Olketa Elder, Lane From Example blo Gideon

1. Olsem 1 Peter 5:2 storyim, wanem important waka nao olketa elder duim?

JEHOVAH givim waka lo olketa elder for lukaftarem olketa sheepsheep blo hem wea hem lovem. Olketa faithful man hia tinghae lo privilege blo olketa for kea for olketa brata and sista, and traem best for kamap “shepherd wea bae barava lukaftarem” gud olketa sheep. (Jer. 23:4; readim 1 Peter 5:2.) Iumi hapi tumas for garem olketa brata olsem insaed kongregeson blo iumi!

2. Wat nao samfala challenge wea olketa elder feisim?

² Olketa elder feisim staka challenge taem olketa duim responsibility blo olketa. Hem big waka for lukaftarem kongregeson. Tony wanfala elder lo United States mas lane for luksavve lo limit blo hem lo wat hem fit for duim. Hem sei: “Lo start blo COVID-19 pandemic, mi duim staka waka for organizem olketa meeting and ministry. Nomata olsem, staka waka stap yet for duim. Gogo, mi start for misstim Bible reading, personal study, and for prea tu.” Ilir, wanfala elder lo Kosovo, feisim difren challenge. Taem war kamap lo ples hem stap, hem faendem hard for obeyim direction from organization. Hem sei: “Hem barava challenging for mi taem branch assignim mi for helpem olketa brata and sista wea stap lo wanfala dangerous area. Mi fraet and mi ting datfala direction hem no fitim.” Tim, wanfala missionary lo Asia, faendem hard for duim evri samting wea hem need for duim evriday. Hem sei: “Samfala taem mi feel olsem hem hard nao for mi kea for olketa brata and sista from mi taed tumas.” Wat nao savve helpem olketa elder wea feisim sem kaen challenge?

3. Hao nao iumi evriwan savve kasem gud samting from example blo Judge Gideon?

³ Olketa elder savve lane from example blo Judge Gideon. (Heb. 6:12; 11:32) Hem protectim and shepherdim pipol blo God. (Judg. 2:16; 1 Chron. 17:6) Olsem Gideon, olketa elder kasem appointment for lukaftarem pipol blo God lo disfala challenging taem. (Acts 20:28; 2 Tim. 3:1) Iumi evriwan savve lane from example blo Gideon wea luksavve lo limit blo hem lo wat hem fit for duim, hem hambol, and obey. Taem hem duim assignment blo hem, hem feisim olketa test for gohed faithful. Nomata iumi elder or nomoa, hem gud for iumi lane for appreciatim olketa elder blo iumi, and sapotim olketa spiritual brata hia.​—Heb. 13:17.

TAEM HEM CHALLENGING FOR LUKSAVVE LO LIMIT AND FOR HAMBOL

4. Wat nao showimaot Gideon luksavve lo limit blo hem and hem hambol?

⁴ Gideon hem man wea luksavve lo limit blo hem and hem hambol.b Taem angel blo Jehovah talem Gideon dat Jehovah chusim hem for sevem Israel from olketa paoaful Midianite, datfala hambol man sei: “Lo tribe blo Manasseh, famili laen blo mifala hem smol nomoa, and lo famili blo dadi blo mi, mi no important nomoa.” (Judg. 6:15) Gideon feel hem no qualify, bat Jehovah savve hem fit for duim. And Jehovah helpem Gideon for barava duim gud datfala assignment.

5. Wat nao samfala situation wea olketa elder faendem hem challenging for hambol and for luksavve lo limit blo olketa?

⁵ Olketa elder duim best for luksavve lo limit blo olketa and hambol taem olketa duim evri waka blo olketa. (Mic. 6:8; Acts 20:18, 19) Olketa no tok praod abaotem wat olketa duim and knowledge blo olketa, and lo semtaem olketa no ting daonem olketa seleva from olketa no perfect and savve mekem mistek. Nomata olsem, olketa elder feisim samfala challenge. For example, wanfala elder maet acceptim tu-thri assignment bat hem faendem hard for duim evriwan. Or maet samfala criticizem hao hem duim wanfala assignment or maet hem kasem praise bikos hem duim gud nara assignment. Lo situation olsem, hao nao example blo Gideon savve helpem olketa elder?

6. Wat nao olketa elder savve lanem from example blo Gideon for luksavve lo limit blo olketa? (Lukim tu piksa.)

⁶ Ask for help. Man need for luksavve lo limit blo hem. Gideon hem man wea willing for askem olketa narawan for help. (Judg. 6:27, 35; 7:24) Olketa elder wea wise duim olsem tu. Tony wea iumi storyim finis sei: “Bikos lo baekgraon blo mi, hem wei blo mi for acceptim waka nomata hem winim wat mi fit for duim. So mi disaed for storyim datfala subject lo famili worship and herem tingting blo waef blo mi. Mi watchim tu disfala video lo jw.org, Trainim and Trustim Olketa Narawan for Duim Waka, Olsem Jesus.” Bihaen datwan, Tony askem olketa narawan for helpem hem for duim samfala waka. Wat nao result? Tony sei: “Olketa waka lo kongregeson gohed gud, and mi garem moa taem for strongim spiritual saed blo mi.”

7. If samwan criticizem olketa elder, hao nao olketa savve followim example blo Gideon? (James 3:13)

⁷ Story kaen nomata samwan criticizem iu. Nara challenge for olketa elder hem taem samwan criticizem olketa. Example blo Gideon savve helpem olketa tu lo diswan. Gideon luksavve hem no perfect, so hem story kaen taem olketa Ephraimite criticizem hem. (Judg. 8:1-3) Gideon no kros taem hem story witim olketa. Hem showim hem hambol taem hem lisin lo wat olketa feel nogud abaotem and hem story kaen lo olketa, and datwan mekem olketa koldaon. Olketa elder wea wise followim example blo Gideon taem olketa lisin gud and story kaen nomata samwan criticizem olketa. (Readim James 3:13.) Taem olketa duim olsem, kongregeson garem peace.

8. Wat nao olketa elder shud duim taem olketa kasem praise? Storyim example.

⁸ Givim evri praise lo Jehovah. Taem Gideon kasem praise from hem winim olketa Midianite, hem mekhae lo Jehovah. (Judg. 8:22, 23) Hao nao olketa elder savve followim example blo Gideon? Olketa shud givim evri praise lo Jehovah for wat olketa duim. (1 Cor. 4:6, 7) For example, if wanfala elder kasem praise from hem savve hao for teach gud, hem gud for hem mekhae lo hao information wea hem iusim hem kam from Bible, and hao iumi evriwan kasem training from organization blo Jehovah. Olketa elder maet need for ting raonem sapos wat olketa duim hem mekem tumas attention for kam lo olketa seleva. Tingim experience blo Timothy wea hem elder. Taem Timothy just kamap elder, hem laekem tumas for givim pablik tok. Hem sei: “Mi savve iusim introduction and illustration wea ova tumas. Staka savve praisem mi for datwan. Problem nao, attention hem kam lo mi, no lo Bible or Jehovah.” Gogo, Timothy luksavve hem mas changem hao hem teach mekem olketa narawan no givim tumas attention lo hem. (Prov. 27:21) Wat nao result? Hem sei: “Olketa brata and sista storyim hao tok blo mi savve helpem olketa for deal witim problem, for no givap taem olketa kasem test, or for fren gud witim Jehovah. Mi hapi tumas for herem olketa koment olsem winim hao mi kasem praise bifor.”

TAEM HEM CHALLENGING FOR OBEY AND FOR NO FRAET

9. Wanem situation nao mekem hem challenging for Gideon obey and no fraet? (Lukim piksa lo front page.)

⁹ Bihaen Gideon kamap judge, hem mas deal witim situation wea hem challenging for hem obey and for no fraet. Hem kasem wanfala dangerous assignment for distroem Baal altar blo dadi blo hem. (Judg. 6:25, 26) Then, taem Gideon garem wanfala army, hem kasem direction tufala taem for katem daon namba blo olketa soldia. (Judg. 7:2-7) And last samting, hem kasem instruction for attakim camp blo enemy lo midol naet.​—Judg. 7:9-11.

10. Wanem situation nao maet mekem hem challenging for wanfala elder obey?

¹⁰ Olketa elder shud “willing for obey.” (Jas. 3:17) Elder wea obey hem willing for followim wat Bible talem and direction wea kam from organization blo God. Taem hem duim olsem, hem showim gud example for olketa narawan. Bat, situation maet kamap wea mekem hem challenging for obey. For example, maet hem faendem hard for gohed followim olketa direction. Lo samfala situation, maet hem tingse samfala direction hem no really practical or wise. Or maet hem kasem assignment wea end ap, olketa savve arrestim hem. Hao nao olketa elder savve followim example blo Gideon for obey lo olketa situation olsem?

11. Wat nao savve helpem olketa elder for obey?

¹¹ Lisin gud lo direction and followim. God talem Gideon hao for distroem altar blo dadi blo hem, ples for buildim niu altar for Jehovah, and which animal for sakrifaesim. Gideon no kwestinim datfala direction, bat hem just followim nomoa. Distaem olketa elder kasem instruction from organization blo Jehovah thru lo olketa leta, announcement, and gaedlaen wea savve helpem iumi lo spiritual and physical wei. Iumi lovem olketa elder bikos olketa faithful for followim theocratic direction. Datwan mekem full kongregeson for kasem gud samting.​—Ps. 119:112.

12. Hao nao olketa elder savve followim Hebrew 13:17 if eni theocratic direction hem change?

¹² Mas willing for adjust. Tingim, Jehovah talem Gideon for sendem bak winim 99 percent lo olketa soldia blo hem. (Judg. 7:8) Gideon maet ting: ‘Waswe, diswan need for change? Hao, bae hem waka tu?’ Nomata olsem, Gideon obey nomoa. Olsem Gideon, olketa elder distaem obeyim eni change wea kamap saed lo olketa theocratic direction. (Readim Hebrew 13:17.) For example, lo 2014 Governing Body changem hao olketa peim kost blo olketa Kingdom Hall and Assembly Hall construction project. (2 Cor. 8:12-14) Olketa kongregeson no need for peim bak eni loan nao. Organization iusim contribution from evri kongregeson lo world for buildim Kingdom Hall or Assembly Hall lo ples wea needim, nomata kongregeson no garem inaf selen. Taem José herem disfala change, hem daotem datwan and ting olsem: ‘Bae hard for buildim even wanfala Kingdom Hall. Disfala change no fitim hao mifala duim samting lo kantri blo mifala.’ Wat nao helpem José for sapotim direction hia? Hem sei: “Proverbs 3:5, 6 remindim mi for trustim Jehovah. And result blo datwan hem gud tumas! Iumi buildim staka Kingdom Hall, and tu, iumi savve contribute lo olketa difren wei mekem iumi evriwan garem samting.”

13. (a) Wat nao Gideon barava sure lo hem? (b) Hao nao olketa elder savve followim example blo Gideon? (Lukim tu piksa.)

¹³ No fraet for duim will blo Jehovah. Gideon obeyim Jehovah nomata hem fraet and assignment blo hem dangerous. (Judg. 9:17) Bihaen Gideon luksavve Jehovah gohed sapotim hem, Gideon barava sure Jehovah bae helpem hem for protectim pipol blo Hem. Olketa elder wea stap lo ples wea waka blo iumi ban followim example blo Gideon. Olketa no fraet for lead lo olketa meeting and lo ministry nomata maet police arrestim or kwestinim olketa, lusim waka for selen, or pipol treatim olketa nogud.c Lo bigfala trabol, olketa elder bae need for no fraet for obeyim instruction wea olketa kasem, nomata situation hem danger. Olketa instruction hia maet hem abaotem hao for talemaot datfala message wea olsem hail ston and hao for stap sef taem Gog blo Magog hem attak.​—Ezek. 38:18; Rev. 16:21.

TAEM HEM CHALLENGING FOR GOHED AND NO GIVAP

14. Wanem situation nao mekem hem challenging for Gideon gohed and no givap?

¹⁴ For Gideon duim assignment blo hem, hem need for waka hard. Taem olketa Midianite ranawe lo datfala naet wea olketa faet, Gideon ronem olketa start from Jezreel Valley olowe go kasem Jordan River, wea luk olsem datfala area hem bushes tumas. (Judg. 7:22) Waswe, Gideon stop lo Jordan nao? Nomoa! Nomata hem taed, hem and 300 soldia blo hem akrosim Jordan River and gohed for ronem olketa. Gogo olketa katsap lo olketa Midianite and winim olketa.​—Judg. 8:4-12.

15. Wanem situation nao maet mekem hem challenging for wanfala elder gohed and no givap?

¹⁵ Maet wanfala elder savve barava taed lo body, tingting, or feeling bikos hem lukaftarem kongregeson and famili blo hem. Lo taem olsem, hao nao olketa elder savve followim example blo Gideon?

16-17. Wat nao helpem Gideon for no givap, and wat nao olketa elder sure lo hem? (Isaiah 40:28-31) (Lukim tu piksa.)

¹⁶ Trustim hao Jehovah bae strongim iu. Gideon trustim hao Jehovah bae strongim hem, and hem nao wat Jehovah duim. (Judg. 6:14, 34) Wantaem, Gideon and olketa soldia blo hem ran bihaen tufala Midianite king nomata luk olsem tufala raedem olketa camel. (Judg. 8:12, 21) Nomata olsem, from God helpem olketa, olketa win. Olketa elder tu savve trustim Jehovah wea hem “no savve taed or kamap wik.” Jehovah bae givim strong wea olketa needim.​—Readim Isaiah 40:28-31.

¹⁷ Tingim experience blo Matthew, wea hem member blo wanfala Hospital Liaison Komiti. Wat nao helpem hem for gohed and no givap? Matthew sei: “Mi barava experiencem wanem Philippi 4:13 storyim. Staka taem wea mi barava taed and no garem strong, mi prea lo Jehovah for strongim mi and for strongim tingting blo mi mekem mi savve gohed sapotim olketa brata and sista. Taem olsem, mi feelim spirit blo Jehovah strongim mi and helpem mi for gohed and no givap.” Olsem Gideon, olketa elder blo iumi waka hard for shepherdim pipol blo God nomata maet olketa feisim samfala challenge. Hem tru, olketa need for luksavve lo limit blo olketa and duim samting fitim datwan. Nomata olsem, olketa savve trustim hao Jehovah bae herem prea blo olketa and strongim olketa for no givap.—Ps. 116:1; Phil. 2:13.

18. Hao nao olketa elder savve followim example blo Gideon?

¹⁸ Example blo Gideon savve teachim olketa elder olketa practical leson wea barava fitim. Olketa elder shud tingim limit blo olketa and hambol taem olketa luksavve haomas waka olketa fit for duim and taem samwan criticizem or praisem olketa. Olketa mas obey and no fraet, especially taem iumi gogo for end blo disfala nogud world. And olketa need for trustim God for strongim olketa nomata olketa feisim samfala challenge. Tru nao, iumi barava appreciatim olketa shepherd blo iumi wea waka hard and iumi “tinghae long olketa man olsem.”​—Phil. 2:29.