Thursday, April 13 2023 Elders – Sometimes Thoughtless

[PJ54]

Thursday, April 13 2023​

In brotherly love have tender affection for one another.—Rom. 12:10.​

As shepherds, elders are responsible for giving counsel when it is needed. They should strive to give counsel that is both practical and motivating and that will “make the heart rejoice.” (Prov. 27:9) Elders love their brothers and sisters. At times, they show that love by counseling someone who is heading down a wrong path. (Gal. 6:1) Before speaking to the person, though, an elder might consider some of the facets of love that the apostle Paul mentioned. “Love is patient and kind. . . . It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor. 13:4, 7) Meditating on those Bible verses will help the elder to examine his motives for giving the counsel and to approach his brother with the proper attitude. If the one receiving the counsel can sense that the elder cares about him, he will be more likely to accept the counsel. w22.02 14 ¶3; 15 ¶5
Examining the Scriptures Daily—2023

Elders – Sometimes Thoughtless

Wednesday, August 19 There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.—Prov. 12:18. We need to ‘encourage one another all the more as we behold the day drawing near.’ Encouraging others involves

e-watchman.com

Wednesday, August 19 2015​

There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.—Prov. 12:18.

We need to ‘encourage one another all the more as we behold the day drawing near.’ Encouraging others involves motivating them to continue moving forward in their service to God. Just as inciting to love and fine works can be likened to stirring up a fire that is about to go out, encouraging others can be likened to putting fuel on the fire to keep it burning or to increase its intensity. Encouraging others calls for strengthening and comforting the downhearted. When given an opportunity to encourage such a person, we must speak in a warm and gentle manner. Moreover, let us “be swift about hearing” and “slow about speaking.” If we listen empathetically, we may be able to identify situations that discourage a fellow Christian and say something to help him deal with those circumstances.

Commentary ​

There is no question that many of Jehovah’s Witnesses are heavily burdened with life’s anxieties. Clinical depression is affecting more and more people in general in our modern world and Jehovah’s Witnesses are not immune. There is a great need for encouragement. Elders should absolutely know the appearance of their flock and take into consideration such things as depression and other mental illnesses.

Unfortunately, my sister-in-law experienced firsthand how an elder can speak thoughtlessly as with the stabs of the sword. For years she has struggled with bipolar and depression. She works full time and is the mother of a handicapped son and the wife of an emotionally crippled alcoholic. She has struggled to keep up with meeting attendance and field service carrying such a burden. One day an elder approached her after having reviewed her publisher card and told her that apparently she didn’t love Jehovah very much because she didn’t put very much time into her ministry. The elder may have thought he was encouraging her. The result, though, was my sister-in-law left the kingdom hall and never returned. ‘What’s the point?’ she reasoned.

These are the things for which Jehovah will ultimately require an accounting.

 

[Medi-tator]

One day an elder approached her after having reviewed her publisher card and told her that apparently she didn’t love Jehovah very much because she didn’t put very much time into her ministry. The elder may have thought he was encouraging her. The result, though, was my sister-in-law left the kingdom hall and never returned. ‘What’s the point?’ she reasoned.

Sorry for adding fuel to this fire but during a visit from the Circuit Overseer, the CO himself was wrapping up his visit with one last talk to the congregation on a nice Sunday afternoon. He must have thought he was doing the right thing when he began to strongly chastise the single mothers in our congregation who had some children who were not as disciplined as the CO would like. As if these sisters did not have enough of a burden in their lives, now they are going to get an ear-full on how they are actually neglecting their kids by not disciplining them enough. I was sitting with Susan pretty much dead center in the K-Hall shaking my head while staring at the CO, trying to convey to him to shut up because he was doing more damage than any good. He saw my stern look of disapproval but of course was on a roll and stayed glued to his script. I finally got so extremely agitated that I got up out of my seat and walked out of the K-hall leaving poor Susan behind. I know that was a jerk manuever on my part but at the time I was ready to chuck the whole kit-n-kaboodle, so I walked home in sheer disgust over what I had just heard. That was in 2003.

Next day I did the completely unthinkable LOL and did a search online hoping to find some apostate site with some answers as to why the JW culture was turning so sour and why they are lying to the flock about so many things. (we were studying the Isaiah book at the time I think. What a mess that book was! Jerusalem in one scripture pictured the org, in the very next scripture pictured Christendom, uggghhh!) I wanted and needed answers! By that time I was at my wits end! Thankfully, without having to cull through a bunch of weirdo sites set up by the ex-JW crowd, something I was willing to endure in my quest for answers, I very quickly, almost immediately found what I was looking for at e-watchman.com and as a result was able to continue to go to meetings because of those answers. Phwewwww! By the skin of my chinny-chin-chin too! Jehovah provided me with a way to continue to endure. @Watchman

 

[Niobium]

It’s all linked to the twisted thinking that telling someone to “do more” equates with encouragement.

 

[Arctic Cat]

can you imagine Jesus telling the old widow that she surely cant love Jehovah much or else her coins would be a lot bigger and make more noise when she put them on the public collect box.. i feel sad but also encouraged from these kinda stories. sad because its so obvious that behaviour does not origin from Jehovah or Christ. Encouraged because there are people like you who see this for what it is instead of following groupthink..💕 one day soon matters will be set straight and the leaven of the pharisees will be tossed out and the real spiritual paradise will emerge.

 

[MickHewitt]

Elders – Sometimes Thoughtless

Wednesday, August 19 There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.—Prov. 12:18. We need to ‘encourage one another all the more as we behold the day drawing near.’ Encouraging others involves

e-watchman.com

View attachment 3697

Wednesday, August 19 2015​

There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise ones is a healing.—Prov. 12:18.

Commentary ​

There is no question that many of Jehovah’s Witnesses are heavily burdened with life’s anxieties. Clinical depression is affecting more and more people in general in our modern world and Jehovah’s Witnesses are not immune. There is a great need for encouragement. Elders should absolutely know the appearance of their flock and take into consideration such things as depression and other mental illnesses.

Unfortunately, my sister-in-law experienced firsthand how an elder can speak thoughtlessly as with the stabs of the sword. For years she has struggled with bipolar and depression. She works full time and is the mother of a handicapped son and the wife of an emotionally crippled alcoholic. She has struggled to keep up with meeting attendance and field service carrying such a burden. One day an elder approached her after having reviewed her publisher card and told her that apparently she didn’t love Jehovah very much because she didn’t put very much time into her ministry. The elder may have thought he was encouraging her. The result, though, was my sister-in-law left the kingdom hall and never returned. ‘What’s the point?’ she reasoned.

These are the things for which Jehovah will ultimately require an accounting.

"He once told them: 'This is the resting-place. Let the weary one rest; this is the place of refreshment' but they refused to listen'"...Isa28:12,13 They made Jehovah's word into 'Command after command....Command after command!' Isa 3:15 "How dare you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor in the dirt declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah of armies". Isn't it reassuring, a comfort to have a Father like Jehovah on our side!