Watchtower Study, How to React to Injustice, Week of January 6-12, 2025, Comments and Responses.

Watchtower Study, How to React to Injustices, January 6-12, 2025, Comments and Responses.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but continue to overcome evil with good” (ROM. 12:21).

1, 2. What injustices can we suffer?

We may experience injustices such as prejudice, inequality, and oppression, which are common in this world. Furthermore, we may experience unfair treatment by brothers, who, although not like those who oppose the truth, may be imperfect and act unfairly. These injustices remind us that we have all faced similar situations.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

Jesus told the story of a widow who repeatedly asked a judge for justice, reflecting the common injustices of her time. The disciples could understand this feeling, as many suffered injustices, something we also face today due to prejudice, inequality, and oppression. Furthermore, we may even experience mistreatment from our own brothers and sisters due to human imperfection. These examples teach us to learn from Jesus' patience in the face of injustice.

3. How do we know that Jehovah cares about how we are treated?

We know that Jehovah cares deeply about how we are treated because He loves justice. Furthermore, Jesus said that God “will see that justice is done to us quickly” at the right time. And soon He will eliminate all suffering and will not allow us to suffer injustices anymore.

4. How does Jehovah help us?

Jehovah helps us by teaching us how to react to injustice and showing us what we should do to avoid making things worse. He also provides us with a perfect model to follow, that of his Son, and in the Bible he offers us very useful advice that we can apply when we are treated unfairly.

LET'S BE CAREFUL WITH HOW WE REACT

5. Why should we be careful about how we react to injustice?

We must be careful how we react to injustice because, although it is normal to feel hurt and distressed, it is important not to do something reckless. Faithful servants like Job and Habakkuk also felt this way, but it is necessary to control our reaction to avoid impulsive actions.

6. What does Absalom's example teach us? (See also the image).

Absalom's example teaches us that, although it is understandable to feel anger at injustice, we do not have the right to take justice into our own hands. Absalom was angry when he learned of the rape of his sister Tamar by his half-brother Amnon and let himself be overcome by anger. But his reaction was not correct, since acting that way only made the situation worse. This highlights the importance of not acting impulsively.

ILLUSTRATION

Tamar cries desperately and tears her tunic. Absalom, acting cunningly, gestures for her to remain silent. When Absalom learned what had been done to his sister Tamar, he let his anger get the best of him. (See paragraph 6).

7. What was the first reaction that a psalmist had when faced with injustice?

The psalmist's first reaction to injustice was to feel distressed and almost lose sight of how good it was to serve Jehovah. He observed that the wicked mistreated the righteous and enjoyed life, which caused him great discomfort. He said that trying to understand the situation was very distressing for him, and he went so far as to state that his feet had almost strayed, and that they were on the verge of slipping.

8. How did a brother react when he suffered injustice?

When a brother named Alberto was wrongly accused of stealing funds from the congregation, he felt bitter, angry, and frustrated. He let the emotional pain affect him so much that he became distant from Jehovah and was inactive for five years. This experience shows what can happen to us if we do not control our emotions when we suffer injustice.

LET'S IMITATE JESUS

9. What injustices did Jesus endure? (See also images).

As we see in the image, Jesus endured several injustices, including that some of his relatives did not believe that he was the Messiah and said that he had gone crazy. On the other hand, religious leaders accused him of collaborating with demons, and Roman soldiers mocked him, mistreated him, and eventually killed him.

ILLUSTRATION

Images of the injustices that Jesus suffers: 1. He wears a crown of thorns and is bleeding. 2. Some non-believing family members doubt him. 3. Religious leaders oppose him furiously. 4. He falls under the weight of the torture stake that a Roman soldier forces him to carry. Jesus gave us the perfect example of how to react to injustice. (See paragraphs 9 and 10).

10. How did Jesus react to injustices? (1 Peter 2:21-23).

Jesus reacted to injustices by knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. When some made up lies about him, he sometimes decided not to say anything. And, when he chose to speak, he did not insult or threaten his enemies. Jesus was able to control his reactions because he placed himself in the hands of the one who judges justly, trusting that Jehovah would see and correct all injustices in due time.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

As mentioned in the note for this paragraph, first-century Christians also suffered injustices caused by harsh masters and non-Christian husbands. Hence, the Apostle Peter advised them how to react to these situations, encouraging them to maintain respectful behavior and follow the example of Jesus, who endured suffering without responding with threats or insults, trusting that Jehovah would judge justly at the right time.

In 1 Peter 2:18-20 the apostle advises servants to be submissive to their masters, even if they are harsh and unfair. Peter emphasizes that suffering unjustly, but maintaining a patient and correct attitude before God, is commendable. This reflects a call to endure with dignity and faith the injustices that we may face in our daily lives.

11. What might it mean to control what we say? (See also images).

Controlling what we say can involve several actions. If what they did to us is not very serious, we can just let it go. We can also choose to stay silent so as not to say anything that could make things worse. However, if we notice that someone is suffering injustice or the truth needs to be defended, we may need to speak up. In any case, it is essential to do it with respect and gentleness.

ILLUSTRATION

Images of how an older sister reacts to injustice: 1. She remains calm while a masked officer takes her away in handcuffs and another searches her house. 2. Speaks respectfully to the judge at trial. 3. He prays in his cell, watched by a guard. When we suffer injustice, we can imitate Jesus by thinking carefully about when and how to speak. (See paragraphs 11 and 12).

12. How can we put ourselves “in the hands of him who judges justly”?

We can place ourselves “in the hands of him who judges righteously” by trusting that Jehovah knows the truth about us. If someone has the wrong idea about us or treats us badly, this trust helps us endure injustice, since we know that, sooner or later, Jehovah will solve the situation. By letting Him take charge, we prevent anger or resentment from taking over, which can lead us to overreact, steal our joy, and damage our friendship with Jehovah.

13. What can help us continue to endure injustice?

What can help us continue to endure injustice is to remember that Jehovah knows what we are going through and that Jesus, who also suffered many injustices, fully understands our feelings. In addition, Jehovah offers us useful advice in his word that helps us react well to injustice. This provides us with support and guidance to deal with difficulties we may experience.

“GIVE PLACE TO ANGER”

14. What does the expression “give way to anger” mean? (Romans 12:19).

The expression “give way to wrath” in Romans 12:19 means to let Jehovah do justice at the time and in the way He deems best. This means not taking matters into our own hands, but trusting that Jehovah will take care of the situation.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

This is illustrated by the example of John, who faced a situation of injustice from another brother. Despite his impulse to have things his way, John remembered the counsel of Romans 12:19 and decided to control his anger. In doing so, he was patient and trusted Jehovah to handle the situation, thus showing how “giving way to anger” involves waiting on divine justice rather than acting impulsively.

15. Why is it best to wait for Jehovah to act?

Waiting for Jehovah to act is best because we will save ourselves the stress and frustration of trying to solve the problem ourselves. Jehovah offers to help us, promising to take care of the matter in the best way possible. By trusting in that promise, it is easier for us to free ourselves from anger, as experienced by John, who recognized that Jehovah’s solution would be infinitely better than his own.

“KEEP OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD”

16, 17. How does prayer help us to continue overcoming evil with good? (Romans 12:21).

Prayer helps us continue to overcome evil with good by allowing us to see those who treat us badly in a different way. By praying for them, we can calm the anger and resentment we feel, making it easier for us to adopt a more compassionate and forgiving attitude. This approach, exemplified by Jesus, distances us from negative reaction and prompts us to respond with kindness, thus fulfilling the counsel of Romans 12:21.

18. How did prayer help Alberto and John?

Alberto prayed to Jehovah for the brothers who had treated him unfairly, asking for help to leave what had happened behind them. This enabled him to overcome the situation and return to serving Jehovah faithfully. John For his part, he prayed repeatedly for the brother who had wronged him. Their prayers helped him to ensure that his emotions did not affect the way he saw his brother, to not judge him, and also gave him peace of mind. In both cases, prayer allowed them to manage their feelings and overcome the injustices they had suffered.

19. What should we do while this system lasts? (1 Peter 3:8, 9).

As long as this system lasts, we should continue to ask Jehovah for help and strive to imitate the way Jesus responded to injustice. It is also important to continue applying Bible principles, for if we do this, we can be sure that Jehovah will bless us.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

How can we imitate Jesus when we suffer injustice?

Jesus knew when to speak and when to be silent (Matt. 26:62-64). When some made up lies about him, he sometimes decided not to say anything (Matt. 11:19). And, when he chose to speak, he did not insult or threaten his enemies. Jesus was able to control his reactions because “he put himself in the hands of him who judges justly.” I knew that Jehovah saw all these injustices and trusted that He would correct them in due time.

What does it mean to give way to anger?

The context indicates that he was referring to the wrath of Jehovah. We follow this advice when we let Jehovah do justice when and in the way he deems best.

John was treated unfairly by another brother. He said: “I had to control myself a lot not to fix things my way. Romans 12:19 helped me to be patient and trust in Jehovah.”

How can prayer help us overcome injustices?

It helps us have peace of mind, it helps us forgive, which frees ourselves from rancor and resentment. We are obeying what Jesus said to pray for those who persecute us and bless those who have harmed us, if we only do good to those who treat us well, what a reward there is (Matthew 5:44-48).