to true worship! “March around Zion, you people, and go about it, count its towers. Set your hearts upon its rampart, inspect its dwelling towers, in order that you may recount it to the future generation. For this God is our God to time indefinite, even forever.” (Ps. 48:12-14) How beauteous is this heavenly Zion, beloved of Jehovah! And how grand our privilege of recounting its glory to the “great crowd,” of the generation that will survive Har–Magedon and find everlasting life in an earth-wide sanctuary of praise! All together, may we set our hearts on the true worship of the one, true, eternal God, Jehovah. May the name of this “Holy One of Israel” be vindicated and sanctified forever!

Do Not Think More of Yourself than Is Necessary

“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.”—Rom. 12:3.

Throughout God’s Word, the Christian is admonished to acquire and maintain a balanced perspective of himself. While it is necessary for the Christian to think of himself sufficiently to take care of his mind and body and use them in the right way, it is vital for him not to go beyond that. He is not to think more of himself than is necessary.

If a person thinks too much of himself, he will be in danger of becoming conceited, proud, unloving. He will be too interested in his own desires and will not be concerned enough about others. Then he will find it difficult to obey the divine command to “love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind” and to “love your neighbor as yourself.”—Matt. 22:37-39.

CULTIVATING RIGHT QUALITIES

Among the many qualities that help the Christian not to think more of himself than is necessary are submissiveness and humility. The submissive Christian is always learning from God’s Word and applying what he learns to his own life. He eagerly does God’s will as it is progressively revealed through Jehovah’s visible organization.

To be submissive to Jehovah and his arrangements, the Christian needs humility. Being humble is the opposite of being proud. A humble person does not have an inflated opinion of himself. He is not overly assertive in manner or spirit. He is moderate, not presuming too much, not being vain or conceited. He is kind, mild-tempered.

Thus, the person who has the right viewpoint of himself, God’s viewpoint, will cultivate humility, for that is the quality that makes submissiveness to Jehovah and his arrangements a pleasure. It is the proud, arrogant person who does not want to submit to Jehovah’s righteous requirements. But “everyone that is proud in heart is something detestable to Jehovah.”—Prov. 16:5.

Since humility and submissiveness go hand in hand toward maintaining the balanced perspective of not thinking more of oneself than is necessary, they are qualities to strive diligently to acquire and improve. And what better time is there to begin acquiring them than in youth?

CHRISTIAN YOUNG TAUGHT TO KEEP PLACE

Christian parents have a marvelous opportunity to mold the minds of their children in the right direction in this matter. If they teach their children not to think more of themselves than is necessary, their young ones will likely grow up to be mature Christian adults who have the balanced perspective of themselves. The Bible states: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.” (Prov. 22:6) Because “foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy,” children will need to be taught how not to think more of themselves than is necessary. As they learn this, they can be encouraged to apply it in their everyday lives.—Prov. 22:15.

On occasion, young ones who have been taught God’s purposes are in a position to make expressions in school on the Bible’s view of certain matters. These Christian children have God’s truths. They know right from wrong on many matters as a result of their Biblical training. They are able to correct certain mistaken beliefs on the part of others, including students and even teachers. However, they must be taught to make their expressions with respectfulness. Jehovah’s Word counsels: “Sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect.”—1 Pet. 3:15.

If the Christian youth answers in this way, others will observe that increased knowledge has not made him proud or arrogant, as it often does those not tempered by godly principles. Honest-hearted persons, young and old, who observe the humble, sincere, respectful and polite manner of the Christian youth are impressed by these qualities and may look more favorably on his Christian faith.

At times, a young person may be taught from God’s Word by one parent only, because the other parent is not a dedicated Christian. The young person needs to be taught not to become disrespectful toward the unbelieving parent. How would a father view the Bible if he observed his children studying it with the mother, yet noted that they were becoming hostile to him? No, the young Christian should grow in respectfulness toward his parents even if they do not believe as he does. God’s Word says: “You children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.” (Col. 3:20) Treating an unbelieving parent with respect may influence him to investigate the faith of the child whom he observes being changed for the better.

OLDER ONES ACQUIRE NEW PERSONALITY

Older persons also need to appreciate that the truths of God’s Word are not freely dispensed by the Creator to make persons proud or elevate them above their fellowman. They are to do the opposite. They are to make persons humble, respectful, submissive, loving. Of all Christians, regardless of age, it is true that they are not to think more of themselves than is necessary, for if the spirit of God is active in their lives, then that spirit will produce the fruitage of “love, . . . long-suffering, kindness, goodness, . . . mildness, self-control.”—Gal. 5:22, 23.

This fruitage gradually will change the personality for the good. That is why the apostle Paul could confidently recommend: “Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it, . . . clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering. . . . But, besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union.”—Col. 3:9-14.

Christians who work diligently to develop such a new, godly personality will not look down on their fellowman. They will not be rude or insulting even to those who oppose them because of their bearing Jehovah’s name. Rather, they will “always pursue what is good toward one another and to all others.” (1 Thess. 5:14, 15) They will be careful not to build themselves up at the expense of others, either by competing with them or by downgrading them in the eyes of others. Neither will they strive for prominence or glory. Instead, humbly they will look for ways to build up others. “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.”—1 Cor. 10:24.

AVOIDING PRIDE OF WEALTH

Some Christians have more of this world’s material goods than other Christians. Should this induce them to think they are better than their Christian brothers who have much less?

The well-to-do Christian must appreciate that his abundance of material possessions is not a direct gift from Jehovah. If this were a reward for faithfulness, then there would be no Christian anywhere in the world who would have little of this world’s goods. But those who are most active in seeking first Jehovah’s kingdom interests are usually ones who have just enough of this world’s goods to sustain their daily living.—Matt. 6:9, 10.

Paul shows how to regard material possessions when he states: “Brothers, the time left is reduced. Henceforth let those who . . . buy [be] as those not possessing, and those making use of the world as those not using it to the full; for the scene of this world is changing.” (1 Cor. 7:29-31) It is wise not to put too much stock in material wealth, for one cannot know if he will still have it tomorrow. And at Armageddon, all of this world’s financial systems will dissolve. (Zeph. 1:18) In Jehovah’s new system, the use of earth’s resources will be directed by God’s heavenly kingdom. Through it Jehovah will make distribution of material wealth as it pleases him for the benefit of all, not for just a few. Thus, Paul counsels: “Give orders to those who are rich in the present system of things not to be high-minded, and to rest their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, . . . to be liberal, ready to share.”—1 Tim. 6:17, 18.

So while today wealth can be used properly to advance Kingdom interests, it can also become a divisive factor. But with the right viewpoint, one who has more will appreciate that he is not better than his Christian brothers who have less, and that “even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.”—Luke 12:15.

MINISTERIAL SERVANTS

In each of the more than 25,000 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the earth there are men who have spiritual qualifications and who have been appointed to positions of responsibility.