Jehovah weighs all mankind in “accurate scales.” As in Job’s case, God uses his perfect standard of justice to measure our integrity as his dedicated servants. If we were to become devious or deceptive, we would not be maintaining our integrity to God. Integrity keepers have “renounced the underhanded things of which to be ashamed” and are not “walking with cunning.” (2 Cor. 4:1, 2) But what if we were devious in word or action, thus causing a fellow believer to petition God for help? Then, too bad for us! “To Jehovah I called in the distress of mine, and he proceeded to answer me,” sang the psalmist. “O Jehovah, do deliver my soul from false lips, from the tricky tongue.” (Ps. 120:1, 2) It is good to remember that God can look into our very depths, “testing out heart and kidneys” to determine whether we are genuine integrity keepers.—Ps. 7:8, 9. w10 11/15 5:6, 7
Early in his ministry, in the Passover season of 30 C.E., Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem and saw in the temple “those selling cattle and sheep and doves and the money brokers in their seats.” What was Jesus’ response, and what impression did it make on his disciples? (John 2:13-17) What Jesus did and said on that occasion fittingly brought to the disciples’ mind the prophetic words of today’s text. Why? Because what Jesus did involved a great deal of risk and danger. After all, the temple authorities—the priests, the scribes, and others—were behind the scandalous profit-making business taking place there. To expose and disrupt their scheme, Jesus was pitting himself against the religious establishment of the day. As the disciples correctly assessed the situation, ‘zeal for God’s house,’ or zeal for true worship, was clearly in evidence. w10 12/15 1:7, 8
Handling anger calmly is not simply a matter of putting on a serene face. So do not bottle up anger and let it explode later. Pray for Jehovah’s help to rid your heart of hurtful feelings. Let Jehovah’s spirit transform your mind and heart to conform to his will. (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23, 24) Take practical steps. If you find yourself in a tense situation and you sense anger building inside you, it may help to leave the scene, thus giving your emotions time to settle. (Prov. 17:14) If the one with whom you are speaking starts to get angry, make an extra effort to speak graciously. A cutting or aggressive remark would add fuel to the fire even if it is delivered in a gentle voice. (Prov. 26:21) So when a situation tries your self-control, be “slow about speaking, slow about wrath.” Pray for Jehovah’s spirit to help you to say good things, not bad.—Jas. 1:19. w10 6/15 4:18, 19
In imitation of Jesus, elders today view meetings as opportunities to reassure fellow believers of the unfailing love that Jehovah has for his people. (Rom. 8:38, 39) Hence, in their meeting parts, elders focus on their brothers’ strengths, not on their weaknesses. They do not question their brothers’ motives. Rather, their expressions reveal that they view their fellow believers as individuals who love Jehovah and want to do what is right. (1 Thess. 4:1, 9-12) Of course, the elders may at times need to give corrective counsel to the congregation in general, but if just a few individuals need to be readjusted, such counsel is usually best given in a private conversation with those involved. (Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24-26) When addressing the entire congregation, elders strive to speak in such a way that at the end of the meeting, all in attendance are refreshed and energized.—Isa. 32:2; Acts 15:32. w10 10/15 4:16
‘Our own pain’ may result from the effects of certain past experiences in life. Mary, a Witness of Jehovah in her 30’s, writes: “I have every reason to be happy, but often my past brings up feelings of shame and disgust. Deep sadness results, and I tend to cry, as though everything happened yesterday. Ingrained memories still produce overwhelming feelings of worthlessness and guilt.” Many of God’s servants can identify with these feelings, but what can help to give them the strength needed in order to endure? “Genuine friends and a spiritual family now bring me happiness,” Mary says. “I also try to focus on what Jehovah promises for the future, and I have confidence that my cries for help will be turned into cries of joy.” (Ps. 126:5) We need to place our hope in God’s provision of his Son, his appointed Ruler, who promises to care for us.—Ps. 72:13, 14. w10 8/15 4:16-18
