Study From The Watchtower, Week of April 24 to 30, 2023, Let's take care of the life that God has given us, Underlined Answers.

Study From The Watchtower, April 24-30, 2023, Let's take care of the life that God has given us, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Answer.

Dark Yellow: Additional Answer.

Light Blue: Additional Points.

"By him we have life, we move and we exist" (ACTS 17:28).

1. How valuable is our life to Jehovah?

 IMAGINE that a friend gives you a very old but very valuable painting. Although it is full of blemishes, stains, and cracks, and has lost some of its color, it is a work of art worth millions of dollars. Wouldn't you appreciate it and take care of it ? In the same way, Jehovah has given us something very valuable: life. In fact, he values ​​her so much that he gave his Son for us (John 3:16).

2. As indicated at 2 Corinthians 7:1, what does Jehovah expect of us?

2 Jehovah is “the fountain of life” (Ps. 36:9). That is what the apostle Paul was referring to when he said: “By him we have life, we move and have our being” (Acts 17:25, 28). That is why we can say that life is a gift from God. He lovingly gives us what we need to stay alive (Acts 14:15-17). But Jehovah is not going to perform miracles to keep us alive. Rather, he expects us to do all we can to take care of our physical and spiritual health (read 2 Corinthians 7:1) . Why should we protect our health and life, and how can we do it?

WE VALUE THE GIFT OF LIFE

3. What is one reason we want to stay healthy?

3 One reason we want to stay healthy is because we want to give our best to Jehovah (Mark 12:30). Because we want to offer our “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” we avoid everything that we know is harmful to our health (Rom. 12:1). Of course, no matter how much we take care of ourselves, sooner or later we are going to get sick. But we do what we can to stay healthy because we want to show our heavenly Father that we appreciate his gift of life.

4. What did King David want to do?

4 King David highly valued the life God had given him. That is why he wrote: “What is gained by my death, by my going down into the hole? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your fidelity? (Ps. 30:9). He may have written these words shortly before he died. Even so, he wanted to stay alive as long as possible so that he could continue praising Jehovah. Surely we all want the same thing.

5. Even if we are very old or sick, what can we do?

5 If we are very old or sick, we may not be able to do many of the things we used to do, and this may make us feel frustrated and sad. But that doesn't mean we should stop striving to take care of our health. Because? Because even when we are very old or sick, we can still praise Jehovah, just like King David. And how reassuring it is to know that our God loves us and values ​​us even though we are imperfect! (Matt. 10:29-31). In fact, he cares about us so much that he has promised to raise us up if we die (Job 14:14, 15). While we are alive, we do well to take care of our lives and our health.

LET'S MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

6. When deciding what and how much to eat and drink, what does Jehovah expect of us?

6 The Bible is not a medical book or a manual on nutrition, but it does reveal how Jehovah views these matters. For example, he gives us this advice: "Keep things that hurt from your body" (Eccl. 11:10). Among the life-threatening things that the Bible condemns are gluttony and drunkenness (Prov. 23:20). So, when deciding what and how much to eat and drink, Jehovah expects us to know how to control ourselves (1 Cor. 6:12; 9:25).

7. How can we apply the principle of Proverbs 2:11 when making decisions about our health?

7 If we want to make decisions that show that we appreciate the life that God has given us, we must use our ability to think (Ps. 119:99, 100; read Proverbs 2:11). For example, when deciding what to eat, we need good judgment. If we like a food but we know that it hurts us, the most sensible thing to do is not to eat it. Common sense also tells us to get enough sleep, exercise regularly, practice good personal hygiene, and keep our homes clean.

WE TAKE DUE PRECAUTIONS

8. According to the Bible, how important is Jehovah to our safety?

8 Jehovah gave the Israelites laws to prevent serious accidents at home and at work (Ex. 21:28, 29; Deut. 22:8). If one person killed another by accident, there were very serious consequences (Deut. 19:4, 5). And the Law commanded to punish anyone who harmed a baby that had not yet been born, even if it was unintentional (Ex. 21:22, 23). The Bible makes it clear that Jehovah wants us to take proper precautions to avoid accidents.

9. What measures can we take to avoid accidents? (See also pictures).

 9 We show that we are grateful for the life that God has given us by taking measures to avoid accidents at home and at work. For example, we keep sharp objects, chemicals or medicines out of the reach of children. And when we have to get rid of them, we do it safely. We are also very careful around fire, power tools, and hot liquids, and never leave them unattended. We also do not drive vehicles when we are taking medication that affects our ability to drive, when we are under the influence of alcohol or when we have not had enough sleep, nor do we carry our phones in our hands when we are driving.

ILLUSTRATION

Image series: 1. A brother types a text message while driving. 2. A little boy looks into a kitchen cabinet where cleaning supplies are kept. 3. At a construction site, a brother uses a drill without wearing personal protective equipment. How can we show that we respect life in these situations? (See paragraph 9).

IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION

10. What can we do before and during an emergency that puts our lives in danger?

10 Of course, we cannot always prevent life-threatening situations from occurring, such as natural disasters, epidemics, and violent conflicts. But when these do occur, we can try to reduce the risks and increase our chances of survival by obeying curfews, evacuation orders, and other instructions given to us by authorities (Rom. 13:1, 5-7). On the other hand, there are emergencies that can be foreseen, so we do well to follow the guidelines that the authorities give us to help us be prepared. For example, it might help to store non-perishable food and water, and have a first aid kit.

11. If there is an epidemic, what should we be willing to do?

11 What if there is an epidemic where we live? What should we do? Obey the instructions given by the authorities, such as washing your hands, maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask or face covering, and respecting quarantines. If we take these matters seriously, we will show that we value the life God has given us.

12. How does Proverbs 14:15 help us to be careful about the information that comes to us during an emergency?

12 When emergencies occur, incorrect or inaccurate information may reach us through our friends, acquaintances or the media. Rather than believe everything we hear, we do well to listen to the most reliable sources in government and medical authorities (read Proverbs 14:15). In addition, we must follow the instructions given to us by the Governing Body and the branches regarding congregation meetings and the preaching work, since they do their best to use accurate and reliable information to make those decisions (Heb. 13:17). By cooperating with them, we protect our health and that of others, and perhaps we can make Jehovah's Witnesses more widely talked about.—1 Pet. 2:12.

WE ARE PREPARED TO ABSTAIN BLOOD

13. When the question of blood comes up, how do we show that we value life?

13 Jehovah's Witnesses are known for respecting the sanctity of blood. Because we obey Jehovah's law on this matter, we refuse blood transfusions even in a medical emergency.—Acts 15:28, 29. Now, that doesn't mean we want to die. Nothing is further from reality! We value life as a gift from God. That's why we look for health professionals who are willing to give us high-quality medical care without the use of blood transfusions.

14. How can we reduce the chances of having to undergo a major medical procedure?

14 We will be less likely to need to undergo a major medical procedure if we follow the advice mentioned earlier in the article. But what if they have to operate on us? In that case, if we have taken care of our health before, we will recover faster. On the other hand, if we strive to eliminate all possible dangers at home and at work, and to always follow traffic rules, we will reduce the risk of an accident occurring and having to be taken urgently to an operating room.

15. a) Why is it so important to always carry the medical instructions document and keep it updated? (See also pictures). b) According to the video, how can we be well informed to make good decisions about the use of blood?

 15 a). Another way to show that we value the gift of life is by filling out the medical instructions document (the blood refusal card) and carrying it with us at all times. This document serves to express what we have decided regarding blood transfusions and other medical treatments. Do you have your card up to date? If you have to fill it out or update it, don't put it off. If we put our decisions clearly in writing, we won't have to waste time explaining them to our doctors and they can see us faster. In addition, we will contribute to avoiding that they mistakenly administer a treatment that harms us. 

ILLUSTRATION

b). A brother fills out the medical instructions document. Next to him he has a tablet, in which he is consulting lesson 39 of the book "Enjoy life". In the images of the circles, the brother is seen keeping the document in his wallet and taking the wallet with him when he goes out with his bicycle. Since we all value the gift of life, we fill out our medical instructions document and carry it with us at all times. (See paragraph 15). 

16. What can you do if you don't know how to fill out your medical instructions document?

16 Even if we are young or in good health, we can all have accidents or get sick (Eccl. 9:11). So it is always a good idea to have the medical instructions document. But what if you don't know how to fill it out? Don't worry. The elders in your congregation are most familiar with it and can help you. Of course, they will not tell you what decisions to make, because that responsibility is yours (Gal. 6:4, 5). What they can do is help you understand the options and put your decisions in writing.

LET'S BE REASONABLE

17. How can we show that we are reasonable in matters of health?

17 Many of our health decisions depend on our Bible-educated conscience (Acts 24:16; 1 Tim. 3:9). So when making decisions and discussing them with others, we do well to remember what Philippians 4:5 says: “Let everyone know that you are a reasonable person.” We can show that we are reasonable by not obsessing over our health or putting pressure on others to think like us. We love and respect our brothers even if they do not make the same decisions as us (Rom. 14:10-12).

18. How can we show that we are grateful for the gift of life?

18 As we said at the beginning, Jehovah is the source of life. We can show him that we are very grateful to him by taking care of the life that he has given us and giving him the best of us (Apoc. 4:11). For now, we have to face diseases and problems, but that is not the life that Jehovah wanted for us. In fact, thanks to him, very soon we will live in a world where there will be neither suffering nor death (Rev. 21:4). Meanwhile, let's value the life we ​​have and use it to serve the one he has given it to us: our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

Why is life so valuable?

It is very valuable because it is a gift from Jehovah. and what makes it something very valuable is that he gave his beloved Son for us, so that we might have life.

The apostle Paul said: "By him we have life, we move and we exist." That is why we can say that life is a gift from God. He lovingly gives us what we need to be alive.

In what ways do we show that we value life?

What we can do by staying healthy. And we do it because we want to show our heavenly Father that we appreciate that he has given us life. Because we want to offer our “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” we avoid everything that we know is harmful to our health. 

We demonstrate that we value life by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, taking proper precautions, reducing risks in an emergency situation, being prepared to abstain from blood, and being reasonable.

How can we show that we are reasonable in matters of health?

We can show that we are reasonable by not obsessing over our health or putting pressure on others to think like us. We love and respect our brothers even if they don't make the same decisions as us.

For now, we have to face diseases and problems, but that is not the life that Jehovah wanted for us. In fact, thanks to him, very soon we will live in a world where there will be neither suffering nor death.