Jesus set a perfect example of how to cope with injustice. Consider the unjust treatment he experienced, both from family and from outsiders. His unbelieving relatives accused him of being out of his mind, the religious leaders accused him of collaborating with the demons, and Roman soldiers mocked him, physically assaulted him, and eventually killed him. (Mark 3:21, 22; 14:55; 15:16-20, 35-37) Yet, Jesus endured all that injustice and more without retaliating. What can we learn from his example? (1 Pet. 2:21-23) Jesus left us a perfect model to follow when we are dealing with an injustice. He knew when to remain silent and when to speak. (Matt. 26:62-64) He did not reply to every false statement made about him. (Matt. 11:19) When he did speak, he did not insult his persecutors or threaten them. w24.11 4-5 ¶9-10

Imagine giving someone you love a special gift that is both beautiful and practical. How disappointed you would be if that person simply put it in storage and gave it no further thought! On the other hand, you would surely be pleased if he or she put your gift to good use and expressed appreciation for it. What is the point? Jehovah has given his Son in our behalf. How happy Jehovah must be when we show gratitude for that precious gift and for his love, which moved him to provide the ransom! (John 3:16; Rom. 5:7, 8) As time passes, however, we could begin to take the gift of the ransom for granted. It would be like putting God’s gift in storage. We are happy to have it, but we keep it out of sight. To prevent that from happening, we must regularly renew our gratitude for what God and Christ have done for us. w25.01 26 ¶1-2

A brother who qualifies as an elder is not a newly converted man. Although you do not have to be baptized for many years, you do need time to become a mature Christian. Before you are appointed as an elder, you must demonstrate that, like Jesus, you are humble and are content to wait on Jehovah for any assignment. (Matt. 20:23; Phil. 2:5-8) You can prove that you are loyal by sticking to Jehovah and his righteous standards and by following the direction given through his organization. The Scriptures clearly state that overseers must be qualified to teach. Does this mean that you must be an excellent public speaker? No. Many well-qualified elders, though not the best public speakers, teach effectively in the ministry and on shepherding calls. w24.11 23-24 ¶14-15