“Respectim Olketa wea Waka Hard for Helpem Iufala”
“Respectim olketa wea waka hard for helpem iufala, and wea leadim iufala long waka bilong Lord, and givim advaes long iufala.”—1 THESS. 5:12.
1, 2. (a) Taem Paul raetem first leta bilong hem for kongregeson long Thessalonica, wanem nao kasem olketa? (b) Paul encouragem olketa for duim wanem?
TINGIM sapos iu stap long kongregeson long Thessalonica long first century. Datfala kongregeson hem wanfala long olketa firstfala kongregeson long Europe. Aposol Paul stap witim olketa brata and sista long there for lelebet longtaem for strongim olketa. Maet hem markem samfala man for elder, olsem hem duim long olketa nara kongregeson. (Acts 14:23) Bat bihaen datfala kongregeson start, olketa Jew talem samfala nogud man for lukaotem Paul and Silas and raosem tufala from datfala taon. Olketa Christian wea gohed for stap long Thessalonica maet feel olsem no eniwan stap for helpem olketa, and maet olketa fraet tu.
2 Paul barava tingim olketa brata and sista long Thessalonica. Hem trae for go bak for lukim olketa, bat “Satan hem blokem” hem. So Paul sendem Timothy nao for strongim olketa brata and sista long there. (1 Thess. 2:18; 3:2) Taem Timothy kam bak and talem Paul abaotem wei wea datfala kongregeson gohed gud, datwan mekem Paul for raetem firstfala leta for olketa long Thessalonica. Long datfala leta, Paul encouragem olketa brata and sista for ‘respectim olketa wea leadim olketa long waka bilong Lord.’—Readim 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13.
3. Why nao hem fitim for olketa Christian long Thessalonica barava kaen long olketa elder?
3 Olketa brata wea leadim and lukaftarem kongregeson long Thessalonica no garem bigfala savve olsem Paul and olketa wea savve gogo witim hem. Olketa just kam insaed truth and no savve long staka samting olsem olketa elder long Jerusalem bikos datfala kongregeson hem just start! Nomata olsem, hem fitim for datfala kongregeson hapi long olketa elder bikos olketa “waka hard” and “leadim” waka long kongregeson and “givim advaes” long olketa brata and sista. Tru tumas, hem fitim for olketa “barava kaen long [olketa elder] and lovem olketa.” Paul talem tu for olketa brata and sista “traem best for stap gud witim olketa narawan.” Sapos iu stap long Thessalonica bifor, waswe, bae iu tu showimaot iu tinghae long hard waka wea olketa elder duim? Wanem nao tingting bilong iu long “olketa man olsem present” wea God givim thru long Christ for helpem kongregeson bilong iu?—Eph. 4:8.
“Waka Hard”
4, 5. Long taem bilong Paul, why nao olketa elder mas waka hard for teachim olketa long kongregeson, and hao nao datwan semsem distaem?
4 Bihaen olketa elder long Thessalonica sendem Paul and Silas long Beroea, wanem nao olketa duim wea showimaot olketa “waka hard”? Olketa followim example bilong Paul for iusim olketa Holy Raeting for teachim kongregeson. Maet iu ting olsem, ‘Waswe, olketa Christian long Thessalonica tinghae long Word bilong God?’ Bible sei olketa long Beroea “garem gudfala tingting winim olketa long Thessalonica. Diswan hem bikos . . . evriday olketa lukluk gud long olketa Holy Raeting.” (Acts 17:11) Bat Paul comparem olketa long Beroea witim Jew long Thessalonica and no witim olketa brata and sista. Olketa wea biliv ‘acceptim message and no tingse hem toktok bilong man nomoa, bat olketa savve hem toktok bilong God.’ (1 Thess. 2:13) Olketa elder barava waka hard for teachim olketa brata and sista.
5 Distaem wakaman wea faithful and wise givim olketa sheepsheep bilong God ‘kaikai long barava taem.’ (Matt. 24:45) Olketa elder long kongregeson waka hard for teachim olketa brata and sista followim wanem wakaman hia talem. Maet olketa brata and sista garem staka buk long languis bilong olketa. Samfala garem Watch Tower Publications Index and Watchtower Library long CD-ROM. For helpem evriwan long kongregeson fren gud witim Jehovah, olketa elder iusim staka taem for redyim olketa part long meeting mekem olketa brata and sista kasem gud samting. Waswe, iu savve haomas taem nao olketa elder iusim for redyim part wea olketa garem long olketa meeting, assembly, and convention?
6, 7. (a) Wanem gudfala example nao Paul showimaot for olketa elder long Thessalonica? (b) Why nao maet hem no isi for olketa elder distaem followim example bilong Paul?
6 Olketa elder long Thessalonica no forgetim gudfala example wea Paul showimaot long wei for lukaftarem kongregeson. Paul duim datwan no from hem mas duim datfala waka nomoa bat from hem lovem and tingim olketa brata and sista. Olsem iumi storyim long study bifor diswan, Paul hem “kaen . . . , olsem wanfala mami wea lukaftarem gud pikinini bilong hem wea hem susum.” (Readim 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8.) Hem willing tu ‘for givim laef bilong hem for olketa’! Taem olketa elder long Thessalonica lukaftarem olketa sheepsheep, olketa mas followim example bilong Paul.
7 Olketa elder distaem tu followim example bilong Paul for lukaftarem gud olketa sheepsheep. Maet samfala sheepsheep no kaen. Nomata olsem, olketa elder showimaot gudfala tingting and trae for luksavve long “gudfala samting” wea olketa duim. (Prov. 16:20) From olketa elder no perfect, maet hem no isi for olketa tingim gudfala fasin wea narawan garem. Nomata olsem, from olketa elder traem best for kaen long evriwan, iumi shud praisem olketa from olketa stap anda long Christ and waka hard for lukaftarem gud olketa sheepsheep!
8, 9. Wanem nao samfala samting wea olketa elder duim wea showimaot olketa ‘leadim iumi and lukaftarem iumi’?
8 Iumi evriwan shud “stap anda” long olketa elder. Olsem Paul talem, ‘olketa leadim iumi and lukaftarem iumi.’ (Heb. 13:17) Datfala toktok helpem iumi for tingim man wea lukaftarem olketa sheepsheep. Maet samfala naet hem no savve sleep bikos hem mas protectim olketa sheepsheep. Long sem wei tu, maet samfala taem olketa elder no savve sleep bikos olketa need for helpem olketa wea sik, feel nogud, or helpem olketa wea faendem hem no isi for followim olketa Bible principle. Olsem example, taem emergency kamap long naet, olketa elder long Hospital Liaison Komiti mas go for lukim olketa wea needim help. Taem iumi kasem hard taem olsem, iumi tinghae long wanem olketa elder duim for iumi!
9 Olketa elder long relief komiti waka hard for helpem olketa brata and sista. Hem fitim for iumi barava sapotim olketa! Tingim bigfala relief waka wea kamap bihaen Cyclone Nargis kasem Myanmar long 2008. Bothingone Kongregeson stap long Irrawaddy Delta area, ples wea cyclone barava spoelem. Bat for kasem datfala kongregeson, olketa brata wea duim relief waka mas go pas long staka pipol wea dae. Taem olketa brata long Bothingone lukim circuit overseer bilong olketa bifor kam witim firstfala relief grup, olketa barava hapi and sei: “Circuit overseer bilong mifala nao kam! Jehovah sevem mifala!” Waswe, iu tinghae long hard waka wea olketa elder duim day and naet? Samfala elder waka long spesol komiti for deal witim eni serious judicial problem wea kamap. Olketa elder no tok praod long samting wea olketa duim, bat olketa brata wea kasem help tinghae long datwan.—Matt. 6:2-4.
10. Wanem nao samfala nara waka wea olketa elder duim wea iumi no savve lukim?
10 Staka elder distaem duim olketa nara waka tu long kongregeson. Olsem example, chairman bilong olketa elder mas redyim schedule for olketa meeting wea kamap evri week. Evri month, secretary long kongregeson duim waka for lukaftarem field service report. Skul overseer lukaftarem skul schedule and hem ting raonem gud wanem part nao for givim long olketa brata and sista. Bihaen thrifala month, olketa elder duim audit long account bilong kongregeson. Olketa elder readim olketa leta from branch office and followim datwan mekem evriwan “wan mind long faith.” (Eph. 4:3, 13) From olketa elder waka hard, “evri samting [gohed] long wei wea hem stret and wea no olobaot.”—1 Cor. 14:40.
“Leadim Iufala”
11, 12. Hu nao leadim waka wea gohed long kongregeson, and wanem nao hem minim for duim datwan?
11 Paul storyim olketa elder long Thessalonica nao “leadim” waka wea gohed long kongregeson. (1 Thess. 5:12) Hem sei olketa elder hia “waka hard.” Hem no storyim wanfala elder nomoa bat hem storyim evri elder long kongregeson. Distaem klosap evri elder leadim waka bilong kongregeson and conductim olketa meeting. Datfala change for iusim toktok “chairman bilong olketa elder” helpem iumi for tingim evri elder olsem wanfala body wea waka gud tugeta.
12 For “leadim” waka wea gohed long kongregeson hem minim moa samting winim wei for teach nomoa. Long 1 Timothy 3:4, Paul sei wanfala elder “mas lukaftarem gud famili bilong hem, and olketa pikinini bilong hem mas obey and showimaot respect.” Disfala toktok “lukaftarem” hem no minim for teachim olketa pikinini nomoa, bat hem mas leadim famili and “olketa pikinini bilong hem mas obey.” Tru tumas, olketa elder nao leadim waka wea gohed long kongregeson and helpem evriwan stap anda long Jehovah.—1 Tim. 3:5.
13. Maet why nao olketa elder no kwiktaem for disaedem samting taem olketa garem meeting?
13 For olketa elder leadim gud olketa sheepsheep, olketa mas story gud tugeta abaotem wanem nao need bilong kongregeson and hao for helpem kongregeson. Maet iumi tingse hem gud for wanfala elder disaedem evri samting. Bat for followim example bilong governing body long first century, olketa elder story gud tugeta and lukluk long wanem Bible talem bifor olketa disaedem samting. Goal bilong olketa elder hem for iusim olketa Bible principle wea bae helpem kongregeson. Olketa savve duim datwan sapos each elder prepare firstaem for meeting bilong olketa elder and ting raonem Bible and wanem wakaman wea faithful and wise talem. Olketa elder mas iusim staka taem. Taem problem kamap long bifor abaotem wei for circumcise, governing body long first century iusim staka taem for duim research for disaedem samting followim wanem Bible talem. Distaem tu olketa elder savve duim sem samting taem olketa no agree long wanfala samting.—Acts 15:2, 6, 7, 12-14, 28.
14. (a) Waswe, iu tinghae long wei wea olketa elder wan mind and waka gud tugeta? (b) Why nao iu tinghae long datwan?
14 Wanem nao maet happen sapos wanfala elder laekem olketa nara elder for followim tingting bilong hem nomoa? Waswe sapos samwan olsem Diotrephes long first century stap long kongregeson wea laek for mekem olketa problem kamap? (3 John 9, 10) Evriwan long kongregeson bae no stap gud. Sapos Satan trae for mekem kongregeson long first century for no garem peace, iumi savve hem laek duim sem samting distaem tu. Maet hem trae for mekem olketa man tingim olketa seleva nomoa, olsem wei for laek garem hae position. Dastawe olketa elder need for hambol and waka gud tugeta olsem wanfala body. Iumi barava tinghae long olketa elder wea hambol and waka gud tugeta!
“Givim Advaes Long Iufala”
15. Why nao olketa elder givim advaes long wanfala brata or sista?
15 Paul storyim wanfala important waka wea no isi for olketa elder duim, hem nao for givim advaes long olketa sheepsheep. Long Christian Greek Scripture, Paul nomoa iusim Greek toktok wea iumi transleitim olsem “givim advaes.” Datwan savve minim for givim strongfala kaonsel, bat long kaenfala wei. (Acts 20:31; 2 Thess. 3:15) Olsem example, Paul sei long olketa long Corinth: “Mi no raetem olketa samting hia for mekem iufala shame, bat mi laek for teachim iufala [givim advaes] bikos iufala olketa pikinini bilong mi wea mi lovem.” (1 Cor. 4:14) Paul givim advaes long olketa bikos hem barava tingim olketa.
16. Taem olketa elder givim advaes long narawan, wanem nao olketa mas tingim?
16 Olketa elder mas tingim wei wea olketa givim advaes long narawan. Olketa trae hard for followim example bilong Paul for kaen, showimaot love, and helpem narawan. (Readim 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 12.) Bat long semtaem, olketa elder ‘mas barava faithful for followim toktok bilong God mekem olketa fit for iusim olketa gudfala teaching for encouragem narawan.’—Titus 1:5-9.
17, 18. Wanem nao iu shud tingim sapos wanfala elder givim advaes long iu?
17 Hem tru, olketa elder no perfect and maet olketa sorre long samting wea olketa talem. (1 Ki. 8:46; Jas. 3:8) Olketa elder savve tu, taem olketa givim kaonsel long wanfala brata or sista, datwan ‘savve mekem olketa feel nogud tumas.’ (Heb. 12:11) So bifor wanfala elder givim advaes long narawan, hem ting raonem firstaem wanem for talem and hem prea abaotem datwan. Sapos wanfala elder givim advaes long iu, waswe, iu tinghae long wea wei datfala elder tingim iu?
18 Tingim sapos iu garem wanfala big sik wea iu no savve wanem nao kosim datwan. Gogo doctor talem iu wanem nao datfala sik, bat iu no laek acceptim wanem hem talem. Waswe, bae iu kros long datfala doctor? Nomoa! Nomata sapos doctor talem iu for operate, bae iu acceptim datwan bikos iu savve hem bae mekem iu kamap gud. Hao datfala doctor talem iu datfala nius maet mekem iu feel nogud, bat waswe, bae iu letem datwan for affectim disison bilong iu? Maet nomoa. Long sem wei tu, hem gud for lisin long olketa wea Jehovah and Jesus iusim for givim advaes long iu and for no tingim nomoa wei wea olketa givim datfala advaes. Datwan bae helpem iu for luksavve wanem for duim mekem iu gohed fren gud witim Jehovah.
Tinghae Long Wei wea Jehovah Givim Olketa Elder
19, 20. Wanem nao iu savve duim for showimaot iu tinghae long olketa elder?
19 Wanem nao bae iu duim sapos iu kasem present wea samwan wakem for iu nomoa? Waswe, bae iu iusim datfala present for showimaot iu tinghae long datwan? Jehovah iusim Jesus for “givim olketa man olsem present” for iumi. Wanfala samting wea iu savve duim for showimaot iu tinghae long present wea Jehovah givim, hem for lisin gud long olketa tok wea olketa elder givim and trae hard for followim. Nara samting wea iu savve duim hem for givim olketa gudfala koment long meeting. Iu savve sapotim waka wea olketa elder leadim, olsem preaching waka. Sapos iu kasem gud samting from kaonsel wea wanfala elder givim long iu, hem gud for talem datwan long hem. Iu savve showimaot iu tinghae long famili bilong olketa elder tu. Taem elder waka hard long kongregeson, datwan showimaot famili bilong hem willing for hem iusim taem wea hem garem for helpem iumi.
20 Tru tumas, iumi garem staka reason for tinghae long olketa elder wea waka hard, leadim waka long kongregeson, and givim advaes long iumi. Iumi hapi long wei wea Jehovah “givim olketa man olsem present”!
Waswe, Iu Tingim Yet?
• Why nao hem fitim for olketa Christian long Thessalonica tinghae long olketa elder wea leadim waka bilong Lord?
• Wanem nao olketa waka wea olketa elder long kongregeson duim for iu?
• Wanem gud samting nao iu kasem from olketa elder leadim iu?
• Sapos wanfala elder givim advaes long iu, wanem nao iu shud tingim?
[Piksa long page 27]
Waswe, iu tinghae long staka samting wea olketa elder duim for lukaftarem kongregeson?