DAILY TEXT, Friday, November 14, 2025. Let your adornment not be external things (1 Pet. 3:3).

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Friday, November 14, 2025

Let your adornment not be external things (1 Pet. 3:3).

If we are reasonable, it will be easier for us to respect the opinions of others. For example, some sisters like to wear makeup, but others don't. Some Christians are fine with drinking alcohol in moderation, but others prefer not to drink at all.

All Christians want to be healthy, but they choose different ways to care for their health. If we think that our opinion is always the best and try to convince others to do the same as we do, we could cause others to stumble and create divisions in the congregation (1 Cor. 8:9; 10:23, 24).

We would never do such a thing! (Read 1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:23, 24.) Applying Bible principles will help us to be balanced and maintain peace. Let us see how to do this in two different situations.

What biblical principles should influence the way we dress and groom ourselves?

Instead of giving us strict rules about how to dress, Jehovah has given us guiding principles. Our dress should honor God and show that we are reasonable and have “modesty and good judgment.” (1 Tim. 2:9, 10) Therefore, we do not want our clothing to be the center of attention. Bible principles can also help elders avoid making their own rules about clothing and hairstyles.

For example, in one congregation, some young men wore their hair short and shaggy because that was the fashion. The elders wanted to help these young men. But how could they do so without making a rule? The circuit overseer recommended that they tell the brothers: “If you go up on the platform and the people present notice your appearance more than what you say, could it be that there is a problem with your dress or grooming?” This was enough to resolve the situation without making a rule.

What biblical laws and principles guide us when making health-related decisions? (Romans 14:5)

Health Care. Each Christian must decide individually how to care for his or her health (Gal. 6:5). When choosing medical treatment, we must consider the Bible’s commands to abstain from blood and to avoid spiritism and other forms of occultism (Acts 15:20; Gal. 5:19, 20). Beyond that, everything else is a matter of personal preference. Some Christians use only conventional medicine, while others prefer alternative medicine. Even if our opinion on these matters is firm, we must respect our brothers’ or sisters’ right to make their own health care decisions.

Therefore, it is good to keep the following points in mind: (1) God’s Kingdom is the only complete and permanent remedy for sicknesses (Isa. 33:24); (2) each Christian “must be fully convinced” of what is best for him (read Romans 14:5); (3) we do not judge others or put any obstacle before them (Rom. 14:13); and (4) Christians love one another and consider the unity of the congregation more important than their personal opinions (Rom. 14:15, 19, 20). If we keep these points in mind, we will get along very well with our brothers and sisters and contribute to peace in the congregation.

How can elderly people be reasonable with their peers?

Elders should set an example and be reasonable (1 Tim. 3:2, 3). For example, an elder does not expect his opinion to always be accepted simply because he is older than the others. He knows that Jehovah’s spirit can move any member of the body of elders to say something that leads to a good decision. And, if no Bible principle is violated, reasonable elders gladly support the majority’s decision, even if they see things differently.

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