It is good to respect these brothers and their wives; we would not want to treat them as celebrities

[JAMMY]

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ws16 January p. 26

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Love “Does Not Behave Indecently”

The apostle Paul wrote: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests.” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5) We “behave indecently” if we are rude, have bad manners, and do not show others that we respect them. Instead, when we love our brothers, we think about their feelings before we say or do something.

We can show that we love those taking the lead in Jehovah’s organization by the way we treat them. At times, well-known brothers might visit our congregation or the convention we attend. They may be circuit overseers, Bethelites, members of the Branch Committee, members of the Governing Body, or helpers to the Governing Body. Naturally, we want to show them and their wives respect, and this is good. We do not want to be like Diotrephes, who did not welcome the brothers visiting his congregation because he did not respect them. (3 John 9, 10) But even if we welcome these brothers, could it be that we are still not showing them respect? How might this happen?

Although we enjoy meeting and talking with the brothers and sisters who visit us, we would not show them respect if we treated them as celebrities. For example, would it show good manners if we take photos of them without their permission or when they are not aware of it, perhaps when they are eating or doing something else? Would we ask them to sign our books and Bibles? Would we push in front of others and insist that we have a photo taken with them? What effect could such behavior have on those attending one of our conventions for the first time? Surely, if we love our brothers and sisters, we would not do anything like this. Instead, we show them respect because we understand why they are visiting us and how hard they work for us.

What will help us to know how to treat our brothers? First, remember that we should give glory to Jehovah. (Revelation 4:11) Second, realize that while it is good to respect these brothers and their wives, we would not want to treat them as celebrities. They want to be treated as our brothers and sisters. (Matthew 23:8) Third, remember what Jesus taught us: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.” (Matthew 7:12) If we remember these things, we will show love and “not behave indecently.”