DAILY TEXT, Today Wednesday June 21, 2023,  Have love for all the brotherhood (1 Pet. 2:17).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Wednesday June 21

Have love for the whole brotherhood (1 Pet. 2:17).

If for Jehovah all our brothers are important, for us they should be too. We must be willing to do whatever it takes to protect and care for them. If we find out that we have offended or hurt a brother, we should not wash our hands of it and think that he is being too picky and what he should do is forget it. What can make some offended? Perhaps it is that, due to their upbringing, they have a very low self-esteem. Or perhaps they are new to the truth and have not yet learned how to deal with the imperfections of others. Whatever the case, we must do everything we can to fix the situation. On the other hand, if someone is very easily offended, he must recognize that this is a defect that he needs to work on. It is important that he do so, for his own peace of mind and for the good of others. w21. 06 21 para. 7.

WE THINK OTHERS ARE SUPERIOR

What way of thinking influenced the disciples of Jesus?

Why did Jesus speak of “these little ones”? His disciples had asked him: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1). At that time, many Jews attached great importance to prestige and social position. A specialist says: "Men lived and died anxious to enjoy honor, consideration, fame, approval and respect."

What were Jesus' disciples to do?

Jesus knew that his disciples would have to work hard to leave behind the competitive spirit that was ingrained in Jewish culture. He told them: “Whoever is greatest among you, let him become like the youngest, and the one who leads, like the one who serves” (Luke 22:26). In order to behave like “the youngest”, we have to think that others are superior to us (Phil. 2:3). The more we strive to have that attitude, the less likely we are to cause others to stumble.

What advice from Paul should we take to heart?

All brothers and sisters are superior to us in something. This is easy to see when we focus on its good things. We must take to heart the advice that the apostle Paul gave to the Corinthians: “Who makes you different from others? Actually, what do you have that you have not received? So, if you received it, why are you going around bragging as if you didn't receive it?" (1 Cor. 4:7). So let's not fall into the temptation of drawing attention to ourselves or believing ourselves superior to others. If a brother gives very good talks or if a sister starts many Bible courses, they should always give credit to Jehovah.

What do we learn from Jesus' parable about the king and the slave?

After warning his disciples not to cause others to stumble, Jesus told them a parable about a king and one of his slaves. The king forgave the slave a debt that was so great that he could never pay it. Later, that same slave did not want to forgive another slave a much smaller debt. In the end, the king imprisoned that slave who had no mercy. What do we learn? Jesus stated: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat you if you do not forgive your brothers from your heart” (Matt. 18:21-35).

If we refuse to forgive, how do we hurt others?

What that slave did harmed not only him, but others as well. To begin with, he was cruel to his partner and "ordered him to be put in prison until he could pay the debt." And, besides, he hurt other slaves who saw what he had done. Jesus said: “When the other fellow slaves found out what had happened, they were very upset.” In a similar way, what we do also has an effect on others. If someone treats us badly and we refuse to forgive him, what can happen? We hurt him to begin with by denying him our forgiveness and love, and perhaps even ignoring him. In addition, we make the brothers in the congregation feel uncomfortable by noticing that we are not at peace with that person.

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