DAILY TEXT, Today Thursday October 6. Man sees what is before his eyes, but Jehovah sees the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

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Thursday October 6

Man sees what is before his eyes, but Jehovah sees the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

Due to imperfection, we all tend to judge others by appearances (John 7:24). But we can know very little about a person based only on what we see. Let's take an example. No matter how experienced and intelligent a doctor is, he will know very little about his patient if he only looks at him. He must listen carefully if he wants to know what health problems he has had, his personality or the symptoms he has. He may even tell you to get an x-ray to see inside him. If the doctor does not do all of this, he could make a wrong diagnosis. Similarly, we cannot fully understand our brothers just by looking at their outward appearance. We must strive to see the kind of person they are inside. We cannot read the hearts of others, But we can strive to follow Jehovah's example. He listens to his servants, takes into account their past and his circumstances, and shows them compassion. w20.04 14, 15 paras. 1-3.

Why might we have a negative opinion of Jonah?

Since we don't know all the details, we might think that Jonah was an unreliable and even disloyal man. Jehovah had given him the order to announce a message of condemnation in Nineveh. But instead of obeying, Jonah boarded a ship headed in the opposite direction, “far from the Lord” (Jon. 1:1-3). We might not have given him another chance to fulfill his mission. But Jehovah thought he did deserve it (Jon. 3:1, 2).

As we read the words of Jonah 2:1, 2, 9, what do we learn about this prophet?

We can know what kind of person Jonah really was because of the prayer he prayed from the belly of the fish (read Jonah 2:1, 2, 9). This prayer, no doubt one of many he prayed, helps us see that he was more than a man who ran away from an assignment. His words reflect humility, gratitude, and an intense desire to obey Jehovah. No wonder Jehovah saw beyond what Jonah did, answered his prayer, and continued to use him as a prophet.

Series of photos: 1. A brother is late for the meeting and finds a seat in the back row. An older brother looks at his watch and it seems that he is upset because the brother is late. 2. After the meeting, the brother who was late shows the older brother what he happened to his car from an accident on the way to the meeting.

Why is it worth listening carefully to others?

To listen carefully to others, we must be humble and patient. It is worth the effort for at least three reasons. First, because we are less likely to jump to the wrong conclusions. Second, because that way we will know how our brother feels and why he does certain things. This will help us to have more empathy. And, third, because perhaps in this way we will help him discover something about himself. Sometimes a person does not fully understand his own emotions until he expresses them (Prov. 20:5). An elder serving in Asia confesses: “I remember making the mistake of speaking without listening. On one occasion, I told a sister that she should improve the quality of her responses in the meetings. Later, I found out that she has a hard time reading and that she has to make a lot of effort to comment.”

What can we learn from Jehovah's treatment of Elijah?

Some siblings find it hard to talk about how they feel because of their background, culture, or character. How can we help them open their hearts to us? Let us remember how Jehovah treated Elijah when he fled from Queen Jezebel. Many days passed before this prophet told his heavenly Father how he felt. And Jehovah listened carefully. Then he encouraged him and charged him with an important task (1 Kings 19: 1-18). It may also take some time for our brothers to trust us enough to open their hearts to us. But if we are patient like Jehovah, we will earn their trust, and in time they will tell us how they feel. When they do, let us listen carefully.

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