DAILY TEXT, From today  Friday September 8, 2023,  You must continue to renew your way of thinking (Eph. 4:23).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Friday September 8

They must keep renewing their way of thinking (Eph. 4:23).

Of course, to renew our way of thinking, we have to pray, study the Word of God and meditate on it. Let's not stop doing these things and ask Jehovah to give us strength. His holy spirit will help us correct the tendency to compare ourselves with others. Jehovah will also help us to see if we have become proud or envious and to act immediately to rid ourselves of these defects.—2 Chron. 6:29, 30. Jehovah knows our hearts. He also knows that we are fighting against the spirit of the world and against our own imperfections. When he sees all the efforts we make in this fight, the love he feels for us grows deeper. To express how he feels about us, Jehovah uses the example of a mother's love for her baby (Is. 49:15). When Jehovah sees us fight with all our might to give him the best, he feels such a deep love for us. Isn't it true that knowing that comforts us a lot? w21.07 24, 25 pars. 17-19.

How can we help “the crushed ones” mentioned in Isaiah 57:15?

(Read Isaiah 57:15.) Jehovah cares a lot about “the crushed ones.” All of us, not just the elderly, can encourage our dear brothers and sisters who feel this way. One way to do this is by taking a heartfelt interest in them. Jehovah wants us to show them how much he loves his sheep (Prov. 19:17). Another way to help them is to be humble and modest. We don't draw attention to ourselves because we don't want to arouse envy. We prefer to use our skills and knowledge to encourage one another (1 Pet. 4:10, 11).

Why did humble people like to be with Jesus? (See cover drawing.)

We can learn a lot about how to treat others by looking at how Jesus treated his disciples. Although he was the greatest man in history, he was "mild and lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:28-30). He wasn't going around bragging about his amazing intelligence and his immense knowledge. When he taught, he used simple language and attractive examples that touched the hearts of humble people (Luke 10:21). Unlike the arrogant religious leaders, Jesus made people feel that they were valuable to God (John 6:37). He always treated ordinary people with respect.

Why do we say that Jesus treated his disciples with kindness and love?

Jesus treated his disciples with kindness and love. He knew that they had different abilities and circumstances, so they could not all assume the same responsibilities or do the same thing in the ministry. But Jesus valued the heart efforts that each one made. We can clearly see his sympathetic attitude in the parable of the talents. In that account, he spoke of a master who entrusted each slave with work “according to his ability” from him. It is true that, of the two slaves who fulfilled his task, there was one who earned more than the other. But the master congratulated them both with these very words: "Well done, good and faithful slave!" (Matt. 25:14-23).

How can we follow Jesus' example in treating others?

Jesus also treats us with kindness and love. He knows that we have different abilities and circumstances, and he is happy when each one does everything he can. How can we follow his example? We don't want any brother to feel inferior or ashamed because he can't do as much as others. On the contrary, let us always look for opportunities to congratulate our brothers for giving Jehovah the best of themselves.

How did you help a sister set reasonable goals?

Setting goals in our service to Jehovah helps us stay on track and purposeful in life. But these objectives must be adjusted to our capacities and circumstances, not to those of others. Otherwise, we will end up frustrated and discouraged (Luke 14:28). Let's look at the example of a forerunner named Midori.

When Midori was a child, her non-Witness father humiliated her by comparing her to her brothers and classmates. She says, "I felt like I was worthless." But over the years her self-esteem improved. Midori says: “I read the Bible every day because it gave me inner peace and made me feel Jehovah's love.” In addition, she set reasonable goals for herself and asked Jehovah to help her achieve them. In that way, she felt glad at what she could do in her service to Jehovah.

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