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Lesson for today (Phil 2:3) 3 "Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with humility consider others superior to you." PEOPLE today take great pride in personal accomplishments, and they are often quick to boast about them. Christians are different. They refrain from overemphasizing their own accomplishments, even those having to do with true worship. While they rejoice over what Jehovah’s people accomplish as a whole, they keep their individual contribution in the background. They realize that in Jehovah’s service, right motives are more important than personal accomplishments. Anyone who is eventually given the gift of eternal life will have gained it, not by personal accomplishments, but through faith and by God’s undeserved kindness. This may be a challenge, especially if we happen to be in a position of responsibility. Perhaps the difficulty arises because we have been influenced, to a certain extent, by the spirit of competition so prevalent in the world today. Possibly, as children we were taught to compete, either with our siblings at home or with our classmates at school. We were perhaps constantly urged to reach out for the honor of being the school’s star athlete or its top student. Of course, giving our best in any proper undertaking is commendable. However, Christians do so, not to call undue attention to themselves, but to benefit fully from the activity and perhaps to benefit others as well. However, aspiring always to be praised as number one can be dangerous. Yes, we can draw comfort and encouragement from knowing that we can be saved, not by works alone, but by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness! http://m.wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2005404?q=life+accomplishments&p=par

How do you show love today? (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) . . Revised 2013 4."Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, 5 does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. 6 It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails." “Have Love Among Yourselves” “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”—JOHN 13:34, 35 What It Means: Christ told his followers to love one another the way that he loved them. How did Jesus love them? His love transcended the national and gender bias prevalent in his day. (John 4:7-10) Love moved Jesus to sacrifice his time, energy, and personal comfort in order to help others. (Mark 6:30-34) Finally, Christ showed love in the greatest way possible. “I am the fine shepherd,” he said. “The fine shepherd surrenders his soul in behalf of the sheep.”—John 10:11 After Florida was hit by a string of four hurricanes in two months, the chairman of Florida’s Emergency Operations Committee checked to ensure that their supplies were being used properly. He said that no other group was as well organized as Jehovah’s Witnesses, and he offered to provide any supplies needed by the Witnesses. Earlier, in 1997, a relief team of Jehovah’s Witnesses with medicine, food, and clothing traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to assist their Christian brothers and others in need. Fellow Witnesses in Europe had donated supplies totaling a million dollars (U.S.). How do you show love today?