MARCH 15, 2014

SIMPLIFIED EDITION

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How to Maintain How to Maintain a Honor the Aged Providing Care for
the Spirit of Positive Viewpoint Among You the Elderly
Self-Sacrifice PAGE 9 SONGS: 74, 119 PAGE 15 SONGS: 90, 135 PAGE 21 SONGS: 134, 29
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 STUDY ARTICLES
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How to Maintain the Spirit of Self-Sacrifice

We face an enemy that can weaken our self-sacrificing spirit.
This article will identify that enemy and show how we can
use the Bible to fight it.
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travel long distances to bring the A positive viewpoint can help us to endure in our worship of
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Jehovah. Why do some struggle with a negative viewpoint?
work on large cattle farms
This study will show us how we can use the Bible to main-
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tain a positive opinion of ourselves.
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23,192,500 Honor the Aged Among You

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How to Maintain
the Spirit of Self-Sacrifice
“If anyone wants to come after me, let him
disown himself.”—MATTHEW 16:24.

WHEN Jesus was on earth, he set a perfect example of HOW WOULD YOU
self-sacrifice. He put God’s will above his own desires ANSWER?
and comforts. (John 5:30) By remaining faithful to death ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

on the torture stake, he proved that there was no limit to How can we use the Bible
to check ourselves for selfish
what he was willing to sacrifice for others.—Philippians
tendencies?
2:8.
2 As followers of Jesus, we too need to show the spir-

it of self-sacrifice. What does it mean to have a self-

sacrificing spirit? It means that a person is willing to give ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

King Saul’s example gives us

up his own interests in order to help others. In a way, it
what warnings?
is the opposite of selfishness. (Read Matthew 16:24.) Be-
ing unselfish can help us to put the feelings and personal
preferences of others above our own. (Philippians 2:3, 4)
Jesus taught that unselfishness is at the heart of our wor- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ship. How so? Christian love motivates us to have a self- How did Peter show that
we can overcome selfish
sacrificing spirit. This love is what true disciples of Jesus tendencies?
are known for. (John 13:34, 35) Think of the blessings we
1. How did Jesus set a perfect example of self-sacrifice?
2. How can we have a spirit of self-sacrifice? Why should we have it?

MARCH 15, 2014 3

SOME A self-sacrificing spirit:
The strong desire to put Jehovah’s will first and to put
EXPRESSIONS the needs and preferences of others ahead of our own
EXPLAINED
have because we are part of a world-
wide brotherhood that shows the
spirit of self-sacrifice!
3Still, we face an enemy that can
slowly weaken our self-sacrificing
spirit. That enemy is our tendency
to be selfish. Think about how Adam
and Eve were selfish. Eve showed a
selfish desire to be like God, and her
husband showed a selfish desire to
please her. (Genesis 3:5, 6) After turn-
ing Adam and Eve away from true
worship, the Devil continued to tempt
people to be selfish. He even tried
this with Jesus. (Matthew 4:1-9) In
our day, Satan has been successful
in misleading most people, and he in-
fluences them to show selfishness in
many ways. If we are not careful, the
selfish attitude of this world could af-
fect us too.—Ephesians 2:2.
4Selfishness may be compared to
rust. If an iron object is exposed to
air and water, it might begin to rust.
Ignoring rust is very dangerous be-
cause if it is allowed to spread, it can
cause a structure to collapse. Simi-
larly, although we cannot remove our
imperfection and selfish tendencies,
we must continue fighting these ten-
dencies. If we are not careful, our
3. What might weaken our self-sacrificing
spirit?
4. (a) Can we remove selfish tendencies? Ex-
plain. (b) What questions will we discuss?
4 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
We can use
the Bible to check
our personality
self-sacrificing spirit will be ruined.
(1 Corinthians 9:26, 27) How can we
recognize signs of selfishness in our-
selves? And how can we improve our
self-sacrificing attitude?
USE THE BIBLE TO CHECK
FOR SELFISHNESS
5Just as we can use a mirror to
check how we look, we can use the Bi-
ble to check our personality and cor-
rect any flaws we might find. (Read
James 1:22-25.) However, a mirror
will help us with our appearance only
if we use it properly. For example, if
we look at a mirror too quickly, we
might not notice a small but serious
flaw in our appearance. Or if we look
into a mirror from an angle, we might
see the image of someone else. In the
same way, to use the Bible to check
ourselves for a problem such as self-
ishness, we should do more than just
read it quickly or use it to see some-
one else’s flaws.
5. (a) How is the Bible like a mirror? (See
opening picture.) (b) When checking ourselves
for selfishness, what must we avoid?
 6 For example, we could read God’s
Word every day and still not see self-
ish tendencies that are growing inside
us. How is that possible? Think about
this: In the illustration of the man who
“looks at himself” in the mirror, James
used a Greek word that means care-
ful examination. So the man was look-
ing carefully in the mirror, but there
still was a problem. James continued:
“He goes away and immediately for-
gets what sort of person he is.” Yes, he
turned away from the mirror without
doing anything about what he saw. In
contrast, the successful man not only
“peers into the perfect law” but also
“continues in it.” So instead of forget-
ting the perfect law of God’s Word, he
“continues in it,” or continues to fol-
low its teachings. Jesus made a similar
point when he said: “If you remain in
my word, you are really my disciples.”
—John 8:31.
7So to fight against selfish tenden-
cies, you must first read God’s Word
carefully. That may help you to see
what you need to improve. But you
need to do more than that. Do some
research. When you are reading a Bi-
ble account, imagine that you were
there. Ask questions such as: ‘How
would I have acted in this situation?
Would I have acted in the right way?’
Most important, after you meditate
on what you have read, do your best to
apply it. (Matthew 7:24, 25) Let us see
how the accounts of King Saul and
the apostle Peter can help us to main-
tain a spirit of self-sacrifice.
6. How do we continue in the perfect law?
7. How can we use the Bible to check for selfish
tendencies?
MARCH 15, 2014
KING SAUL’S WARNING EXAMPLE
8King Saul is a warning for us
about how selfishness can ruin our
spirit of self-sacrifice. When Saul be-
gan ruling as king, he had a mod-
est and humble opinion of himself.
(1 Samuel 9:21) He humbly chose not
to punish some Israelites who spoke
badly about his rule, even though
they were challenging the authority
God had given him. (1 Samuel 10:27)
King Saul accepted the guidance of
God’s spirit by leading Israel in a suc-
cessful battle against the Ammonites.
Afterward, he humbly gave Jehovah
the credit for the victory.—1 Samuel
11:6, 11-13.
We should not focus
only on what we
are doing well and
ignore the things we
need to improve
9Later, Saul allowed selfish think-
ing and pride to grow in his heart, just
like rust that weakens metal. When
he defeated the Amalekites in battle,
he cared more about his own desires
than about obeying Jehovah. Saul
greedily kept the Amalekites’ posses-
sions instead of destroying them as
God had commanded. Saul was so
proud that he even had a monument
8. When Saul began ruling as king, what atti-
tude did he have? How did he show this atti-
tude?
9. How did Saul start to become selfish?
5
 After being corrected, how did Peter react? Would we react the same way?
(See paragraph 15)

built for himself. (1 Samuel 15:3, 9,
12) When the prophet Samuel told
him that Jehovah was displeased,
Saul made excuses and focused on
the part of Jehovah’s command that
he did obey. He even blamed oth-
ers for his error. (1 Samuel 15:16-21)
Pride made Saul care more about his
reputation than his friendship with
God. (1 Samuel 15:30) How can
we use Saul’s example as a mirror
to help us keep the spirit of self-
sacrifice?
10First, Saul’s experience teaches
us not to become too confident in our-
selves. A self-sacrificing spirit does
not come automatically, so we must
constantly work on it. (1 Timothy 4:
10) Remember that Saul started off
10, 11. (a) What does Saul’s experience teach
us about maintaining a self-sacrificing spirit?
(b) How can we avoid following Saul’s bad ex-
ample?
well and pleased God for a while, but
he did not work hard to remove self-
ish tendencies that he began to have.
Eventually, Jehovah rejected Saul for
his disobedience.
11Second, we should not focus
only on what we are doing well and ig-
nore the things we need to improve.
This would be like using a mirror to
admire our new clothes while not no-
ticing some dirt on our face. Even
if we are not proud or overly confi-
dent as Saul was, we should avoid any
tendency that could make us follow
his bad example. If we receive coun-
sel, let us not be like Saul and make
excuses or blame someone else. It is
much better to accept counsel willing-
ly.—Read Psalm 141:5.
12However, what if we were to
12. How could the spirit of self-sacrifice help
us if we were to commit a serious sin?

6 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
commit a serious sin? Saul wanted to
save his reputation, and this kept him
from repairing his friendship with Je-
hovah. In contrast, a spirit of self-
sacrifice could motivate us to get
help no matter how embarrassed we
You too can use
persecution as an
opportunity to
be self-sacrificing
like Jesus
may feel. (Proverbs 28:13; James 5:14-
16) For example, one brother began
viewing pornography at the age of 12,
and he continued to do so secretly for
more than ten years. He says: “It was
very hard to admit to my wife and to
the elders what I’d been doing. But
now that I have admitted it, I feel that
a huge weight has been taken off my
shoulders. Some of my friends were
disappointed when I was removed as
a ministerial servant, as if I had let
them down. Yet, I know that Jehovah
is more pleased with my service now
than when I was watching pornogra-
phy, and his view is the one that real-
ly matters.”
PETER’S ENCOURAGING EXAMPLE
13The apostle Peter was self-
sacrificing while he was being trained
by Jesus. (Luke 5:3-11) But he still had
to fight selfish tendencies. For exam-
13, 14. How did Peter show selfish tenden-
cies?
MARCH 15, 2014
ple, he became angry when the apos-
tles James and John asked Jesus for
honored positions in the Kingdom of
God. Maybe Peter thought that he
should get one of those positions be-
cause Jesus had already said that Pe-
ter would have a special role. (Mat-
thew 16:18, 19) Jesus warned James,
John, Peter, and the rest of the apos-
tles not to be selfish and act as if they
were better than their brothers.—Mark
10:35-45.
14Even after Jesus tried to correct
Peter’s thinking, Peter still showed
selfish tendencies. When Jesus told
the apostles that they would aban-
don him for a short time, Peter made
the others look bad by saying that he
would be the only one to stay faith-
ful. (Matthew 26:31-33) He should not
have been so confident in himself, be-
cause that same night, Peter failed to
be self-sacrificing. He protected him-
self and denied knowing Jesus three
times.—Matthew 26:69-75.
‘Why do I want to improve
or do more for Jehovah?’
15 Even though at times Peter strug-
gled and failed, his example encour-
ages us. Because of his own effort and
the help of God’s holy spirit, Peter
was able to overcome his selfish ten-
dencies. He later showed self-control
and self-sacrificing love. (Galatians 5:
22, 23) He endured many trials that
he might not have been able to en-
dure before. For example, when Paul
15. Why does Peter’s example encourage us?
7
gave Peter strong counsel in front of
other people, Peter kept a humble atti-
tude. (Galatians 2:11-14) After receiv-
ing that counsel, Peter did not hold
a grudge and feel that his reputation
was damaged. He continued to speak
about Paul as his “beloved brother.”
(2 Peter 3:15) Peter’s example helps us
to improve our spirit of self-sacrifice.
16 Think about how you react in dif-
ficult circumstances. When Peter and
the apostles were thrown in prison
and beaten because of their preach-
ing, they were happy “to be dishon-
ored” as followers of Jesus. (Acts 5:41)
Remember that we
all are imperfect
You too can use persecution as an op-
portunity to imitate Peter and be self-
sacrificing like Jesus. (Read 1 Peter 2:
20, 21.) This attitude could even help
if you received discipline from the el-
ders. Instead of becoming offended,
follow Peter’s example.—Ecclesiastes
7:9.
17 Peter’s example can also help you
to set goals in your worship to Jeho-
vah. You can work toward these goals
in a self-sacrificing way. But be care-
ful that you do not set goals because
you want to be important. Ask your-
self: ‘Why do I want to improve or do
more for Jehovah? Is it because I want
16. How can we be self-sacrificing in difficult
situations?
17, 18. (a) What questions could we ask about
our goals? (b) What can we do if we notice a
selfish tendency in our heart?
8 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
praise from others or more authority,
as James and John wanted?’
18 If you notice selfishness growing
in your heart, ask Jehovah to help you
to correct your thinking and feelings.
Then work harder for Jehovah’s glo-
ry and not your own. (Psalm 86:11)
You can also set goals that will not
bring attention to yourself. For exam-
ple, you can try to improve in showing
a quality of the fruitage of the spirit
that is difficult for you. Or if you work
hard to prepare your meeting parts
but do not like to clean the Kingdom
Hall, you could set a goal to apply the
advice at Romans 12:16.—Read.
19When we look carefully at our-
selves in the mirror of God’s Word
and see flaws or selfish tendencies,
we might become discouraged. If that
ever happens to you, remember the
successful man in James’ illustration.
James did not mention how quickly
the man fixed the problems he saw or
even that he was able to correct every
flaw. But James did say that the man
continued in “the perfect law.” (James
1:25) The man remembered what he
saw in the mirror and kept work-
ing to improve himself. So keep a pos-
itive view of yourself, and remem-
ber that we all are imperfect. (Read
Ecclesiastes 7:20.) Jehovah is willing
to help you in the same way that he
has helped so many of your brothers.
If you follow the teachings in the Bi-
ble and continue to show the spirit of
self-sacrifice, you will have God’s ap-
proval and blessing.
19. What can we do so that we do not become
discouraged by what we see in the mirror of
God’s Word?
How to Maintain
a Positive Viewpoint
“If a man should live many years, let him enjoy
them all.”—ECCLESIASTES 11:8.

JEHOVAH wants us to be happy, and he gives us so many HOW WOULD YOU

blessings that should bring us happiness. For one thing, ANSWER?
he has given us life. We can use our life to praise him, be- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

cause God has drawn us to true worship. (Psalm 144:15; What can make it difficult to
John 6:44) Jehovah assures us of his love, and he helps keep a positive viewpoint?
us so that we do not give up in our service to him. (Jer-
emiah 31:3; 2 Corinthians 4:16) We enjoy the spiritual
paradise, which includes true peace and unity, a loving ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

brotherhood, and regular reminders of Jehovah’s love for How can we use the Bible to
us. In addition to that, we have a precious hope for the fu- keep a positive viewpoint?
ture.
2Even though we have these reasons for happiness,
some faithful servants of God struggle with negative
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
thoughts about themselves. They may feel that Jehovah
How can the examples of the
does not value them or their service to him. Those who
poor widow, Elijah, and the
have constant negative feelings may think that the idea of writer of Psalm 102 help us to
enjoying “many years” is just a dream. Life may feel like develop a positive viewpoint?
one dark day after another.—Ecclesiastes 11:8.
1. What blessings from Jehovah can help us to be happy?
2. What do some faithful servants of God struggle with?

MARCH 15, 2014 9

 3Such negative feelings may be
caused by disappointments, illness,
or getting older. (Psalm 71:9; Prov-
erbs 13:12; Ecclesiastes 7:7) Also, we
must realize that our heart is “treach-
erous” and that it can make us feel
guilty even when God may be pleased
with us. (Jeremiah 17:9; 1 John 3:20)
The Devil spreads lies about God’s
servants. Satan moved Eliphaz to say
that we are worthless to God. That
was a lie in Job’s day, and it still is to-
day.—Job 4:18, 19.
4 In the Scriptures, Jehovah assures
us that he will be with those who
struggle with negative thoughts.
(Psalm 23:4) One way he is with us
is by means of his Word. The Bible
is “powerful by God for overturn-
ing strongly entrenched things.” This
means that it can change wrong or
negative ideas about ourselves. (2 Co-
rinthians 10:4, 5) So let us discuss
how we can use the Bible to help us
develop and maintain a positive view-
point. You may personally benefit
from this and also find ways to en-
courage others.
USE THE BIBLE TO DEVELOP
A POSITIVE VIEWPOINT
5The apostle described some
things that may help us to develop a
positive viewpoint. He counseled the
congregation in Corinth: “Keep test-
ing whether you are in the faith.”
(2 Corinthians 13:5) “The faith” is the
entire collection of Christian beliefs
3. What may cause negative feelings?
4. What will we discuss in this article?
5. What test can help us to have a positive
viewpoint?
10
revealed in the Bible. If we say and do
what the Bible teaches, then we pass
this test and show that we are “in the
faith.” Of course, we cannot pick and
choose which beliefs we will follow.
We must obey all the Christian teach-
ings in the Bible.—James 2:10, 11.
6You might not want to take that
test, especially if you think that you
might fail. Yet, Jehovah’s opinion of
us is more important than our own,
because he knows much more than
we do. (Isaiah 55:8, 9) He examines
his worshippers, not to condemn
them, but to find their good quali-
ties and to help them. When you use
God’s Word to test yourself to see
Jehovah’s opinion of
us is more important
than our own
“whether you are in the faith,” you
will begin to understand how God
feels about you. This can help you
to avoid thinking that you are worth-
less and help you to remember God’s
view: You are precious in his eyes. Re-
membering this can be like opening
the curtains to let the sunshine into a
dark room.
7 A good way to test ourselves is to
meditate on the example of faithful
people mentioned in the Bible. Com-
pare their circumstances or feelings
6. Why should we test whether we are “in the
faith”? (See opening picture.)
7. How can the example of faithful people
mentioned in the Bible help us?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
SOME To have a positive viewpoint:
It includes having a proper opinion of ourselves. To know that
EXPRESSIONS Jehovah values us and appreciates our service to him
EXPLAINED
with yours, and see what you might
have done in their situation. Let us
look at three examples that illustrate
how you can use the Bible to confirm
that you are “in the faith.” This will
also help you to develop a positive
view of yourself.
THE POOR WIDOW
8At the temple in Jerusalem, Je-
sus watched a poor widow. Her ex-
ample can help us to maintain a pos-
itive viewpoint even if we cannot do
everything that we would like to do.
(Read Luke 21:1-4.) Think about her
circumstances. First of all, she had
to endure the pain of losing her hus-
band. At the same time, the religious
leaders were greedy and stole from
widows like her, instead of helping
them. (Luke 20:47) She was so poor
that the best contribution she could
give to the temple was the same as
what a worker could earn in just a few
minutes.
9Try to imagine how the widow
might have felt as she entered the
temple courtyard holding only two
small coins. Would she be thinking
about how small her contribution was
compared with what she would have
given when her husband was alive?
8, 9. (a) What were the circumstances of the
poor widow? (b) What negative feelings might
the widow have had?
MARCH 15, 2014
When she saw the large donations
of others, would she be embarrassed
and feel that her contribution was
worthless? Even if she had such feel-
ings, she still gave what she had in or-
der to support true worship.
You prove that you
are “in the faith”
when you do all you
can for Jehovah
10Jesus said that the widow and
her contribution were valuable to Je-
hovah. He said that she gave more
than all the rich people gave. Her
contribution would be mixed in with
what others gave, but Jesus espe-
cially appreciated her gift to Jehovah.
Those who counted the temple con-
tributions would never know how im-
portant those two small coins were to
Jehovah or how precious the widow
was to him. Still, God’s opinion was
the one that really mattered, not what
other people thought or even how the
widow felt about herself. Can you use
this account to test “whether you are
in the faith”?
10. How did Jesus show that the widow was
valuable to God?
11
 What do you learn from the example of the poor widow?
(See paragraphs 8-10)
11Your circumstances may affect
what you can give to Jehovah. Be-
cause of age or health problems, some
are not able to spend as much time
preaching as they would like. Should
they feel that their field service time
is not worth reporting? Even if you
are younger or have good health,
you might feel that your efforts are
only a small part of the many hours
that God’s people spend in worship-
ping him. The story of the poor wid-
ow teaches us that Jehovah notices
and treasures every little thing we do
for him, especially when our circum-
11. What can you learn from the account of the
widow?
12
stances are difficult. Think about your
worship to Jehovah during the past
year. Did one of the hours you spent
serving Jehovah require you to make
a great sacrifice? If so, you can be sure
that he values what you did for him
during that hour. You prove that you
are “in the faith” when you imitate the
poor widow and do all you can for
Jehovah.
“TAKE MY LIFE AWAY”
12The prophet Elijah was loyal to
Jehovah and had strong faith. Yet, at
one point he felt so disappointed that
12-14. (a) What negative feelings did Elijah
have? (b) Why might Elijah have felt as he did?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
he asked Jehovah to put him to death,
saying: “It is enough! Now, O Jeho-
vah, take my life away.” (1 Kings 19:4)
Those who have never felt so desper-
ate might think that Elijah’s prayer
was just “wild talk.” (Job 6:3) But his
feelings were real. Note that rather
than becoming angry with Elijah, Je-
hovah helped him.
13Why did Elijah have such feel-
ings? Shortly before this, Elijah per-
formed a miracle that proved that
Jehovah is the true God. After this
miracle, 450 prophets of Baal were ex-
ecuted. (1 Kings 18:37-40) Elijah likely
hoped that God’s people would now
return to pure worship, but that did
not happen. Wicked Queen Jezebel
sent a message to Elijah that she was
going to kill him. Fearing for his life,
Elijah ran south from Israel across
the land of Judah into the wilderness.
—1 Kings 19:2-4.
14 While Elijah was alone in the wil-
derness, he began to think that his
work as a prophet was for nothing. He
told Jehovah: “I am no better than my
forefathers.” He felt as useless as the
dust and bones of his dead ancestors.
In his opinion, he was a failure and
had no value to Jehovah or to anyone
else.
15But the Almighty had a differ-
ent opinion of Elijah. Elijah remained
valuable to Jehovah, and he made sure
that Elijah knew that. God sent an an-
gel to strengthen him. Jehovah also
gave Elijah food and drink that would
help him endure his 40-day trip south
to Mount Horeb. When Elijah felt that
15. How did God show Elijah that He still val-
ued him?
MARCH 15, 2014
no other Israelites had remained faith-
ful to Jehovah, God kindly corrected
his wrong idea. Notice, too, that Je-
hovah gave Elijah new assignments,
which he accepted. Elijah was helped
by Jehovah, and as a result, he had
new energy and returned to his work
as a prophet.—1 Kings 19:5-8, 15-19.
16You can use Elijah’s experience
to confirm that you are “in the faith”
and to develop a positive attitude.
First, think of the ways Jehovah has
supported you. Has an elder or anoth-
er mature Christian given you help at
the right time? (Galatians 6:2) Have
the Bible, our Christian publications,
and the meetings helped you to feel
that Jehovah cares about you? The
next time you are helped in one of
these ways, think about where this
help really comes from, and remem-
ber to thank Jehovah in prayer.—Psalm
121:1, 2.
17Second, remember that a nega-
tive viewpoint can mislead us. God’s
opinion of us is what really matters.
(Read Romans 14:4.) Jehovah values
our devotion and our faithfulness to
him. Our value to Jehovah does not
depend on how much we do for him.
It could be that, like Elijah, you have
done more for Jehovah than you re-
alize. You have probably helped oth-
ers in the congregation without know-
ing it. And people in the territory may
have heard the truth because of your
hard work.
18 Finally, think of each assignment
16. How has Jehovah strengthened you?
17. What does Jehovah value in his servants?
18. What does your assignment from Jehovah
prove?
13
from Jehovah as proof that he is
pleased with you. (Jeremiah 20:11)
Like Elijah, you might be discour-
aged if your service seems unsuccess-
ful or if goals in your service to Je-
hovah seem impossible to reach. Yet,
Our value to Jehovah
does not depend
on how much we
do for him
you still have the greatest honor that
any of us can have. This is the hon-
or to preach the good news and to be
called one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. So
stay faithful to Jehovah. Then, as Jesus
said, you will be able to “enter into the
joy of your master.”—Matthew 25:23.
THE “PRAYER OF THE OPPRESSED ONE”
19 The writer of Psalm 102 was des-
perate. He was “oppressed,” that is,
he was suffering great physical or
emotional pain. He was also “in de-
spair,” which meant that he did not
have the strength to endure his prob-
lems. (Psalm 102, superscription) All
he could think about was his pain,
his loneliness, and his own feelings.
(Psalm 102:3, 4, 6, 11) He believed
that Jehovah wanted to throw him
away.—Psalm 102:10.
20Yet, the psalmist could still use
his life to praise Jehovah. (Read Psalm
102:19-21.) Psalm 102 shows us that
19. How did the writer of Psalm 102 feel?
20. How can prayer help someone who is fight-
ing negative thoughts?
14
even those who are “in the faith” can
be in pain and may not be able to
think about anything else. “Like a
solitary bird on a roof,” the psalm-
ist felt lonely, as if he were surround-
ed only by problems. (Psalm 102:7) If
you ever feel that way, pour out your
heart to Jehovah, as the psalmist did.
Your prayers can help you to fight neg-
ative thoughts. Jehovah promises that
“he will pay attention to the prayer of
the destitute; he will not despise
their prayer.” (Psalm 102:17) Trust his
promise.
21Psalm 102 also shows how you
can get a more positive viewpoint.
The psalmist chose to think about his
friendship with Jehovah. (Psalm 102:
12, 27) He was comforted to know
that Jehovah would always be there to
help His people to endure trials. So
if you are discouraged and this keeps
you from doing as much as you want
to in God’s service, pray about it.
Ask God to hear your prayer not only
so that you will find relief from your
problem but also “so that the name
of Jehovah will be declared.”—Psalm
102:20, 21.
22 Yes, we can use the Bible to prove
to ourselves that we are “in the faith”
and are valuable to Jehovah. It is true
that in Satan’s world we may not be
able to get rid of all negative feelings
or discouragement. However, all of us
can please Jehovah and have everlast-
ing life if we faithfully endure in his
service.—Matthew 24:13.
21. If we become discouraged, how can we get
a more positive viewpoint?
22. How can each of us please Jehovah?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Honor the Aged Among You
“You must show honor to an older man.”
—LEVITICUS 19:32.

JEHOVAH never wanted humans to suffer, become weak, HOW WOULD YOU
and grow old. His purpose was that men and women en- ANSWER?
joy perfect health in Paradise. But now “all creation keeps ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

on groaning together and being in pain.” (Romans 8:22) How does Jehovah feel about
How do you think God feels when he sees humans suffer faithful older ones?
the tragic results of sin? It is sad to see that many elderly
ones are neglected at a time when they need more assis-
tance.—Psalm 39:5; 2 Timothy 3:3.
2Jehovah’s people are grateful that there are elderly ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ones in the congregations. We benefit from their wisdom, What responsibilities do adult
children have toward their
and we want to follow their example of faith. Many of us parents?
are related to these dear older ones. Yet, whether we are
related to elderly brothers and sisters or not, we want to
make sure that they are well cared for. (Galatians 6:10;
1 Peter 1:22) It will benefit all of us to examine how God
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
feels about the elderly. We will also discuss the responsi-
How can congregations honor
bilities of family members and the congregation to care older brothers and sisters?
for our dear older ones.
1. What sad situation do humans face today?
2. Why are Christians very grateful to have elderly ones in the congre-
gations?

MARCH 15, 2014 15

SOME Material needs:
Things that people need in order to continue living, such as
EXPRESSIONS food, clothing, and a place to live. These could also include
EXPLAINED daily tasks, such as shopping, going to the doctor, or cooking
a meal
“DO NOT CAST ME OFF”
3Psalm 71:9 says: “Do not cast me
off in my old age; do not abandon me
when my strength fails.” It was prob-
ably David who wrote these words.
He served God his entire life, and Je-
hovah used him to do great things.
(1 Samuel 17:33-37, 50; 1 Kings 2:1-3,
10) Although he had done so much
for Jehovah, David had grown old and
felt the need to ask Jehovah to take
care of him.—Read Psalm 71:17, 18.
4Many today are like David. Even
though they are getting older and face
“days of distress,” they do their best
to praise God. (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7)
Many of them may not be able to do
as much as they did before, even in
the ministry. But they too can beg Je-
hovah to continue to bless and take
care of them. Such faithful older ones
can be sure that God will answer their
prayers. We know this because Jeho-
vah inspired David to pray about the
same reasonable concerns.
5Jehovah greatly values faithful
older ones and expects his servants
to honor them. (Psalm 22:24-26; Prov-
3, 4. (a) What sincere request did the writer
of Psalm 71 make to Jehovah? (b) What can
elderly members of the congregation ask God
to do?
5. How does Jehovah feel about faithful older
ones?
16
erbs 16:31; 20:29) Leviticus 19:32
says: “Before gray hair you should rise
up, and you must show honor to an
older man, and you must be in fear
of your God. I am Jehovah.” Yes, hon-
oring the older ones in the congrega-
tion was a serious responsibility when
those words were written, and it still
is today. But whose responsibility is it
to care for them?
Jehovah greatly values
faithful older ones and
expects his servants
to honor them
THE FAMILY’S RESPONSIBILITY
6 God’s Word tells us: “Honor your
father and your mother.” (Exodus 20:
12; Ephesians 6:2) Jesus showed that
this commandment is very impor-
tant when he condemned the Phari-
sees and scribes who refused to care
for their parents. (Mark 7:5, 10-13) Je-
sus himself set a good example. Even
when he was on the torture stake,
he was concerned about his mother,
who was probably a widow. He made
6. What example did Jesus set in caring for his
mother?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
sure that his dear friend and disciple
John would take care of her.—John 19:
26, 27.
7In his letter to Timothy, the apos-
tle Paul wrote that Christians should
take care of their own families.
(Read 1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 16.) He men-
tioned this principle while discuss-
ing who could receive financial sup-
port from the congregation. Paul said
that Christian children, grandchil-
dren, and other relatives had the main
responsibility to care for elderly wid-
ows. By doing this, there would be no
unnecessary expense for the congre-
gation. Today, too, we prove that we
love God by making sure that our rel-
atives have what they need.
8Adult children should make sure
that their parents are well cared for.
Paul was talking about helping “be-
lieving” relatives, but parents who are
not members of the Christian con-
gregation should also not be neglect-
ed. Family situations are not all the
same, so each family must make its
own decisions about how care is pro-
vided. Each person’s health, needs,
and personality is different. Some old-
er ones have many children, but oth-
ers have just one child. Some can get
support from the government; others
cannot. Also, those needing care have
different preferences. It would not be
wise or loving to criticize the choices
of our brothers who are trying their
best to care for aged relatives. Jehovah
can bless any decision that is based
7. (a) What principle about families did Paul
mention? (b) What did Paul also discuss?
8. Why does the Bible not give specific instruc-
tions about caring for elderly parents?
MARCH 15, 2014
on the Bible. He can make our deci-
sions work, just as he has done for
his people since ancient times.—Num-
bers 11:23.
Adult children should
make sure that
their parents are
well cared for
9When parents and children live
far apart, it can be difficult to give
elderly parents the help they need.
Children may suddenly have to visit
Mom and Dad because of a fall, a bro-
ken bone, or some other serious prob-
lem. After that, parents may need as-
sistance for a little while or even for a
long time.—See footnote.
10Those in the full-time service
who have assignments far from home
may have to make very difficult de-
cisions. Bethelites, missionaries, and
traveling overseers feel that their as-
signment is a precious blessing from
Jehovah. Still, if their parents get
sick, their first reaction might be, ‘We
need to leave our assignment and re-
turn home to take care of our par-
ents.’ However, it is wise to pray and
think about what parents really need
or want. No one should be quick to
The following article will discuss some of the op-
tions that may be available to the elderly and their
children.
9-11. (a) What difficult decisions may some
have to make? (See opening picture.) (b) Why
should adult children not be quick to leave the
full-time service? Give an example.
17
give up an assignment from Jehovah,
and it may not always be necessary.
Could the health problem be tempo-
rary? Would some in the parents’ con-
gregation be happy to help the old-
er ones and allow their children to
continue in their assignment?—Prov-
erbs 21:5.

All should make sure

that their decisions
honor Jehovah
11 For example, an elderly couple in
East Asia had two sons who served far
from home. One was a missionary in
South America, and the other worked
at world headquarters, in Brooklyn,
New York. When their parents need-
ed help, the sons and their wives
went home to see what could be done.
If an accident happens, how can
The missionary couple were serious- the congregation help?
ly thinking about leaving their assign- (See paragraphs 15, 16)

ment to take care of their parents.

Then they received a telephone call
from the elders in the parents’ con-
gregation. The elders had discussed
the situation and wanted the mission-
aries to stay in their assignment as
long as possible. They appreciated the
couple’s service and offered to help
them care for their parents. Imagine
how all in the family appreciated the
elders’ loving help!
12Whatever a Christian family de-
cides to do to care for the needs of
elderly parents, all should make sure
12. When deciding how to care for the elderly,
what should a Christian family make sure of?
that their decisions honor God’s
name. We never want to be like the re-
ligious leaders in Jesus’ day. (Matthew
15:3-6) Instead, we want to honor Je-
hovah and the congregation.—2 Co-
rinthians 6:3.
THE CONGREGATION’S
RESPONSIBILITY
13Not all can help full-time ser-
vants as did the congregation men-
tioned above. But the Bible shows that
congregations should do everything
13, 14. How does the Bible show that congre-
gations should help care for elderly members?

18 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
they can to help faithful older ones.
In the Jerusalem congregation in the
first century, “no one was in need
among them.” This does not mean
that all were rich. It actually seems
that some had very little, but “dis-
tribution would be made to each one
according to his need.” (Acts 4:34,
35) Later, though, there was a serious
problem in that congregation. Some
widows were not receiving “the daily
distribution” of food. So, what did the
apostles do? They assigned responsi-
ble men to make sure that the widows
were treated fairly and given enough
food. (Acts 6:1-5) This was necessary
because at the time of Pentecost in the
year 33, many foreign visitors became
Christians and stayed in Jerusalem to
strengthen their faith. So even though
the distribution of food was just tem-
porary, the apostles’ decision shows
that congregations can help care for
the needs of faithful older brothers
and sisters.
14Paul explained to Timothy when
it would be appropriate for the con-
gregation to help Christian widows
with their material needs. (1 Timothy
5:3-16) James was inspired to write
that Christians have the responsibili-
ty to care for orphans, widows, and
others who suffer hard times. (James
1:27; 2:15-17) The apostle John too
explained: “Whoever has the materi-
al possessions of this world and sees
his brother in need and yet refuses to
show him compassion, in what way
does the love of God remain in him?”
(1 John 3:17) So if individual Chris-
tians have the responsibility to care
for those in need, then congregations
have this responsibility too.
MARCH 15, 2014
15In some countries, the govern-
ment may help the elderly by pro-
viding pensions and other programs.
(Romans 13:6) In other places, such
programs are not available. So how
much care relatives and congrega-
tions need to give will depend on the
situation. If believing children live far
from their parents, it may affect how
much the children can do. The chil-
dren need to communicate with the
elders of their parents’ congregation
to make sure that all understand the
family’s circumstances. For example,
the elders may be able to help the
Some in the
congregation have
volunteered their time
and energy to help
in any way they can
parents find out what assistance the
government can give to older ones.
They may also notice things that the
children need to know about, such as
important letters that have not been
opened or medicine that the parents
have not taken. If the children and
the elders communicate openly and
clearly, they may be able to find solu-
tions. When there is someone nearby
to help or give advice to family mem-
bers who live far away, this can pre-
vent a situation from getting worse,
and the family may worry less.
15. What can affect the care that may be need-
ed for elderly brothers and sisters?
19
 16 Because they love these dear old-
er ones, some Christians have volun-
teered their time and energy to help
in any way they can. They treat such
ones like their own family. To care for
older ones, some take turns with oth-
ers in the congregation. Even though
they personally cannot be in the full-
time service, these caring brothers
and sisters may be able to help the
children to stay in their assignments.
Such brothers have an excellent atti-
tude! Of course, no matter how much
others help, children still have the re-
sponsibility to do what they can for
their parents.
HONOR OLDER ONES
WITH ENCOURAGING WORDS
17Older ones and those who care
for them can make a difficult situa-
tion easier when they keep a positive
“I went to encourage
an older friend,
but I left feeling
encouraged myself”
attitude. Sometimes growing old can
cause a person to become discour-
aged or even depressed. So special
effort may be needed to honor and
encourage older brothers and sisters.
How can you do this? Keep conversa-
tions with them positive. These dear
16. What have some Christians done to help
older ones in the congregation?
17, 18. What attitude will make caregiving
pleasant?
20
ones have remained faithful to Jeho-
vah and should be commended. Jeho-
vah does not forget all that they have
done to serve him, and neither do we.
—Read Malachi 3:16; Hebrews 6:10.
Our faith in God’s
promises keeps us strong
during difficult times
18Daily tasks will be much easi-
er when everybody has a good sense
of humor. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4) Also,
many older ones try their best not to
be demanding. They understand that
they may receive more attention and
visits if they are kind. Many who vis-
it older ones often say, “I went to
encourage an older friend, but I left
feeling encouraged myself.”—Prov-
erbs 15:13; 17:22.
19 We look forward to the day when
old age, suffering, and imperfection
will end. Until that time, God’s ser-
vants must focus on their hope for a
future that will last forever. Our faith
in God’s promises keeps us strong
during difficult times. Because we
have faith, “we do not give up, but
even if the man we are outside is wast-
ing away, certainly the man we are
inside is being renewed from day to
day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Hebrews
6:18, 19) What else can help those
who have the responsibility to care for
older ones? Some helpful suggestions
will be discussed in the next article.
19. What can help young and old to stay strong
during difficult times?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Providing Care for
the Elderly
“Little children, we should love, not in word or
with the tongue, but in deed and truth.”—1 JOHN 3:18.

IT CAN be very painful to realize that your parents, who HOW WOULD YOU
used to be strong and independent, can no longer take ANSWER?
care of themselves. You may hear that Mom or Dad has ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

fallen and broken a hip, has become confused and wan- How can parents and their
dered off, or has been diagnosed with a serious illness. On adult children prepare for
“the days of distress”?
the other hand, it can also be painful for older ones to ac-
cept changes in their health or circumstances, especially
when this limits their independence. (Job 14:1) What can
we do to help? How can they be cared for? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 An article on care for the elderly said that even though When may parents need
more help from their
it can be difficult to talk about the problems of aging, fam- children?
ilies who plan ahead will be better prepared to make the
right choices when health-care decisions have to be made.
We must realize that the problems of old age cannot be
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

avoided. That is why it is so important to prepare as a What practical help can you
family. How can families lovingly work together to make give to someone who is caring
these difficult decisions? for an elderly parent?

1, 2. (a) What difficult challenges and questions do many families

face? (b) How can parents and children be prepared for changing cir-
cumstances?

MARCH 15, 2014 21

SOME EXPRESSIONS EXPLAINED
Caregiver:
Someone who provides
care for the elderly. He or
she may provide medical
care and help with daily
chores
Advance Medical
Directive:
A document that explains
what medical treatment
you accept or refuse
Health Care Proxy:
A document that allows
another person to make
medical decisions for you
if you are unable to make
those decisions yourself.
Sometimes, Health Care
Proxy information is includ-
ed in an Advance Medical
Directive

PLANNING FOR “DAYS OF DISTRESS”

3The time comes when most par-
ents are no longer able to take care
of themselves and need help. (Read
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7.) When this hap-
pens, elderly parents and their chil-
dren should decide together what
care would be best and what they can
afford. It is wise to have a family meet-
ing and discuss what kind of help is
needed, how this help will be given,
and how everyone can cooperate. All
should do their best to be realistic and
communicate openly. Can the parents
continue living safely on their own?
(See footnote.) Talk about what each
one can do so that parents receive the
care they need. (Proverbs 24:6) Some
may help by providing daily care, and
others may be able to help by pay-
ing for health-care expenses. Every-
In some cultures, it is normal for parents to live
with their adult children, and this may be what is
preferred.
3. What may families have to do when elderly
parents begin to need more help? (See opening
picture.)
Pour out your heart
to Jehovah, who can
give you the peace
you need
one should know what his role is, but
as time goes on, duties may change
and family members may need to take
turns caring for different responsibili-
ties.
4 As you begin caregiving, take time
to learn as much as you can about your
parent’s illness. If he or she has an ill-
ness that will continue to get worse,
learn what you can expect to hap-
pen next. (Proverbs 1:5) Contact gov-
ernment offices in your area that pro-
vide services for the elderly. Find out
what programs can help your parents
to receive better care or can make your
caregiving easier. As you think about
4. As circumstances change, where can family
members find help?

22 SIMPLIFIED EDITION
these difficult changes, you may be-
gin to have some unpleasant feelings,
such as deep sadness, shock, or con-
fusion. At these times, you can share
your thoughts with a friend you trust.
Most important, pour out your heart
to Jehovah. He can give you the peace
you need to accept and work through
any situation.—Psalm 55:22; Prov-
erbs 24:10; Philippians 4:6, 7.
5 It is a good idea for older ones and

their families to learn about health-

care options ahead of time. For ex-
ample, they may find out whether it
would be practical for a parent to live
with a son or a daughter, live in a nurs-
ing home, or use other options avail-
able. In this way, families can prepare
for the “trouble and sorrow” that hap-
pens with old age. (Psalm 90:10) Fam-
ilies who do not make plans may be
forced to make decisions in a hurry
when problems eventually come. This
is almost always “the worst possible
time to make such a decision,” says
one expert. When decisions must be
made quickly, family members may
be under stress and may not agree on
what should be done. However, when
we plan ahead of time, it will be easier
to adjust to changes.—Proverbs 20:18.
6 It may seem hard to talk with your
parents about making changes in
their home or about the need to move
some day. Yet, many have said that
these conversations helped them lat-
er. Why? Because it is easier to talk
about difficult matters, listen respect-
fully, and make practical plans before
5. Why is it a good idea to learn about health-
care options ahead of time?
6. Why is it helpful to talk about where and
how elderly parents will live as they get older?
A family can meet to talk about what help is
needed and what each one can do
(See paragraphs 6-8)
problems arise. In a relaxed setting
where family members can openly
share their preferences, they will feel
closer to one another and will remem-
ber the love they share. Older ones
may want to live on their own for as
long as possible. When parents talk
with their children about what kind of
care they would prefer, this will great-
ly help everyone if decisions about
care have to be made.
7 Parents, during such a discussion,
tell your family what your wishes
are, how much money you are able to
spend, and what options you prefer.
Then, if one day you are not able to
make decisions for yourself, they can
make the decisions that you would
have made. They will probably want
to honor your wishes and do every-
thing they can so that you can remain
7, 8. What should families talk about, and
why?

MARCH 15, 2014 23

 independent. (Ephesians 6:2-4) For
example, do you expect one of your
children to invite you to move in
with his family? Or are you expect-
ing something else? Be realistic and
remember that other family members
may have different ideas than you do.
It takes time for all to adjust their
thinking.
8 When we plan ahead and commu-
nicate well, we can avoid many prob-
lems. (Proverbs 15:22) Talk to your
family about medical care and your
preferences. The information on the
Health Care Proxy that Jehovah’s Wit-
nesses have should be used when
When we plan ahead and
communicate well,
we can avoid
many problems
having these conversations. Each per-
son has the right to know about treat-
ments that are available, and he has
the right to accept or refuse treatment.
An Advance Medical Directive docu-
ment will show what a person’s wish-
es are. Choosing a health-care agent
will allow someone you trust to make
the appropriate decisions for you if
needed. Older ones, caregivers, and
health-care agents should have copies
of the Health Care Proxy in case it is
needed. Some older ones keep their
Health Care Proxy with their will and
other important documents about in-
surance, banking, contacts with gov-
ernment offices, and so on.
24
COPING WITH CHANGING
CIRCUMSTANCES
9 Many times, all in the family want
the elderly to maintain their indepen-
dence. As long as parents are able
to cook, clean, take medication, and
communicate well, children may not
need to control every part of their par-
ents’ life. However, as time passes, if it
becomes difficult for parents to walk,
if they are unable to shop, or if they
become unusually forgetful, children
may need to make adjustments.
10Older ones may become con-
fused or depressed. They may start to
lose their hearing, sight, or memory,
or they may have difficulty using the
toilet. If some of these problems ap-
pear, medical treatment may help. Vis-
it a doctor as soon as such problems
begin. Children may need to take the
lead in scheduling visits to the doctor
and in other more personal matters.
To make sure that parents receive the
best possible care, children may need
to speak on their behalf, help with pa-
perwork, drive them to appointments,
and so on.—Proverbs 3:27.
11 If your parents have health prob-
lems that are permanent, you may
have to make changes to their care
or to the home where they live. The
smaller the change, the easier it will
probably be for them to adjust. If you
live far from your parents, it might be
enough for a Witness or a neighbor to
visit regularly and let you know how
your parents are doing. Do they need
9, 10. When may parents need more help
from their children?
11. What can be done to make it easier for par-
ents to adjust to changes?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
help with only cooking and cleaning?
Would small changes in the home
make it easier and safer for them to
move around, bathe, and so on? May-
be a home-care attendant is all that el-
derly ones need to live on their own.
However, if they will not be safe on
their own, more permanent assis-
tance will be needed. Whatever the
situation, find out what services are
available in their area.—Read Proverbs
21:5. (See footnote.)
HOW SOME MEET THE CHALLENGE
12We want our parents to be safe
and comfortable because we love
them. It gives us peace of mind know-
ing that our parents are cared for.
However, many adult children do not
live near their parents. Some of these
children have used vacations to visit
their parents to help care for them and
to do chores that they are not able to
do anymore. Children can show that
they love their parents by making reg-
ular or daily phone calls, writing let-
ters, or sending e-mails.—Proverbs 23:
24, 25.
13 Even if your family live far apart,
you will have to decide what daily care
is needed for your parents. If you do
not live near them and your parents
are Witnesses, you can speak with the
elders in their congregation and ask
for advice. Above all, pray to Jeho-
vah about your parents. (Read Prov-
erbs 11:14.) Even if your parents are
If your parents are still living at home, make sure
that trusted caregivers have keys to get into your par-
ents’ home in case of an emergency.
12, 13. What have some adult children done
to honor and care for their parents who live far
away?
MARCH 15, 2014
APPRECIATIVE CAREGIVING
One sister lives four hours away from her
parents. Along with her three siblings, she
helps care for her elderly parents, one of whom
suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She says: “I
am struck by the wisdom of Jesus’ words: ‘Nev-
er be anxious about the next day, for the next
day will have its own anxieties. Each day has
enough of its own troubles.’ There is nothing
we can do to stop the disease. Our goal is to do
what we can each day to make Mom and Dad
feel as secure as possible. . . . They did so
much for us, and I am grateful to be able to
care for them now.” Surely Jehovah is pleased
with such a beautiful attitude.—Matthew 6:34;
Psalm 68:19.
not Witnesses, you must “honor your
father and your mother.” (Exodus 20:
12; Proverbs 23:22) Of course, not all
families will make the same decisions.
Some decide to have an elderly parent
move in with them or move closer to
them. However, this is not always pos-
sible. Some parents may not want to
live with adult children and their fam-
ilies. They may prefer to live on their
own and do not want to be a burden
to their children. Some may be able to
afford home care and prefer that op-
tion.—Ecclesiastes 7:12.
14In many families, the son or
daughter who lives closest to the par-
ents seems to do most of the care-
giving. However, caregivers should be
balanced as they care for the needs of
their parents and the needs of their
own family. There is a limit to each
person’s time and energy. And if the
14. What problems may arise for those who do
most of the caregiving?
25

Talk with your husband
or wife, another family
member, or a trusted
friend about how you feel
caregiver’s situation changes, the fam-
ily may have to review the current sit-
uation. Does one member of the fam-
ily have too many responsibilities?
Could the other children do more,
maybe taking turns to provide care?
15When an elderly parent needs
help all the time, there is a danger that
the main caregiver will burn out. (Ec-
clesiastes 4:6) Loving children want to
do all they can, but caring for their
parents may become overwhelming.
Caregivers who provide this constant
care need to be realistic and may need
to ask for help. Some assistance from
time to time may make it possible to
continue providing care without using
a nursing home.
16It is upsetting to see the pain-
ful effects of age on our dear parents.
Caregivers sometimes feel sad, anx-
ious, frustrated, angry, guilty, or even
resentful. At times, an older parent
may say unkind things or be unthank-
ful. If that happens to you, try not to
become offended. One mental-health
expert says that when we have up-
15. What can be done to prevent a caregiver
from burning out?
16, 17. While caring for aging parents, what
feelings may children have? What will help
them to understand their feelings and stay bal-
anced? (See also the box “Appreciative Caregiv-
ing.”)
26
setting feelings, we must first admit
that we have them and then try not
to feel bad about ourselves for hav-
ing those feelings. Talk with your hus-
band or wife, another family member,
or a trusted friend about these feel-
ings. Such conversations can help you
to understand your feelings and stay
balanced.
17 The time may come when it is no
longer possible to continue giving a
loved one the kind of care he needs
at home. The family may decide that
a loved one needs to receive care in
a nursing home. One Christian sister
visited her mother in a nursing home
almost every day. She says: “We just
could not provide the 24-hour-a-day
care that Mommy needed. Accepting
nursing-home care for her was not an
easy decision to make. Emotionally, it
was very, very hard. However, it was
the best solution for her in the last
months of her life, and she accepted
that.”
18The responsibilities of caring for
your aging parents can be complicated
and emotionally difficult. When car-
ing for the elderly, there is no set of
solutions that will work for everyone.
Yet, if you plan carefully, cooperate
with your family, communicate well
and, most of all, pray to Jehovah, you
can fulfill your responsibility to hon-
or your loved ones. When you do this,
you can be proud because you are giv-
ing them the care and attention they
need. (Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.)
Most important, you will have peace
of mind and Jehovah’s blessing.—Phi-
lippians 4:7.
18. What can caregivers be sure of?
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
Family
Worship
Can You
Make It More
Enjoyable?
“We get so interested in discussions during
the Family Worship evening that it often goes
on till late at night if I don’t stop my family,”
says a father in Brazil. A father in Japan says
that his ten-year-old son does not seem to re-
alize how long they have been studying and
wants to continue. Why? The father explains
that his son “is motivated, and that contrib-
utes to his joy.”
Of course, not all children are excited about
family worship. Some do not even enjoy it.
Why not? A father in Togo says from experi-
ence, “The worship of Jehovah should not be
boring.” If family worship is boring, it could
mean that changes need to be made to the way
it is conducted. Many families have discovered
that family worship can be “an exquisite de-
light,” just as the Sabbath was to some Israel-
ites.—Isaiah 58:13, 14.
Christian fathers should make sure that
their family feels relaxed during family wor-
ship. If fathers do this, then the family will
enjoy it much more. Ralf, who has three
daughters and one son, says that their fami-
ly worship is more like a conversation than a
study. How so? Everyone shares in the discus-
sion. Yet, keeping everyone interested and in-
volved in the study may be difficult at times.
MARCH 15, 2014
One mother admits, “I do not always have the
energy to make family worship as enjoyable as
I would like it to be.” Can you make your fam-
ily worship more enjoyable?
FLEXIBILITY AND VARIETY
“We have to be flexible,” says a father of two
in Germany. Natalia, a mother of two, says,
“The most important thing for our family is
variety, variety, variety.” Many families divide
their family worship into different parts. Clei-
ton, a father of two teenagers in Brazil, ex-
plains that by doing this, the study becomes
much more interesting “and gets all in the
family involved.” If there is a big age difference
between the children, parents can give atten-
tion to the needs of each child by dividing the
study time. Also, the parents can be flexible
when deciding what publications the family
will study and how they will study them.
What are some families doing to have more
variety in their family worship? Some start
their family worship by singing songs to Jeho-
vah. “It creates a good atmosphere and men-
tally prepares us for the material at hand,”
says Juan in Mexico. His family picks songs
that are related to the information that will be
studied that evening.
27
 Many families read a section of the Bible to-
gether. For variety, each family member reads
the part of a different character. In the begin-
ning, this did not feel natural for a father in
Japan, who admits that for him it was “a bit
unusual to read that way.” But his two boys
were happy to see their parents enjoying fam-
ily worship with them. Some families even act
out Bible stories. Roger, a father of two sons
in South Africa, says that children “often see
things in a Bible account that we as parents
have missed.”
Something else that families can do for va-
riety is to work together on a project, such
as building a model of Noah’s ark or of Solo-
mon’s temple. Doing research for these proj-
ects can be exciting. For example, in Asia a
five-year-old girl along with her parents and
grandmother tried this. In their living room,
they all worked together to make a board game
based on the apostle Paul’s missionary tours.
Other families have made board games based
on stories from the book of Exodus. Variety
“brought new life to our family worship and
into our family itself,” says 19-year-old Donald
in Togo. Can you think of a project that will
make your family worship even more enjoy-
able?
PREPARATION IS NECESSARY
Even though variety and flexibility make
family worship interesting, more is needed for
all to benefit. Everyone needs to prepare. It
may be difficult for children to sit and study for
a long time, so a father must carefully select in-
formation that will be interesting to the chil-
dren. Then he must take time to prepare well.
One father says, “When I am prepared, every-
one has a more meaningful study session.” A
father in Germany tells his family what they
will study during family worship for the next
month. One family with six young children in
Benin sometimes watches one of the organiza-
28
tion’s DVDs as part of their family worship.
How does the family prepare? The father gives
them a list of questions ahead of time. Prepa-
ration certainly makes a difference in the qual-
ity of our family worship.
When the family know ahead of time what
will be considered, they can talk about it dur-
ing the week. Then they will look forward to
the study with enthusiasm. And if everyone in
the family has an assignment, each one will
feel that it is his or her family worship.
STUDY REGULARLY
Many families find it difficult to have their
family worship regularly. Why?
Some parents have to work long hours
just to feed their families. For example, one fa-
ther in Mexico leaves home at six o’clock
in the morning and does not return until
eight o’clock in the evening. Or there may be
times when some need to change the day of
their family worship because of another spiri-
tual event, such as the circuit overseer’s visit or
a district convention.
Despite difficulties, we need to be deter-
mined to have family worship regularly.
Eleven-year-old Loïs in Togo explains how im-
portant this is to her family. “Even though we
sometimes have to start our family worship
late because of something that has come up
during the day, we always have our family wor-
ship.” So it is a good idea to schedule your fam-
ily worship early in the week. Why? Because if
something unexpected happens, you can re-
schedule family worship for later that week.
Why do we call it family worship? Because
it is part of our worship to Jehovah. Together
as a family, we can offer a sacrifice of “young
bulls,” that is, praise to Jehovah. (Hosea 14:2,
ftn.) May each one in the family enjoy family
worship, because “the joy of Jehovah is your
stronghold.”—Nehemiah 8:9, 10.
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
 United States of America

YOUR FAMILY
WORSHIP SHOULD BE:
Relaxed
Flexible
Varied
Well-Prepared
Held Regularly

Sri Lanka

South Africa

YOUR SPEECH
“‘Yes’ and yet ‘No’”?
Imagine this: An elder who is a
member of a Hospital Liaison
Committee and a young publisher
have arranged to work together in
the field service on Sunday morning.
However, that morning the elder gets
an urgent phone call from a brother
whose wife has just been in a car acci-
dent and was rushed to the hospital.
He asks the elder to help him find a
doctor who will operate on her without
using blood. To be able to show his love
and support to the family during this
emergency, the elder cancels the plans
for field service he had made
with the young brother.
Now imagine this: A single mother
with two children is invited by a couple
in her congregation to spend an evening
with them. When she tells her children
about the invitation, they are so excit-
ed. They can hardly wait for the day to
arrive. However, the day before the vis-
it, the couple tell the mother that some-
thing unexpected has come up and that
they have to cancel the invitation. She lat-
er finds out why they canceled. After in-
viting her, the couple were invited to vis-
it some friends, and they accepted.
As Christians, we should keep our
promises. We should never say “‘yes’ and
yet ‘no,’” that is, we should never agree to
do something and then change our mind
without good reason. (2 Corinthians 1:18)
However, as the two examples above il-
lustrate, not all situations are the same.
There may be times when it seems that
we have no choice and we must cancel
arrangements we have made. Even the
apostle Paul had to do this once.
PAUL WAS ACCUSED OF
BEING UNRELIABLE
In the year 55, Paul visited Ephesus on
his third missionary tour. He was plan-
ning to sail across the Aegean Sea to Cor-
inth and travel from there to Macedonia.
Then, on his way back to Jerusalem, he
planned to visit the Corinthian congre-
gation a second time, to take their kind
gift to the brothers in Jerusalem. (1 Co-
rinthians 16:3) We know this because at
2 Corinthians 1:15, 16, we read: “With
this confidence, I was intending to come
first to you, so that you might have a sec-
ond occasion for joy; for I intended to vis-
it you on my way to Macedonia, to return
to you from Macedonia, and then to have
you send me off to Judea.”
SIMPLIFIED EDITION
 It appears that Paul had written a previous
letter to the Corinthian brothers, informing
them of his plan to visit them. (1 Corinthians
5:9) A short time after writing that letter, Paul
heard from Chloe’s family that there were seri-
ous problems in the congregation. (1 Corinthi-
ans 1:10, 11) Paul changed his original plan and
decided not to visit the Corinthian congrega-
tion at that time. He then wrote the letter that
we now know as 1 Corinthians. In it Paul gave
counsel and correction. He also wrote that he
had changed his travel plans and that he would
go to Macedonia first and then go to Corinth.
—1 Corinthians 16:5, 6. (See footnote.)
It seems that when the brothers in Corinth
received his letter, some of them accused him
of not keeping his promises. They thought that
they were better than Paul. He called these
ones “superfine apostles.” To defend himself,
Paul asked: “Well, when I had such an inten-
tion, I did not view the matter lightly, did I? Or
do I purpose things in a fleshly way, so that I am
saying ‘Yes, yes’ and then ‘No, no’?”—2 Corin-
thians 1:17; 11:5.
We might ask, In these circumstances did
the apostle Paul really “view the matter light-
ly”? Of course not! The word translated “light-
ly” means unreliable and can be used to
describe a person who does not keep his prom-
ises. Paul’s question “do I purpose things in
a fleshly way?” should have helped the Chris-
tians in Corinth to see that Paul’s decision to
change his plans was not because he was un-
reliable.
Paul answered their accusation when he
wrote: “But God can be relied on that what we
say to you is not ‘yes’ and yet ‘no.’” (2 Corinthi-
ans 1:18) He changed his travel plans because
he wanted the best for his brothers and sis-
ters in Corinth. At 2 Corinthians 1:23, we read
A short time after writing 1 Corinthians, Paul traveled via
the city of Troas to Macedonia. There he wrote 2 Corinthians.
(2 Corinthians 2:12; 7:5) Later on, he did visit Corinth.
MARCH 15, 2014
Paul’s words: “It is to spare you that I have not
yet come to Corinth.” By changing his plans, he
gave them a chance to apply his counsel be-
fore he visited them. And that is what they did.
While he was in Macedonia, Paul heard from
Titus that the letter had helped the Corinthi-
ans understand that what they were doing was
wrong and that they had repented. This gave
Paul great joy.—2 Corinthians 6:11; 7:5-7.
JESUS IS THE GUARANTEE
When the “superfine apostles” accused Paul
of not keeping his promises, they might have
also been saying that he could not be trusted in
his preaching work. However, Paul reminded
the Corinthians that he had preached the mes-
sage of Jesus Christ to them. “The Son of God,
Jesus Christ, who was preached among you
through us, that is, through me and Silvanus
and Timothy, did not become ‘yes’ and yet ‘no,’
but ‘yes’ has become ‘yes’ in his case.” (2 Co-
rinthians 1:19) So was Jesus Christ unreliable
in any way? No! Throughout his life and minis-
try, Jesus always spoke the truth. (John 14:6; 18:
37) If what Jesus preached was completely true
and reliable and Paul preached the same mes-
sage, then Paul’s preaching was reliable too.
Jehovah is “the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5)
We see this from what Paul next writes: “No
matter how many the promises of God are,
they have become ‘yes’ by means of him,” that
is, by means of Christ. Because Jesus kept his
integrity while on earth, we can be sure that
Jehovah’s promises are reliable. Paul contin-
ues: “Therefore, also through him [Jesus] is the
‘Amen’ said to God, which brings him glory
through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) What does
it mean that Jesus is the “Amen”? It means
that Jesus is the guarantee that all of Jehovah’s
promises will come true.
Clearly, then, when Paul said “yes” he real-
ly meant “yes.” Like Jesus Christ and Jehovah
God, he meant what he said. (2 Corinthians
31
1:19) He was reliable; he was not someone who
made promises “in a fleshly way.” (2 Corin-
thians 1:17) Instead, he was guided by God’s
spirit. (Galatians 5:16) Everything that he did
proved that he wanted the best for his brothers
and sisters. His Yes meant Yes!
DOES YOUR YES MEAN YES?
Today, it is common for people to make
promises and then break them because of a
minor problem or because they prefer to do
something else. In business matters “yes” does
not always mean “yes,” even when an agree-
ment has been signed. Many no longer view
marriage as a promise that they have to keep
for the rest of their lives despite the difficul-
ties that they may face. The number of people
getting divorced is rapidly increasing, and this
shows that many view their marriage vow as
an unimportant promise that can easily be bro-
ken.—2 Timothy 3:1, 2.
What about you? Does your Yes mean Yes?
As we saw at the beginning of this article, it
may happen that you have to cancel an ap-
pointment, not because you are unreliable, but
because of circumstances that you cannot con-
trol. But if you make a promise, you really
should do all you can to keep it. (Psalm 15:4;
Matthew 5:37) If you do this, you will become
known as someone who is reliable, a person
who always speaks the truth. (Ephesians 4:15,
25; James 5:12) When people realize that you
can be trusted in everyday matters, they may
be more willing to listen when you talk to them
about God’s Kingdom. So we should make sure
that our Yes really means Yes!
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