Imitate Christ’s Qualities

11. (a) Whom should we work hard to imitate? (b) Why should the men in the congregation especially strive to imitate Jesus?

¹¹ All in the Christian congregation, especially the men, should continually work hard to imitate Christ’s qualities. As already noted, the Bible declares: “The head of every man is the Christ.” As Christ imitated his Head, the true God, Christian men should strive to imitate their head​—the Christ. Upon becoming a Christian, the apostle Paul did just that. “Become imitators of me,” he exhorted fellow Christians, “even as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1) And the apostle Peter said: “To this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.” (1 Pet. 2:21) The admonition to imitate the Christ is of particular interest to men for still another reason. They are the ones who become elders and ministerial servants. As Jesus found joy in imitating Jehovah, Christian men should find joy in imitating Christ and his qualities.

¹³ Those taking the lead in the congregation are imperfect men, and they should constantly be aware of that limitation. (Rom. 3:23) So they must be eager to learn about Jesus and imitate his love. They need to ponder over the way that God and Christ deal with people and then strive to imitate them. Peter exhorts us: “All of you gird yourselves with lowliness of mind toward one another, because God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”​—1 Pet. 5:5.

14. To what extent should elders show honor to others?

¹⁴ In their dealings with God’s flock, the appointed men in the congregation are to exhibit fine qualities. Romans 12:10 states: “In brotherly love have tender affection for one another. In showing honor to one another take the lead.” Elders and ministerial servants show honor to others. Like Christians in general, these men are ‘to do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism but with lowliness of mind are to consider that the others are superior to them.’ (Phil. 2:3) Those taking the lead should certainly view others as being superior to them. By doing so, the appointed men will be following Paul’s counsel: “We, though, who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those not strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor in what is good for his upbuilding. For even the Christ did not please himself.”​—Rom. 15:1-3.