Monday, January 8
If errors were what you watch, O Jah, then who . . . could stand?—Ps. 130:3.
Jehovah is truly the greatest Forgiver in the universe. First, he is always ready to forgive. Second, he knows us through and through. He is perfectly familiar with our makeup, and he is in the ideal position to determine whether we are truly repentant. And third, when Jehovah forgives us, he wipes the slate clean, so to speak. This allows us to have a clean conscience and enjoy his favor. Of course, as long as we are imperfect, we will continue to sin. However, we can gain comfort from the words found in Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, page 771: “Since Jehovah mercifully considers the fleshly weakness of his servants, they need not be in a constant state of remorse due to their errors resulting from inherent imperfection. (Ps 103:8-14; 130:3) If they are conscientiously walking in God’s ways, they may be joyful. (Php 4:4-6; 1Jo 3:19-22).” w22.06 7 ¶18-19
Tuesday, January 9
You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name.—Luke 21:12.
Fear of opposition from governments is not the only weapon Satan uses. For some, fear of how family members will react to the truth is greater than any physical abuse. They love their relatives very much and want them to come to know and love Jehovah. It pains them to hear their relatives speak disrespectfully of the true God and of his worshippers. In some cases, however, relatives who were initially opposed later came into the truth. But suppose our family members cut all ties with us because of our new beliefs? How will we react? We can take comfort from the beautiful truth reflected at Psalm 27:10. When we remember just how much Jehovah loves us, we feel secure in the face of opposition. And we are confident that he will reward us for our endurance. Jehovah will care for our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs far better than anyone else can! w22.06 16-17 ¶11-13
Wednesday, January 10
Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely.—1 Pet. 2:21.
During his ministry, Jesus was falsely accused of being a man who was a drunkard, a glutton, an agent of the Devil, a Sabbath breaker, and even a blasphemer of God. (Matt. 11:19; 26:65; Luke 11:15; John 9:16) Yet, Jesus did not retaliate with angry words. Like Jesus, we should never retaliate even if spoken to harshly. (1 Pet. 2:22, 23) Of course, showing such restraint is not easy. (Jas. 3:2) What can help? Try to look beyond the response of a householder who speaks negatively. A brother named Sam says, “I try to focus on the householder’s need to hear the truth and his potential to change.” Sometimes a householder is angry simply because we came at a bad time. When we are confronted by someone who is upset, we can say a brief prayer, asking Jehovah to help us remain calm and hold back from saying anything unkind or disrespectful. w22.04 6 ¶8-9