Show Loyal Love to Fellow Believers 15 “Let your loving-kindness and your trueness themselves constantly safeguard me,” prayed King David. (Ps. 40:11) How may Christian elders and other spiritually mature ones in the congregation imitate Jehovah in this regard? Using our tongue to direct attention to Scriptural information certainly is an act of loving-kindness.—Prov. 17:17. 16 What should we do if we observe a Christian heading in a direction that conflicts with Bible principles? Would not loving-kindness move us to use our tongue to try to correct him? (Ps. 141:5) If we come to know of a serious sin committed by a fellow believer, loyal love moves us to encourage the wrongdoer to “call the older men of the congregation to him” so that they can “pray over him, greasing him with oil in the name of Jehovah.” (Jas. 5:14) If the wrongdoer fails to contact the elders, our not reporting the matter is neither loving nor kind. Some among us may be discouraged, lonely, afflicted with feelings of unworthiness, or overwhelmed by disappointments. A fine way for us to demonstrate that the law of loving-kindness is upon our tongue is that we “speak consolingly to the depressed souls.”—1 Thess. 5:14. 17 How should we respond when rumors about fellow believers are circulated by God’s enemies? Rather than questioning the integrity of our brothers, we ought to dismiss such talk silently or ask the accuser, if he is reasonable, whether he is really sure that there is a basis for his remarks. If enemies of God’s people seek to know the whereabouts of our Christian brothers in order to bring them harm, loyal love for our brothers dictates that we not provide the information.—Prov. 18:24.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 08:40:31 +0000
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