DAILY TEXT, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, A good man benefits himself (Prov. 11:17).

DAILY TEXT, Today Tuesday, July 9, 2024. A good man benefits himself (Prov. 11:17).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Tuesday July 9, 2024

A good man benefits himself (Prov. 11:17).

In the days of Job, Jehovah made it clear that he will forgive us if we forgive others. This faithful servant of God had had to endure the hurtful comments of three men: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Jehovah commanded Job to pray for them. And when Job did it, Jehovah rewarded him (Job 42:8-10). Holding a grudge harms us. Resentment is like a burden, and Jehovah wants us to take that weight off our shoulders. (Eph. 4:31, 32) He advises us: “Let go of anger, renounce fury” (Ps. 37:8). Following this advice benefits us because resentment is bad for physical and mental health (Prov. 14:30). Holding a grudge against someone is like drinking poison: we only hurt ourselves. So, when we forgive others, we give a gift to ourselves. We feel at peace and can continue serving Jehovah. w22.06 10 paras. 9, 10.

What does the Bible say about revenge? (Romans 12:19-21).

We leave revenge in the hands of Jehovah. Jehovah has not given us permission to take revenge on those who sin against us (read Romans 12:19-21). Because we are imperfect and our vision is so limited, we do not have Jehovah’s ability to judge matters well. (Heb. 4:13) Also, sometimes we let feelings cloud our reason. James wrote by inspiration: “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). We can be sure that Jehovah will do what is right and see that justice is done.

How do we show that we trust in Jehovah's justice?

When we forgive, we show that we trust in Jehovah's justice. If we leave matters in his hands, we demonstrate that we are convinced that he will repair all the damage that sin has caused. In the new world he has promised, emotional wounds “will never again be remembered or come to the heart” (Isa. 65:17). But is it really possible to get rid of anger and resentment when someone has hurt us a lot? Let's see how some have achieved it.

What does Tony and José's experience teach you?

Many of our brothers decided to forgive even people who hurt them a lot. How has doing so benefited you? Let's look at the case of Tony,c who lives in the Philippines. Many years before becoming a Jehovah's Witness, he lost one of his older brothers. He learned that he had been murdered by a man named Joseph. Since Tony was aggressive and violent, he wanted revenge. They put José in prison for the crime he had committed. When José got out of jail, Tony swore that he would find him and kill him, so he bought himself a gun. But then he began taking Bible classes with Jehovah's Witnesses. He remembers: “As I studied, I learned that I had to change my way of being. I had to get rid of the anger.” Tony was baptized and eventually became an elder in his congregation. What a surprise he had when he learned that Joseph had also become one of Jehovah's Witnesses! When they met, they gave each other a big hug and Tony told José that he had forgiven him. Tony says he has no words to describe the immense joy he felt when he forgave Joseph. This Christian knew how to forgive, and Jehovah blessed him for that.

What does Peter and Sue's experience teach you?

In 1985, Peter and Sue were at their meeting at the Kingdom Hall when a violent explosion suddenly occurred. A man had planted a bomb in the Hall. Because of her serious injuries, Sue lost her sense of smell and suffered permanent damage to her sight and hearing.d This couple often asked themselves, “Who could have done something so terrible?” Many years later, the culprit, who was not a Jehovah's Witness, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Peter and Sue were asked if they had forgiven him, and they responded: “Jehovah teaches us that feeling anger and holding resentment can hurt us physically, emotionally, and mentally. So, from the very beginning, we asked Him to help us get rid of anger and resentment to move forward.”

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