Jehovah does not say that if we want to be declared righteous we must do exactly what Abraham did. In fact, there are many ways in which we can manifest faith through our works. We can welcome new ones in the congregation, help brothers and sisters who are in genuine need, and do good to our family members, all of which are things that God will approve of and bless. (Rom. 15:7; 1 Tim. 5:4, 8; 1 John 3:18) An especially fine work that gives evidence of our faith is our zealously sharing the good news with others. (1 Tim. 4:16) All of us can show by our deeds that we have faith that Jehovah’s promises will come true and that his ways are best. And if we do, we have the firm assurance that God will count us as righteous and will call us his friends. w23.12 2 ¶3; 6 ¶15

Close to his death, King David instructed Solomon with the above words. (1 Ki. 2:1, 3) All Christian men today do well to apply that advice. To be successful, they must learn to obey God’s laws and apply Bible principles in all aspects of their life. (Luke 2:52) Why is it so important for young brothers to become mature Christian men? A Christian man fulfills vital roles in the family and in the congregation. Young brothers, no doubt you have thought about the responsibilities you could have in the future. You might have the goal of being a full-time minister, a ministerial servant, and later a congregation elder. You might also want to get married and have children. (Eph. 6:4; 1 Tim. 3:1) To reach these goals and be successful, you need Christian maturity. w23.12 24 ¶1-2

Christian elders have been entrusted with the care of Jehovah’s precious sheep. These devoted men treasure their privilege to serve their brothers and sisters, and they work hard to be “shepherds who . . . really shepherd.” (Jer. 23:4; 1 Pet. 5:2) How thankful we are to have such men in our congregations! Elders can learn from the example of Judge Gideon. (Heb. 6:12) He was both a protector and a shepherd of God’s people. (Judg. 2:16; 1 Chron. 17:6) Like Gideon, elders have been appointed to care for God’s people during a very turbulent time. (Acts 20:28; 2 Tim. 3:1) We can learn from Gideon’s modesty, humility, and obedience. His endurance was tested as he carried out his assignments. Whether we serve as an elder or not, we can grow in appreciation for our elders. We can support these hardworking spiritual men.​—Heb. 13:17. w23.06 2 ¶1; 3 ¶3