We can learn about the importance of having a sincere heart from Jesus’ first meeting with Nathanael. When Philip brought his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, something remarkable happened. Although Jesus had never met Nathanael, Jesus said: “See, truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” (John 1:47) Jesus saw in Nathanael an extraordinary sincerity. Like us, Nathanael was imperfect. But there was nothing artificial or insincere about him. Jesus admired that and commended Nathanael for it. Most of the requirements for pleasing Jehovah listed in Psalm 15 are related to how we treat others. Psalm 15:3 states that a guest in Jehovah’s tent “does not slander with his tongue, he does nothing bad to his neighbor, and he does not defame his friends.” Misusing our speech in such ways could cause serious harm to others.​—Jas. 1:26. w24.06 10 ¶7, 9; 11 ¶10

If you prepare well for the ministry, you are likely to feel more comfortable when speaking with others. Jesus helped his disciples to prepare before he sent them out into the ministry. (Luke 10:1-11) Because they put into practice what Jesus had taught them, the disciples felt a deep sense of joy in what they were able to accomplish. How might we prepare for the ministry? We need to give thought to how we can express the truth effectively in our own words. It is also helpful to anticipate two or three common reactions from those in the territory and have in mind how we will respond in each case. Then when we approach people, we can try to relax, smile, and be friendly. w24.04 16 ¶6-7

The most important reason why we preach the good news is that we love Jehovah God and his holy name. We view our ministry as a way to praise the God we love. We wholeheartedly agree that Jehovah God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power from his loyal worshippers. We give him glory and honor when we share with others the convincing evidence that he “created all things” and that we owe him our very existence. We give him power​—our power—​when we use our time, energy, and resources to share in the ministry as fully as our circumstances allow. (Matt. 6:33; Luke 13:24; Col. 3:23) Put simply, we love to speak about the God we love. We also feel compelled to tell others about his name and what it stands for. w24.05 17 ¶11