Jehovah wants us to persevere in showing love to our brothers and sisters. If someone fails to show some Christian quality, we can assume that he wants to follow Bible principles and that he simply acted thoughtlessly. (Prov. 12:18) God loves his faithful servants despite their shortcomings. He does not cut us off when we make mistakes; nor does he stay resentful. (Ps. 103:9) How important it is for us to imitate our forgiving Father! (Eph. 4:32–5:1) Remember, too, that as the end draws near, we need to remain close to our brothers and sisters. We can expect persecution to intensify. We may even find ourselves in prison for our faith. If that happens, we will need our brothers and sisters more than ever.​—Prov. 17:17. w24.03 11:6-7

The Scriptures contain accounts of youths who drew close to Jehovah, had his favor, and saw their life turn out well. David was one of them. At a young age, he chose God’s side and later became a loyal king. (1 Ki. 3:6; 9:4, 5; 14:8) You can be encouraged and motivated by studying about David’s life and faithful service. Or you can focus your study project on the example of Mark or of Timothy. You will see that they served Jehovah from a young age and gained a lasting record of God’s approval. How your life turns out may be determined by how you use it right now. Your trusting in Jehovah and not in your own understanding will lead to His directing your steps. You can have a happy and rewarding life. Remember, Jehovah values what you do for him. What better way could you use your life than by serving our loving heavenly Father? w23.09 38:18-19

The apostle Paul knew that his Christian brothers and sisters were imperfect. For example, he was misjudged soon after he started to associate with the congregation. (Acts 9:26) Later, some spoke about him behind his back to damage his reputation. (2 Cor. 10:10) Paul saw a responsible brother make a wrong decision that may have stumbled others. (Gal. 2:11, 12) And one of Paul’s close companions, Mark, greatly disappointed him. (Acts 15:37, 38) Paul could have allowed any one of these situations to cause him to refuse to associate with the offenders. Yet, he maintained a positive view of his brothers and sisters and remained active in Jehovah’s service. What helped Paul to persevere? Paul loved his brothers and sisters. Paul’s love for others helped him to focus, not on their imperfections, but on their fine qualities. Love also helped Paul to do what is mentioned in today’s text. w24.03 11:4-5