the earth; that as a result of this preaching work, persons of good will from all lands, tongues, races and peoples are being gathered together into one united, harmonious New World society. As one considers these things and the wonderful privilege and undeserved kindness of knowing them and sharing in them, one’s heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude to Jehovah. How petty and small one’s problems now seem when compared to these so much more important things! So, when small problems come up, or even big ones from a local standpoint, the one having spiritual discernment will not allow such problems to become so big in his mind as to distort his vision. He will keep his balance and always view things in their relation to the more important things.

¹⁶ Happily, problems and difficulties do not arise all the time in the New World society; indeed, they are few and far between in comparison to the joys that are ever present: experiences in the field, the finding and feeding of the sheep, the happy association with the brothers at the Kingdom Hall. These are the things to have our minds on. “Whatever things are righteous, . . . whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.” Let such things flood your mind and you will always keep your sense of proportion. You will be able to discern spiritually.—Phil. 4:8.

17. How have some come to stumble out of the truth over little things?

¹⁷ One who is overcritical, always looking at others from the standpoint of the imperfections of the flesh, loses sight of the more important things. Such a one is likely to find himself becoming an unhappy complainer. Some, indeed, have allowed trifling things to stumble them right out of the truth. How? They allowed a little thing to become a big thing in their lives, so big that it crowded out everything else. They lost their spiritual discernment. Instead of stopping to consider things from the standpoint of God’s Word, they allowed some fleshly passion, such as pride, fear or jealousy, to motivate them. They were led along by their own understanding into a course ending in spiritual disaster.

18. How can we guard against such a course of stumbling?

¹⁸ Certainly all of us want to guard against such a course, do we not? We will do so if we have increased and keep on increasing in an accurate knowledge of what God’s will is for us, if we hold the more important things in our minds and hearts and if, when issues arise, we take notice of Jehovah’s way of looking at things as set out in his Word and do not become wise in our own eyes. In this connection note the timely counsel Jehovah gives us at Proverbs 3:1-7: “My son, my law do not forget, and my commandments may your heart observe, because length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you. May loving-kindness and trueness themselves not leave you. Tie them about your throat. Write them upon the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and good insight in the eyes of God and of earthling man. Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight. Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.”

19. How do we show that we trust in Jehovah with all our hearts?

¹⁹ Even when one thinks he is in the right about something he must be on guard against being overly righteous, wise in his own eyes, and thus being carried away by his own self-righteousness. The Christian must maintain his balance, keeping control of his spirit, not giving Satan any opportunity to overcome him and lead him in a bad way. Time must be taken for one to consider a matter, using spiritual discernment, turning to God’s Word to get His mind on matters. There is hardly any problem that can arise in the Christian’s life about which Jehovah’s Word does not give wise counsel and guidance. One shows that he trusts in Jehovah with all his heart by seeking His counsel and then following it at all times, by letting agreement with the accurate knowledge of God’s will be ‘the force actuating his mind,’ and by thus putting on “the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loving-kindness.”—Eph. 4:23, 24.

20. (a) How does spiritual discernment guard against our becoming angry or upset? (b) What proper course did Jesus advise in dealing with one who gives offense?

²⁰ Spiritual discernment leads one into the right relationship with his brothers and sisters in the New World society. For example, if a brother feels he has been wronged he will not act in hasty anger, being upset because of what his brother may have done toward him or said about him. What is it that would cause a person to get upset and angry under such circumstances? Is it not because he is thinking just of himself, is disturbed perhaps because his good name has been misrepresented? But is not something more important involved? If someone in the congregation has acted wrongly, the spiritually discerning Christian sees that his brother’s wrong course is an evidence of some spiritual weakness on his part and that his spiritual life is therefore in danger, and that is surely something more to be concerned with than any real or imagined wrong his brother may have done to him. Rather than “keep account of the injury,” the mature Christian is moved to go to his erring brother, not in anger, not to get some personal satisfaction for the wrong he may have done, but out of love for him, to help him up from his stumbling if possible, before it is too late. Is not this just what Jesus advised: “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother”?—1 Cor. 13:4, 5; Matt. 18:15.

21. How does the mature servant of Jehovah view himself?

²¹ Having spiritual discernment, God’s faithful servants see themselves for what they are, just earthen vessels, of little worth in themselves, yet, through Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, containing valuable treasures of knowledge to be used in his service. This keeps them humble, always appreciating that what they have that is of value has been received from Jehovah and is no cause for boasting in themselves. At 1 Corinthians 4:6, 7 the apostle wrote: “Learn the rule, ‘Do not go beyond the things that are written,’ in order that you may not be puffed up individually in favor of the one against the other. For who makes you to differ from another? Indeed, what do you have that you did not receive? If, now, you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” Having this Scriptural point of view will guard one from becoming proud and self-centered, or touchy and resentful, thus making him difficult to get along with. He will be filled with appreciation for Jehovah’s goodness and the privilege of knowing Him and his Son, Christ Jesus, and he will forget himself and be interested only in sharing the good things he has with others.

22. While we are remaining humble, what extremes must be avoided? How?

²² Yet, while we are remaining humble, there is need to guard against the opposite extreme of having an inferiority complex, being apologetic, feeling dissatisfied with oneself to the point of discouragement. Recognizing the power of Jehovah’s spirit, one discerns with a sound mind that, with Jehovah’s help, he is able to do what is God’s will for him and so he tackles any assignment of service with faith. As we read at Romans 12:3: “For through the undeserved kindness given to me I tell everyone there among you not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think; but to think so as to have a sound mind, each one as God has distributed to him a measure of faith.”

23. How does spiritual discernment contribute to unity among the brothers?

²³ This humble yet realistic viewpoint toward himself enables the Christian to have an honest, frank and realistic attitude toward his brothers, which makes for refreshing companionship and godly harmony. Spiritual discernment enables us to work together in unity, appreciating the needs of one another, enabling us to give practical expression to the quality of love. So, be filled with spiritual discernment, make right decisions, “in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him as you go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God.”

Spiritual Discernment—an Evidence of Christian Maturity

1, 2. (a) What is necessary for a young child as it faces new situations, yet what will the wise parent work for? (b) What is the most important kind of maturity?

A YOUNG child needs help and guidance. The parents who are concerned with the welfare of the child are always ready to give the needed help and advice as the growing child faces new situations. At first the parents have to make decisions on behalf of the child: what is good or what is bad; what to eat or what not to eat; when to sleep or when to play; where the child can go in safety and what places to avoid as dangerous; what literature is within the child’s scope and beneficial for its upbringing and what would tend to confuse or would be bad for spiritual and moral growth. But as the child progresses in years the wise parent trains his child to think for himself, to discern what is good and bad, wise and foolish. Then as adulthood in years is reached so also is mental maturity.

² It is important for parents to appreciate the need for mental and spiritual growth in their children, particularly the latter growth. The term “maturity” can be applied to many features of growth, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, but it is the last-named kind, spiritual maturity, that is the most important, and yet as far as this world is concerned, it is the one most neglected.

3. (a) How should the wise instructor train those with whom he studies? (b) What is the evidence of Christian maturity?

³ Our illustration of the child well applies to the growth to Christian maturity of a person newly coming to a knowledge of the truth. At first he needs help in how to study God’s Word, the personal help and guidance of a mature Christian. He needs to be fed. But the wise instructor will train his student to think and reason things out for himself so that he can soon begin to feed himself and grow in powers of discernment. Just as the evidence of true adulthood is in demonstrating adult understanding and appreciation, so Christian maturity is demonstrated by one’s powers of spiritual discernment, the ability to arrive at right decisions, keenly discerning right from wrong on the basis of Bible