrote one Christian. “To this day I shudder at how close I came to dying. What a stupid waste it would have been!”
‘Where I live,’ wrote a Christian youth, ‘the kids participate in many of these thrill sports. They are always trying to get me to join them. In the news, though, I often see reports of people dying or getting seriously hurt from the same supposedly fun sports that kids tell me about. I realize that it would be unwise for me to endanger the life that Jehovah God gave me, for such a short-lived thrill.’ May you be of the same sound mind and judgment.
God guides or do 7 men in NY tell jws where to walk…bible is not necessary—I remember 2 stories from elders
WT conductor asks audience what jws base their beliefs on as he starts to raise the WT; the COBOE almost leaps 4 feet as he grabs the mike and says, “the bible.:
Elders meeting and chastising new elder for basing his comments on the bible as one elder points to the elders manual and says this is what we base our comments on
LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN OTHERS
9. How can we apply Paul’s exhortation to
“look out” for the interests of others?
9 Paul urged all Christians to “look
out” for the interests of fellow believers.
(Read Philippians 2:3, 4.) The essence of
Paul’s counsel is that we should observe
the gifts that others have and acknowledge
them. How do we feel when someone
shows interest in the progress that
we have made? Usually, it stimulates us
to make additional progress, bringing
out the best in us. Likewise, when we acknowledge
the value of our fellow believers,
we help them to thrive and grow
spiritually.
Christians—only jws
Fellow believers—only jws
Essence—hmmm
Shows interest in our progress—stimulates or discourages as jws hear the constant DO MORE litany?
Acknowledge as a group or an individual? Prior to stiff counsel as the WTS say to commend first then counsel. The only commendation I ever heard preceded misplaced counsel.
10. Who in particular may need our attention?
10 Who in particular may need our attention?
Of course, all of us need special
attention from time to time. Still, young
or newly baptized brothers really need to
sense that they are involved in the congregation’s
activities. This will help them
to understand that they do have a place
among us. On the other hand, failure to
give fitting recognition to such brothers
may stifle their desire to reach out
for more responsibilities, something that
God’s Word encourages them to do.
—1 Tim. 3:1.
Newly baptized brothers (not sisters) because the WTS needs men to “reach out.” They don’t need effective preachers and teachers but public speakers.
What are sisters good for? Hmmm
11. (a) How did an elder help a young man to
overcome shyness? (b) What lesson do you see
in Julien’s experience?
11 Ludovic, an elder who benefited
from such interest when he was younger,
says: “When I show genuine interest in a
brother, he makes advancement more
quickly.” Regarding Julien, a young man
who was rather shy, Ludovic says: “Because
Julien at times attempted to assert
himself in a somewhat clumsy way, his
behavior was not natural. But I could see
that he was very kind and really wanted
to help others in the congregation.
Hence, rather than call his motives into
question, I focused on his positive traits,
trying to encourage him.” In time, Julien
qualified to be a ministerial servant, and
now he is a regular pioneer.
So where was Ludovic’s jw father? Where was Julien’s jw father?
“clumsy way…not natural” what does that mean?
“call his motives into question” too many jws make judging an entertaining pastime even making something up if they lack even one fact.
Julien—MS and regular pioneer, a real asset now…now some sister has to snatch him up, the only way she will have status in the organization.
HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL
12. What valuable quality is necessary to help
someone reach his full potential? Give an example.
12 Understandably, if we are to help
others reach their full potential, we need
to be discerning. As illustrated by Julien’s
experience, we may have to look
beyond a person’s weak spots to discern
his fine qualities and skills that could be
developed further. This is similar to the
way Jesus viewed the apostle Peter. Although
Peter at times appeared to be unsteady,
Jesus predicted that he would become
as stable as a rock.—John 1:42.
Need to be discerning…look beyond weak spots….what is a weak spot then?
Finally an NT example, Peter.
“appeared to be unsteady” Remember than Jesus could read hearts and minds, not so humans
13, 14. (a) How did Barnabas show discernment
in the case of young Mark? (b) How did a
young brother benefit from help such as Mark
received? (See opening image.)
13 Barnabas showed similar discernment
in the case of John, who had
the Roman surname Mark. (Acts 12:25)
During Paul’s first missionary journey
with Barnabas, Mark served as an “attendant,”
perhaps caring for their physical needs.
However, when they reached
Pamphylia, Mark suddenly left his companions
in the lurch. They had to travel
without him north through an area notorious
for bandits. (Acts 13:5, 13) Apparently,
though, Barnabas saw past Mark’s
inconsistent behavior and later seized
the opportunity to complete his training.
(Acts 15:37-39) This helped the young
man to become a mature servant of Jehovah.
Interestingly, Mark was in Rome
with Paul, who was then imprisoned,
and joined in sending greetings to the
Christians in the Colossian congregation,
and the apostle spoke favorably
of him. (Col. 4:10) Imagine the feeling
of satisfaction that Barnabas must have
had when Paul even requested Mark’s
assistance.—2 Tim. 4:11.
Perhaps—why does the WTS have to add to the bible.
OT example—Mark, Barnabas, Paul
Another male though, no female examples?
14 Alexandre, a newly appointed elder,
recalls how he benefited from a
brother’s insightful way: “When I was
younger, saying a prayer in public was a
real struggle for me. An elder showed me
how to prepare myself and be more relaxed.
Instead of not calling on me anymore,
he gave me opportunities to pray
regularly at meetings for field service. In
time, I became more confident.”
A present day example—jw, male, elder
So how was he able to prepared to give a public prayer; the congregations I attended would tell the brother 60 seconds in advance
15. How did Paul express appreciation for his
brothers?
15 When we notice a good quality in
another Christian, do we express how
much we value that fine trait? In Romans
chapter 16, Paul gave recognition
to more than 20 fellow believers for qualities
that made them dear to his heart.
(Rom. 16:3-7, 13) For example, Paul acknowledged
that Andronicus and Junias
had been serving Christ longer than he
had, emphasizing their Christian endurance.
Paul also spoke warmly of the
mother of Rufus, perhaps alluding to her
earlier loving care for him.
Paul commended more than men and he named them…what was the name of Noah’s wife for example or the name of Peter’s wife?
Perhaps alluding—bible addition?
16. What may be the result of commendation
given to a young one?
16 There may be fine results when we
give genuine commendation. Consider
the case of Rico, a young boy in France,
who was discouraged because his father,
who did not share his beliefs, was opposed
to Rico’s getting baptized. Rico
thought that he would have to wait until
he was of legal age to serve Jehovah fully.
He was also sad that he faced ridicule
at school. Frédéric, a congregation elder
who was asked to study with the boy, relates:
“I commended Rico because such
opposition indicated that he had been
courageous enough to express his faith.”
These words of commendation strengthened
Rico in his determination to remain
exemplary and helped him to draw closer
to his father. Rico got baptized when
he was 12 years of age.
Another male example, Rico. Wait until he was of legal age to get baptized? What about ex-jw fathers and non-jw fathers who are asked if their children can get baptized? Baptized at 12, is that legal age?
17. (a) How can we help our brothers to make
advancement? (b) A missionary took what personal
interest in young brothers, and with what
result?
17 Each time we express appreciation
for well-handled assignments or
Frédéric (left) encouraged Rico to stay
determined to serve Jehovah
praiseworthy efforts, we give our fellow
believers an incentive to serve Jehovah
more fully. Sylvie, who has been serving
at Bethel in France for years, commented
that sisters can have a share in
commending brothers. She noted that
women may appreciate different details
or efforts that they observe. Thus their
“words of encouragement can complement
what experienced brothers say.”
She added: “To me, giving commendation
is a duty.” (Prov. 3:27) Jérôme, a missionary
in French Guiana, has helped
many young men to qualify for missionary
service. He says: “I have noticed that
when I compliment young brothers on
specific points in their ministry or for
giving well-thought-out comments, they
grow in confidence. As a result, they develop
their abilities further.”
Brothers make advancement—where are sisters in this article?
Sylvie—finally a sister, serving at Bethel…oh she has to be commending brothers, where is her commendation
Compliment young brothers…who compliments the women? How do they develop their abilities further?
18. Why is working along with younger brothers beneficial?
18 We can also stimulate fellow believers
to make spiritual advancement
Name has been changed.
by working along with them. An elder
might ask a young brother who is good
at using computers to print some information
from jw.org that could be encouraging
for the elderly ones who do not
have computers. Or if you are involved in
doing work around the Kingdom Hall,
why not invite a young brother to work
along with you? Such initiatives will give
you the opportunity to observe young
ones and offer commendation and see
the results.—Prov. 15:23.
Stimulate fellow believers—only men, males, brothers
Do you have to be good with computers to print off jw.org?
Ask a young brother to work with you….who encourages the sisters?
BUILD FOR THE FUTURE
19, 20. Why should we help others to make progress?
19 When Jehovah appointed Joshua to
lead the Israelites, He also commanded
Moses to “encourage” and “strengthen”
Joshua. (Read Deuteronomy 3:28.) More
and more people are joining with us in
the worldwide congregation. All experienced
Christians—not just elders—can
help young brothers and new ones to
achieve their full potential. Thus more
and more will take up the full-time ministry,
and more and more will be “qualified to teach others.”—2 Tim. 2:2.
Help others—only men/brothers
More people joining—mostly women which is why they must encourage and commend the few new men coming into the WT organization.
20 Whether we belong to a well established
congregation or to a small
group that is progressing toward becoming
a congregation, let us build for the
future. A key is to imitate Jehovah, who
always looks for the good in his servants.
How many small groups are in the US. What is a well-established congregation?
Looks for the good in his male servants.
PICTURE:
Jérôme (right) helped Ryan to qualify as a missionary
(See paragraph 17)
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CONCLUDING COMMENTS
I bet you thought this would be about looking for the potential of all in the congregation, just not males/men/brothers.
When I left about 10 years ago, they were desperate for MS then. Maybe not in your immediate congregation, but no one had been baptized for 10 years except women. Male children of jws were leaving as soon as they reached 18. The elders/MS they had were getting older, senile, dying, or tired of the pressure and stepped down.
It’s not much better. They reappointed 2 elders that were practicing alcoholics about 5 years ago. They are expert drinkers now but they “need” them. One brother, a proven wife abuser, was reappointed, still swatting his wife around, all his children out of the organization. One congregation appointed 2 brothers who cannot read hoping they would be motivated to try harder.
While organized, loving, supportive, bible preachers and teachers are not used because they lack a certain physical characteristic.
Love, Blondie