The daughters of Shallum were among those whom Jehovah used to share in repairing the walls of Jerusalem. (Neh. 2:20; 3:12) Although their father was a prince, Shallum’s daughters were willing to do that difficult and dangerous work. (Neh. 4:15-18) In our day, willing sisters are happy to help perform a special form of sacred service​—the construction and maintenance of buildings that are dedicated to Jehovah. Their skill, enthusiasm, and loyalty are vital to the success of this work. Jehovah motivated Tabitha to abound in “good deeds and gifts of mercy,” particularly in behalf of widows. (Acts 9:36) Because of her outstanding generosity and kindness, many mourned when she died. But they were overjoyed when the apostle Peter resurrected her. (Acts 9:39-41) What do we learn from Tabitha? Whether young or old, male or female, we can all do practical things to help our brothers and sisters. w19.10 23 ¶11-12

How could we stumble someone? Consider this scenario. A Bible student is finally able to control his addiction to alcohol. He realizes that he must abstain from it completely, makes progress, and gets baptized. Later, a well-meaning host of a Christian gathering urges the new brother to accept an alcoholic beverage, saying: “If you exercise self-control, you should be able to make moderate use of alcohol.” We can only imagine what the consequences would be if the new brother were to listen to that misguided advice! Our Christian meetings help us to apply the instructions given in today’s text. They remind us of what Jehovah considers to be more important and how to apply what we learn so that we may be flawless. They also encourage us to love God and our brothers. When these two great loves fill our heart, we will do our very best to avoid stumbling our brothers. w19.08 10 ¶9; 11 ¶13-14

People who appear confident or forthright are not necessarily proud. (John 1:46, 47) Yet, whether we are outgoing or not, all of us must work at developing a humble heart condition. Consider the example of the apostle Paul. He was used mightily by Jehovah to establish new congregations in one city after another. He may even have accomplished more in the ministry than any other apostle of Jesus Christ. Yet, Paul did not elevate himself among his brothers. He correctly attributed his fine standing with Jehovah, not to his own qualities or works, but to God’s undeserved kindness. (1 Cor. 15:10) What a fine lesson in humility Paul gave in his letter to the Corinthians​—especially when we recall that some men in the congregation were seeking to prove themselves to be superior to Paul!​—2 Cor. 10:10. w19.09 3 ¶5-6