Living as Christians for the week of March 1-7, 2027

Be patient and not arrogant

What did you learn about the importance of being patient when we are striving to receive responsibilities in the congregation?

Comment 1: Not receiving the responsibility we want does not mean that we cannot continue to be useful. The brother in the video already had an assignment as an attendant, but at first it seemed insignificant to him. Patience helped him value what he could do instead of focusing on what he had not received.

Comment 2: I find it interesting that the brother recognized that Mario was a good speaker, but he immediately focused on his youth and on how little time he had been serving as an elder. When we want a responsibility, we can fall into something similar: seeing our own qualities very clearly and minimizing those of someone else. Being patient allows us to give a brother an opportunity and get to know his abilities better, without deciding in advance that he is not ready.

Comment 3: The problem was not that this brother wanted to serve more. He loved Jehovah and wanted to do everything possible to serve him. But he needed to recognize that pride was influencing his reaction. This helps me see that a good desire can become mixed with feelings that we need to correct. If we do not receive a responsibility, it is good to ask ourselves whether we are still willing to cooperate with the same enthusiasm, even though another brother receives it.

Comment 4: The suggestion he received was simple: Give Mario an opportunity. He did not need to resolve all his doubts immediately or prove that he would have done the work better. He needed to let time pass and observe with a more open attitude. At times, patience begins that way: We stop feeding a negative first impression and allow the brother to show what he can contribute. This helps us cooperate with him instead of watching for his possible mistakes.

Comment 5: Experience is valuable, but it does not give us the right to receive a particular responsibility. The brother thought a lot about his experience and about the fact that Mario had been an elder for only a year. In time, however, he came to understand why Mario had received that assignment. Being patient helps us recognize that our initial assessment may be incomplete and that we can also learn from someone with less experience.

What did you learn about how we should react if we disagree with an instruction from the organization?

Comment 1: First, we need to be willing to review our own way of thinking. Taro acknowledged that accepting the decision had not been easy for him either. But he did not keep looking for reasons to reject it. He understood that he needed to change his attitude. His example encourages us to examine ourselves before insisting that others are the ones who need to change.

Comment 2: In the video, the brother was already imagining all the problems that would have to be solved on the next visit. However, those problems had not yet occurred. When an instruction does not agree with our judgment, we can get ahead of ourselves and assume that it will turn out badly. Patience helps us stop that reaction. Instead of feeding our negative predictions, we can focus on cooperating and allow time to see how the adjustment works.

Comment 3: I think it is important that everyone had been able to express what they thought. Afterward, the circuit overseer made a decision based on the branch office’s instructions. So it was not that no one had listened to them. The point was to accept that expressing an opinion does not mean that opinion must determine the outcome. We can respectfully offer what we know and then support the decision, even if it is not the one we would have made.

Comment 4: Taro had experience, which was why the other brother sought his opinion. But he did not use that experience to present himself as someone who knew more than the others. He recognized that he had needed to correct his way of thinking and that he too needed the Biblical reminder. That humility made his counsel warm and approachable. If someone consults us, we can help him much more by acknowledging our own struggles than by reinforcing his disagreement.

Comment 5: Something that helps me about Taro’s example is that he turned to the Bible to readjust his attitude. He did not limit himself to debating which interpretation seemed best to him or comparing opinions. He recalled a text and shared it with the other brother. When an instruction is difficult for us, we need Bible principles to guide our reaction. This can help us move away from a conversation centered on personal preferences and think again about what Jehovah expects of us.

What did you learn about supporting decisions made in the congregation even when they are not what we prefer?

Comment 1: Supporting a decision can give us the opportunity to care for a need that we had not considered. Francis wanted to preach with his friends, but Brother and Sister Kenny greatly appreciated his help. When he stopped focusing on his preference, he was able to see that staying with the assigned group was a concrete way to show them love.

Comment 2: Francis said that he loved those brothers very much. So the problem was not a lack of affection; at that moment, he was simply thinking more about what he wanted to do. I think this is a situation we can identify with. Loving our brothers also means taking into account what they need when it does not agree with our plans. Supporting a decision gives us the opportunity to turn that love into practical help.

Comment 3: I find it interesting that Francis stopped to think before making the change he had planned. He already had an idea of how to leave with his friends, but he examined his motives and decided to act differently. This reminds us that a selfish first reaction does not have to become a bad decision. We can still stop, think about others, and choose a course of action that benefits them.

Comment 4: One thing that made Francis think was the example he would be setting. He did not think only about whether he could change groups, but about what his conduct would communicate to others. This is a good criterion when a decision is not the one we prefer. Before doing things our own way, we can ask ourselves whether our reaction encourages cooperation or suggests that personal preferences should always come before what has been agreed on.

Comment 5: The video presents a very everyday situation: how groups are organized for the ministry. It was not a major responsibility or an extraordinary decision. Even so, Francis saw that his reaction had to do with his desire to please Jehovah. This helps me not to minimize the small opportunities we have to cooperate. Our willingness to support the brothers is also shown in these details of congregation life.

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