is needed, failure to manifest love by speaking up in an upbuilding way may cause disappointment and a feeling of failure.

Likewise, when a brother is sick or otherwise in need, do we come to his aid? Failure to do so may stumble him if he is immature. Do we neglect opportunities to be helpful in getting others to meetings or in the field ministry? Do we let the weather keep us from engaging in pure worship, that is, unnecessarily? Failure along any of these lines might well stumble the weak.

Do we have reason to think that we have offended another? Then we may not ignore it, arguing that Matthew 18:15, 16 requires him to come to us with his grievance. No, if he is immature, he might not feel equal to obeying that command and so we must go to him in obedience to the command at Matthew 5:23, 24: “If, then, you are bringing your gift to the altar and you there remember that your brother has something against you, . . . first make your peace with your brother, and then . . . offer up your gift.” Failure to obey this command may well cause your brother to stumble.

Of course, in all these respects the servants in a congregation and particularly the overseers have added responsibilities to keep from becoming causes for stumbling. By reason of their greater knowledge, maturity and experience more is required of them, both by God and by their brothers, and also by reason of their position they can more easily stumble others. At the same time they must exercise oversight lest others cause stumbling. They must feel like the apostle Paul: “Who is stumbled, and I am not incensed?” They especially must keep an “eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling,” lest harm come to the sheep entrusted to their care.—2 Cor. 11:29; Rom. 16:17.

What will help us to keep from being stumbled and from becoming causes for stumbling? Love. Love will make us long-suffering and obliging. It will keep us from being jealous, from bragging, from getting puffed up, from behaving indecently, from looking only to our own interests and from becoming provoked. It will help us to bear, believe, hope and endure all things. It never fails.—1 Cor. 13:4-8.

So in these perilous times let love keep all dedicated Christians from becoming causes for stumbling so that none cause another to lose out on eternal salvation, at the same time remembering that the mature Christian is not easily stumbled by what others say and do or fail to say and do.

Questions From Readers

● What is the wisdom referred to at Ecclesiastes 1:18?—M. L., United States.

Ecclesiastes 1:18 reads: “For in the abundance of wisdom there is an abundance of vexation, so that he that increases knowledge increases pain.” The Scriptures show that there are two kinds of wisdom, the godly kind and the worldly kind. Obviously this text does not refer to the godly kind, for of it we read: “Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver and the produce of it even than gold. It is more precious than corals, and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. Length of days is in its right hand; in its left hand there are riches and glory. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace. It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy.”—Prov. 3:13-18.