34567FEBRUARY 2021

STUDY ARTICLES FOR:APRIL 5–MAY 2, 2021

WHAT does the word “headship” mean to you? Somemen allow tradition, culture, or their own family back-ground to determine the way they treat their wife andchildren. Note what Yanita, a sister who lives in Europe,says, “Where I live, there is a deeply ingrained view thatwomen are inferior to men and should be viewed as ser-vants.”And a brother named Luke, who lives in the Unit-ed States, says, “Some fathers teach their sons that wom-en should be seen and not heard, that their opinion is notimportant.” However, those attitudes do not reflect theway Jehovahwants men to exercise their headship. (Com-pare Mark 7:13.) How, then, can a man learn to be a goodfamily head?

2 To be a good family head, a man must first understandwhat Jehovah requires of him. He also needs to know whyJehovah established headship and, specifically, how hecan imitate the example set by Jehovah and Jesus.Why isit important for a man to gain such knowledge? BecauseJehovah has given family heads a measure of authority,and he expects them to use it well.—Luke 12:48b.

WHAT IS HEADSHIP?3 Read 1 Corinthians 11:3. This verse describes the

way in which Jehovah has organized his universal family.Headship involves two key elements—authority and ac-countability. Jehovah is “the head,” or the ultimate au-thority, and all his children, both angelic and human, are

1. What factors are likely to influence a man’s view of headship?2. What must a family head know, and why?3. What do we learn about headship from the statement recorded at1 Corinthians 11:3?

STUDYARTICLE 5

“The Head of Every ManIs the Christ”

“The head of every man is the Christ.”—1 COR. 11:3.

SONG 12Great God, Jehovah

PREVIEW

When a man gets married,he becomes the head of anew family. In this article,we will discuss what head-ship is, why Jehovah es-tablished it, and what mencan learn from the exam-ple set by Jehovah andJesus. In the second arti-cle in this series, we willconsider what a husbandand a wife can learn fromJesus and other Bibleexamples. And the finalarticle will examine thesubject of headship in thecongregation.

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accountable to him. (Rom. 14:10; Eph. 3:14, 15) Jehovah has given Jesus authori-ty over the congregation, but Jesus isaccountable to Jehovah for the way hetreats us. (1 Cor. 15:27) Jehovah has alsogiven a husband authority over his wifeand children, but a husband is account-able to both Jehovah and Jesus for theway he treats his family.—1 Pet. 3:7.

4 As Head of his universal family, Je-hovah has the authority to make rulesabout how his children should behave,and he is able to enforce those rules.(Isa. 33:22) Jesus, as head of the Chris-tian congregation, also has the right tomake and enforce rules.—Gal. 6:2; Col. 1:18-20.

5 Following the pattern set by Jehovahand Jesus, the head of a Christian fami-ly has the authority to make decisionsfor his family. (Rom. 7:2; Eph. 6:4) How-ever, his authority has limits. For exam-ple, his rules should be based on princi-ples found in God’s Word. (Prov. 3:5, 6)And a family head does not have the au-thority to make rules for those who arenot part of his family. (Rom. 14:4) Also,when his sons and daughters grow upand leave home, they continue to respecthim, but they are no longer under hisheadship.—Matt. 19:5.

WHY DID JEHOVAHESTABLISH HEADSHIP?

6 Jehovah established headship out oflove for his family. It is a gift from him.Headship makes it possible for Jehovah’s

4. What authority do Jehovah and Jesus have?5. What authority does the head of a Christianfamily have, and what are his limits?6. Why did Jehovah establish headship?

family to function in a peaceful, orderlyway. (1 Cor. 14:33, 40) Without the clear-cut role of headship, Jehovah’s fami-ly would become disorganized and un-happy. For example, no one would knowwho should make final decisions and whoshould take the lead in carrying out thosedecisions.

7 If God’s arrangement for headship issuch a good thing, why do so many wom-en today feel oppressed and dominatedby their husband? This is because manymen ignore Jehovah’s standards for thefamily and choose instead to follow lo-cal customs or traditions. They may alsoabuse their wives to satisfy some self-ish desire. For example, a husband mightdominate his wife in an attempt to boosthis self-respect or to prove to others thathe is a “real man.” He may reason that hecannot force his wife to love him, but hecan make her fear him. And he may usethat fear as a way to control her.� Thattype of thinking and conduct clearly de-priveswomen of the honor and respect towhich they are entitled, and it is directlyopposite to what Jehovah wants.—ReadEphesians 5:25, 28.

HOW CAN A MAN LEARNTO BE A GOOD FAMILY HEAD?

8 A man can learn to be a good familyhead by imitating the way that Jehovahand Jesus exercise their headship.

� The perception that it is acceptable for a man to mis-treat his wife, even physically abusing her, has some-times been conveyed in films, in plays, and even in com-ic books. Thus, the popular culture may have contributedto the idea that a man may dominate his wife.

7. According to Ephesians 5:25, 28, did Jehovahintend that men should dominate women?8. How can a man learn to be a good family head?

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Consider just two of the qualities mani-fested by Jehovah and Jesus, and notehow a family head can show those qual-ities when dealing with his wife andchildren.

9 Humility. Jehovah is the wisest Personin existence; yet, he listens to the opin-ions of his servants. (Gen. 18:23, 24, 32)He has allowed those under his authority

9. How does Jehovah show humility?

to offer suggestions. (1 Ki. 22:19-22) Je-hovah is perfect, but he does not, at pre-sent, expect perfection from us. Instead,he helps imperfect humans who serve himto succeed. (Ps. 113:6, 7) In fact, the Bi-ble even describes Jehovah as a “helper.”(Ps. 27:9; Heb. 13:6) King David acknowl-edged that he could accomplish the greatwork he was given to do only because ofJehovah’s humility.—2 Sam. 22:36.

10 Consider Jesus’ example. AlthoughLord and Master of his disciples, hewashed their feet. What is one reasonwhy Jehovah had this account preservedin the Bible? No doubt to provide familyheads, among others, with a clear mod-el to follow. Jesus himself said: “I setthe pattern for you, that just as I did toyou, you should also do.” (John 13:12-17) Although he had great authority, Je-sus did not expect to be served. Instead,he served others.—Matt. 20:28.

11 Lessons for us. A family head canshow humility in many ways. For ex-ample, he does not expect perfectionfrom his wife and children. He listensto the opinions of family members, evenwhen they do not agree with his. Marley,who lives in the United States, says: “Myhusband and I sometimes have differentopinions. But I feel that he appreciatesand respects me because he asks for myopinion and carefully considers it beforehe makes a decision.” In addition, a hum-ble husband is willing to do householdtasks, even if in his community thesetasks are viewed as women’s work. Thatcan be a challenge. Why? “Where I come

10. How did Jesus show humility?11. What can a family head learn about humilityfrom the example set by Jehovah and Jesus?

4 THE WATCHTOWER

˘ Recognize that you and your wife arenow “one flesh,” and no other human—notparents, not children, not even elders—canbe part of that partnership.—Matt. 19:5.

˘ Realize that it will take time for both youand your wife to adapt to your new roles.—1 Pet. 3:7.

˘ Do not compare your wife with your mother.—Gal. 6:4.

˘ Do not expect your wife to follow cultural tra-ditions or attitudes that are not in harmonywith Bible principles.—Prov. 3:5, 6; Mark 7:13.

˘ Do not demand submission; set an exampleby submitting to Jehovah’s direction as foundin his Word.—1 Cor. 11:3.

˘ Do not demand respect; earn it.—Eph. 5:25;1 Pet. 5:3.

How Can a Newly MarriedMan Earn the Respect ofHis Wife?

FEBRUARY 2021 5

from,” says a sister named Rachel, “if ahusband helps his wife wash dishes orclean the home, his neighbors and rela-tives will question if he is a ‘real man.’They will think that he cannot control hiswife.” If that attitude is common whereyou live, remember that Jesus washedthe feet of his disciples, even though itwas viewed as a slave’s job. A good fami-ly head is concerned, not about makinghimself look good, but about making hiswife and children feel good. In additionto humility, what other quality is essen-tial for a good family head?

12 Love. Everything Jehovah does ismotivated by love. (1 John 4:7, 8) Helovingly cares for our spiritual needsby means of his written Word—the Bi-ble—and his organization. He providesfor our emotional needs by assuringus that we are loved. And what about

12. What does love motivate Jehovah and Jesusto do?

our material needs? Jehovah “richly pro-vides us with all the things we enjoy.”(1 Tim. 6:17) Whenwe make mistakes, hecorrects us, but he does not stop lovingus. Out of love, Jehovah provided theransom arrangement for us. As for Jesus,he loves us so much that he gave hislife for us. (John 3:16; 15:13) Nothingcan break the bond of love that Jehovahand Jesus feel for those who are loyal tothem.—John 13:1; Rom. 8:35, 38, 39.

13 Lessons for us. Everything a familyhead does should be motivated by love.Why is that so important? The apostleJohn answers: “The one who does notlove his brother [or family], whom hehas seen, cannot love God, whom he hasnot seen.” (1 John 4:11, 20) Specifical-ly, a man who loves his family and whowants to imitate Jehovah and Jesus will

13. Why is it important for a family head to showlove for his family? (See also the box “How Can aNewly Married Man Earn the Respect of His Wife?”)

A family head can show humility and love bydoing household tasks and by providing for hisfamily’s spiritual needs(See paragraphs 11, 13)

provide for his family’s spiritual, emo-tional, and material needs. (1 Tim. 5:8)He will train and discipline his children.Hewill also continue to learn to make de-cisions that honor Jehovah and benefithis family. Let us consider each of thoserequirements and see how a family headcan imitate Jehovah and Jesus.

WHATA FAMILY HEAD SHOULD DO14 Provide for his family’s spiritual

needs. In imitation of his Father, Jesuswas concerned about keeping those un-der his care spiritually well-fed. (Matt. 5:3, 6; Mark 6:34) Likewise, a family head’sfirst priority is to provide for his fam-ily’s spiritual needs. (Deut. 6:6-9) Hedoes this by making sure that he and hisfamily read and study God’s Word, at-tend meetings, preach the good news,and build and maintain a friendship withJehovah.

14. How does a family head provide for his family’sspiritual needs?

15 Provide for his family’s emotionalneeds. Jehovah openly expressed his af-fection for Jesus. (Matt. 3:17) Jesusfreely expressed affection for his follow-ers, both by what he did and by whathe said. In turn, they expressed affec-tion for him. (John 15:9, 12, 13; 21:16) Afamily head can show his wife and chil-dren that he loves them by what he does,such as by studying the Bible with them.He should also tell them that he lovesand appreciates them and, when appro-priate, commend them in front of others.—Prov. 31:28, 29.

16 Provide for his family’s materialneeds. Jehovah cared for the basic needsof the Israelites even while they werebeing punished for disobedience. (Deut.2:7; 29:5) He also provides for our basicneeds today. (Matt. 6:31-33; 7:11) Like-wise, Jesus fed those who followed him.(Matt. 14:17-20) He also cared for theirphysical health. (Matt. 4:24) To pleaseJehovah, a family head must provide ma-terially for his family. However, he needsto maintain the right balance. He shouldnot become so involved in secular workto support his family that he fails to careproperly for his family’s spiritual andemotional needs.

17 Provide training. Jehovah trains anddisciplines us with our best interestsin mind. (Heb. 12:7-9) Like his Father,Jesus trains those under his authorityin a loving manner. (John 15:14, 15) Heis firm but kind. (Matt. 20:24-28) He

15. What is one way that a family head can care forhis family’s emotional needs?16. What else must a family head do, and how canhe maintain the right balance?17. What example do Jehovah and Jesus set in theway that they train and discipline us?

To please Jehovah, a family head mustprovide for his family’s material needs(See paragraph 16)

6 THE WATCHTOWER

understands that we are imperfect andprone to make mistakes.—Matt. 26:41.

18 A family head who imitates Jehovahand Jesus makes allowances for the im-perfections of family members. He doesnot become “bitterly angry” with hiswife or children. (Col. 3:19) Instead, heapplies the principle recorded at Gala-tians 6:1 and tries to readjust them “in aspirit of mildness,” remembering that hetoo is imperfect. Like Jesus, he realizesthat the best way to teach is by example.—1 Pet. 2:21.

19 Make unselfish decisions. Jehovahmakes decisions that are in the best inter-ests of others. For example, he decidedto create life, not to benefit himself, butto share with us the joy of living. No onecould have forced him to give his Son tocover our sins. He willingly decided tomake that sacrifice for our benefit. Jesustoo made decisions that primarily bene-fited others. (Rom. 15:3) For example, hedecided to forgo his own need for rest in

18. For what does a good family head make allow-ances?19-20. When it comes to making decisions, howcan a family head imitate Jehovah and Jesus?

order to teach a crowd of people.—Mark6:31-34.

20 A good family head knows that oneof the most difficult things he must dois make wise decisions for his family,and he takes that responsibility seriously.He tries to avoid making decisions thatare arbitrary or that are based purely onemotion. Instead, he allows Jehovah totrain him.� (Prov. 2:6, 7) That way, hewill think of benefiting others, not him-self.—Phil. 2:4.

21 Jehovah has given family heads achallenging assignment, and he holdsthem accountable for the way they ac-complish it. But if a husband strives tofollow the example set by Jehovah andJesus, he will be a good family head. Andif his wife fulfills her role, the marriagewill be a happy one. How should a wifeview headship, and what challenges doesshe face? The next article will answerthose questions.

� For more information about how to make good deci-sions, see the article “Make Decisions That Honor God,”published in the April 15, 2011, issue of The Watchtower,pp. 13-17.

21. What will be discussed in the next article?

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

˛ What is headship? ˛ How can a family headshow that he is humble?

˛ In what ways should afamily head provide forhis family?

SONG 16Praise Jah for His Son, the Anointed

ALL Christians come under the perfect headship of Je-sus Christ. However, when a Christian woman gets mar-ried, she comes under the headship of an imperfect man.That can present a challenge. So when considering a po-tential marriage mate, she would do well to ask herself:‘What indication do I have that this brother will be agood family head? Do spiritual activities play an impor-tant role in his life? If not, what makes me think that hewill be a good spiritual head after we get married?’ Ofcourse, a sister also does well to ask herself: ‘What qual-ities will I bring to the marriage? Am I patient and gener-ous? Do I have a strong relationship with Jehovah?’(Eccl. 4:9, 12) The level of happiness a wife will experi-ence in her marriage will depend to some extent on thedecisions she makes before getting married.

2 Millions of our Christian sisters set an excellent exam-ple in being submissive to their husband. They are to becommended! We are delighted to serve Jehovah along-side these loyal women! In this article, we will considerthe answers to three questions: (1) What are some of thechallenges that wives have to deal with? (2) Why does awife choose to be subject to her husband? (3) What canChristian husbands and wives learn about subjectionfrom the examples of Jesus, Abigail, and Mary, the wifeof Joseph and the mother of Jesus?

1. When considering a marriage mate, what are some questions a sin-gle sister should ask?2. What will we consider in this article?

STUDYARTICLE 6

“The Head of a WomanIs the Man”

“The head of a woman is the man.”—1 COR. 11:3.

SONG 13Christ, Our Model

PREVIEW

Jehovah has arranged fora married woman to besubject to her husband.Just what does that in-volve? Christian husbandsand wives can learn agreat deal about submis-sion from the example setby Jesus and by womenwhose experiences arerecorded in the Bible.

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WHAT CHALLENGESDO CHRISTIAN WIVES FACE?

3 Marriage is a perfect gift from God,but people are imperfect. (1 John 1:8)That is why God’s Word warns mar-ried couples that they will face chal-lenges that are described as “tribulationin their flesh.” (1 Cor. 7:28) Note justsome of the challenges that a wife mightface.

4 Perhaps because of her background,a wife might feel that being in subjectionto her husband is demeaning. “WhereI grew up,” says Marisol, who lives inthe United States, “women were con-stantly told that they must be equal tomen in everything. I know that Jehovahhas made the headship arrangement andthat he has given women a humble yetrespectable role to play. But it is a chal-lenge to keep a balanced view of head-ship.”

5 On the other hand, a woman mightbe married to a man who thinks thatwomen are second-class citizens. “In ourarea,” says a sister named Ivon, wholives in South America, “men eat firstand women second. Little girls are ex-pected to cook and clean, but little boysare served by their mother and sisters,and they are told that they are ‘kingof the house.’” A sister named Yingling,who lives in Asia, says: “In my languagethere is a saying that implies that womendo not need to be intelligent or to have

3. Why is there no such thing as a perfect mar-riage?4. Why might a wife feel that it is demeaning to bein subjection to her husband?5. What unscriptural attitudes do some haveabout the role of women?

abilities.Their role is to do all the house-work, but theyare not allowed to expressany opinions to their husband.” A hus-band who is influenced by such unlovingand unscriptural attitudes makes life dif-ficult for his wife, fails to imitate Jesus,and displeases Jehovah.—Eph. 5:28, 29;1 Pet. 3:7.

6 As mentioned in the preceding arti-cle, Jehovah expects Christian husbandsto care for the spiritual, emotional, andmaterial needs of their family. (1 Tim.5:8) However, married sisters have totake time from their busy schedule eachday to read God’s Word and meditateon it and to turn to Jehovah in earnestprayer.This can be a challenge.Wives arebusy, so they may feel that they do nothave the time or the energy to do thosethings, but it is vital that they take thetime. Why? Because Jehovah wants eachone of us to develop and maintain a per-sonal relationship with him.—Acts 17:27.

7 Understandably, a wife may have towork hard to be submissive to her im-perfect husband. However, she will findit easier to fulfill the assignment Jeho-vah has given her if she understands andaccepts the Scriptural reasons why sheshould be submissive.

WHY CHOOSE TO BE IN SUBJECTION?8 A Christian wife chooses to be in

subjection to her husband because thatis what Jehovah asks of her. (Read6. What do wives need to do in order to strength-en their personal relationship with Jehovah?7. What will make it easier for a wife to fulfill herassignment?8. As indicated at Ephesians 5:22-24, why does aChristian wife choose to be in subjection to herhusband?

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Ephesians 5:22-24.) She trusts herheavenly Father, knowing that he is al-ways motivated by love and only asks herto do something if it is in her best inter-ests.—Deut. 6:24; 1 John 5:3.

9 The world encourages women to ig-nore Jehovah’s standards and to viewsubjection as demeaning. Of course,those who promote such ideas do notknow our loving God. Jehovah wouldnever give his precious daughters a com-mand that would demean them. A sisterwho works hard at fulfilling the role Je-hovah has assigned her promotes peacein her household. (Ps. 119:165) Her hus-band benefits, she benefits, and the chil-dren benefit.

10 A wife who is submissive to her im-perfect husband proves that she lovesand respects Jehovah, the one who es-tablished headship. “I know that myhus-band will make mistakes,” says Carol,

9. What happens when a Christian sister respectsher husband’s authority?10. What lessons can we learn from the commentsmade by Carol?

who lives in South America. “I alsoknow that the way that I respond tothose mistakes reveals how much I valuemy friendship with Jehovah. So I tryto remain submissive because I want toplease my heavenly Father.”

11 It can be a challenge for a wife tobe respectful and submissive if she feelsthat her husband does not take her feel-ings and concerns into account. Butnote how a married sister named Aneeseresponds when that happens. She says:“I try not to become resentful. I remem-ber that all of us make mistakes. My goalis to forgive freely, as Jehovah does.When I do forgive, I regain my peace ofmind.” (Ps. 86:5) A wife who is forgivingis likely to find it easier to be submissive.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROMEXAMPLES RECORDED IN THE BIBLE?

12 Some may feel that a submissive per-son is weak. But that view is far from the

11. What helps a sister named Aneese to be forgiv-ing, and what can we learn from her comments?12. What examples does the Bible contain?

What can capablewives learn fromJesus’ subjectionto Jehovah?(See paragraph 15)

10 THE WATCHTOWER

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truth.The Bible contains many examplesof submissive individuals who had greatstrength of character. Consider what wecan learn from Jesus, Abigail, and Mary.

13 Jesus is subject to Jehovah, but cer-tainly not because he lacks intelligenceor skill. Only a highly intelligent per-son could teach as simply and clearly asJesus did. (John 7:45, 46) Jehovah re-spected Jesus’ ability so much that Heallowed Jesus to work beside Him whenJehovah created the universe. (Prov. 8:30; Heb. 1:2-4) And since Jesus’ resur-rection, Jehovah has entrusted himwith‘all authority in heaven and on earth.’(Matt. 28:18) Even though Jesus is tal-ented, he still looks to Jehovah for guid-ance. Why? Because he loves his Father.—John 14:31.

14 What husbands can learn. Jehovahdid not make a wife subject to her hus-band because He views women as inferi-or to men. Jehovah himself has madethat evident by choosing women as wellasmen to be corulerswith Jesus. (Gal. 3:26-29) Jehovah has shown confidencein his Son by entrusting him with au-thority. Similarly, a wise husband willentrust his wife with a measure of au-thority. Describing the role of a capa-ble wife, God’s Word says that she canoversee a household, buy and manageproperty, and negotiate financial trans-actions. (Read Proverbs 31:15, 16, 18.)She is not a slave who has no right tovoice her opinion. Rather, her husband

13. Why is Jesus in subjection to Jehovah? Ex-plain.14. What can husbands learn from (a) the way Je-hovah views women? (b) the thoughts recorded inProverbs 31?

trusts her and listens to her ideas. (ReadProverbs 31:11, 26, 27.) When a mantreats his wife with that kind of respect,she will find pleasure in being subject tohim.

15 What wives can learn. Despite his ac-complishments, Jesus does not feel thatit is demeaning to subject himself to Je-hovah’s headship. (1 Cor. 15:28; Phil. 2:5, 6) Likewise, a capable womanwho fol-lows Jesus’ example will not feel dimin-ished by submitting to her husband. Shewill support her husband not only be-cause she loves him but primarily be-cause she loves and respects Jehovah.

16 Abigail had a husband named Nabal.He was a selfish, proud, and ungrate-ful man. Even so, Abigail did not takethe easy way out of her marriage. Shecould have kept quiet and allowed Davidand his men to kill her husband. Instead,she took practical steps to protect Nabalalong with their large household. Imag-ine the courage it took for Abigail to ap-proach 400 armed men and respectfullyreason with David. She was even willingto take the blame for her husband’s ac-tions. (Read 1 Samuel 25:3, 23-28.)Da-vid readily acknowledged that Jehovahhad used this strong woman to give himneeded advice that prevented him fromcommitting a serious mistake.

17 What husbands can learn. Abigailwas a sensible woman. Wisely, Davidlistened to her advice. As a result,he avoided a course that would have

15. What can wives learn from Jesus’ example?16. According to 1 Samuel 25:3, 23-28, what chal-lenges did Abigail face? (See cover picture.)17. What can husbands learn from the account ofDavid and Abigail?

made him bloodguilty. Similarly, a wisehusband will carefully consider his wife’sviews when important decisions are tobemade. Perhaps her viewpoint will helphim avoid making an unwise decision.

18 What wives can learn. A wife wholoves and respects Jehovah can have agood impact on her family, even if herhusband does not serve Jehovah or livebyHis standards. Shewill not look for anunscriptural wayout of hermarriage. In-stead, by being respectful and submis-sive, she will try to motivate her hus-band to learn about Jehovah. (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) But even if he does not respond toher good example, Jehovah appreciatesthe loyalty that a submissive wife showsto Him.

19 A submissive Christian wife, how-ever, will not support her husband if heasks her to violate Bible laws or princi-

18. What can wives learn from Abigail’s example?19. In what circumstances will a wife not obey herhusband?

ples. Suppose, for example, that a sister’sunbelieving mate tells her to lie, to steal,or to engage in some other unscripturalconduct. All Christians, including mar-ried sisters, owe their first allegiance toJehovah God. If a sister is asked to vio-late Bible principles, she should refuse,explaining in a kind but firm way why shecannot do what he is asking.—Acts 5:29.

20 Mary had a close, personal relation-ship with Jehovah. She obviously knewthe Scriptures well. In a conversationwith Elizabeth, the mother of John theBaptist, Mary made more than 20 refer-ences to the Hebrew Scriptures. (Luke1:46-55) And consider this fact: Eventhough Mary was engaged to Joseph,Jehovah’s angel did not initially appearto him. The angel first spoke directly toMaryand announced that shewould givebirth to the Son of God. (Luke 1:26-33)Jehovah knew Mary well and was confi-

20. How do we know that Mary had a close, per-sonal relationship with Jehovah?

What lessons about study and meditation canwives learn from Mary, the mother of Jesus?(See paragraphs 20, 22)

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dent that she would love and care for hisSon. And Mary undoubtedly continuedto have a good relationship with Jeho-vah even after Jesus died and was raisedto heaven.—Acts 1:14.

21 What husbands can learn. A wisehusband is happy when his wife knowsthe Scriptures well. He does not feelintimidated or threatened by his wife.He realizes that a sister with a soundknowledge of the Bible and Bible princi-ples can be a real asset to her family. Ofcourse, even if the wife is better educat-ed than her husband, it is his responsibil-ity to take the lead in family worship andin other theocratic activities.—Eph. 6:4.

22 What wives can learn. Awoman mustbe submissive to her husband, but sheis still responsible for her own spiritualhealth. (Gal. 6:5) To that end, she mustallocate some time for her own personalstudy and meditation. That will help herto maintain her love and respect for Je-

21. What can husbands learn from what the Biblerecords about Mary?22. What can wives learn from Mary?

hovah and to find joy in being submis-sive to her husband.

23 Wives who remain subject to theirhusband out of love for Jehovah willfind more joy and contentment thanthose who reject Jehovah’s headship ar-rangement. They set a good example forboth young men and young women. Andthey help to create a warm atmospherenot only in the familybut also in the con-gregation. (Titus 2:3-5) Today, womenmake up a large part of those who areloyally serving Jehovah. (Ps. 68:11) Allof us, whether male or female, have animportant role to play in the congrega-tion. The next article will discuss howeach of us can fulfill that role.

23. How do submissive wives benefit themselves,their family, and the congregation?

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PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Page 12: While convers-ing with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Bap-tist, Mary was able to cite passages from the He-brew Scriptures by heart. A Christian wife setsaside time to study the Bible to maintain her spir-itual health.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT SUBJECTION FROM THE EXAMPLE SET BY . . .

˛ Jesus? ˛ Abigail? ˛ Mary?

SONG 131“What God Has Yoked Together”

WE LOVE being part of Jehovah’s family. Why is ourfamily so peaceful and united? One reason is that all ofus do our best to respect the headship arrangement thatJehovah has put in place. In fact, the better we under-stand the headship arrangement, the more united we be-come.

2 In this article, we will consider the subject of head-ship as it applies to the congregation. Among otherthings, we will answer the following questions: What isthe role of sisters? Is it true that every brother is the headof every sister? Do elders have the same type of authori-ty over brothers and sisters as a family head has over hiswife and children? First, let us consider how we shouldview sisters.

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW SISTERS?3 We appreciate our sisters who work hard to care for

their family, to preach the good news, and to support thecongregation. We can deepen our appreciation for themby considering the way that Jehovah and Jesus viewthem. We will also benefit from considering how theapostle Paul treated women.

1. What is one reason why Jehovah’s family is united?2. What questions will we answer in this article?3. How can we deepen our appreciation for the work that our sistersaccomplish?

STUDYARTICLE 7

Understanding Headshipin the Congregation

“The Christ is head of the congregation, he being a saviorof this body.”—EPH. 5:23.

SONG 137Faithful Women,Christian Sisters

PREVIEW

What is the role of sistersin the congregation? Isevery brother the head ofevery sister? Do eldersand family heads have thesame type of authority?In this article, we will con-sider these questions inthe light of examplesfound in God’s Word.

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4 The Bible indicates that Jehovah val-ues women as well as men. For instance,it reveals that in the first century, Jeho-vah gave holy spirit to women as wellas to men and empowered them to per-formmiraculousworks, such as speakingin different languages. (Acts 2:1-4, 15-18) They both have been anointed byholy spirit with the prospect of rulingwith Christ. (Gal. 3:26-29) Women aswell as men will receive the reward ofeverlasting life on earth. (Rev. 7:9, 10,13-15) And both men and women areassigned to preach and teach the goodnews. (Matt. 28:19, 20) In fact, the bookof Acts recognizes the work of a sisternamed Priscilla who, along with her hus-band, Aquila, helped to explain the truthmore correctly to thewell-educated manApollos.—Acts 18:24-26.

5 Jesus gave women honor and respect.He did not follow the custom of thePharisees, who looked down on womenand who would not even speak to themin public, let alone discuss the Scrip-tures with them. Instead, he includedwomen in the deep spiritual discussionsthat he had with his other disciples.�(Read Luke 10:38, 39, 42.) He also al-lowed women to accompany him on hispreaching tours. (Luke 8:1-3) And Jesusgave them the privilege of announcingto the apostles that he had been raisedfrom the dead.—John 20:16-18.

� See paragraph 6 of the article “Give Christian WomenYour Support,” published in the September 2020 issueof The Watchtower.

4. How does the Bible indicate that Jehovah val-ues women as well as men?5. What does Luke 10:38, 39, 42 reveal about Je-sus’ attitude toward women?

6 The apostle Paul specifically remind-ed Timothy to honor women. Paul toldhim to treat “older women as moth-ers” and to view “younger women as sis-ters.” (1 Tim. 5:1, 2) Paul did much tohelp Timothy become a mature Chris-tian, but he acknowledged that it wasTimothy’smother and grandmother whohad first taught Timothy “the holy writ-ings.” (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) Paul specif-ically greeted sisters by name in his letterto the Romans. He not only noticed thework sisters did but also expressed ap-preciation for them as Christian minis-ters.—Rom. 16:1-4, 6, 12; Phil. 4:3.

7 As the preceding paragraphs show,there is no Scriptural basis for thinkingthat sisters are inferior to brothers. Ourloving and generous sisters are a real as-set, and the elders rely on their help topromote peace and unity in the congre-gation. But some questions need answer-ing. For instance: Why does Jehovah re-quire a sister to wear a head coveringon certain occasions? Since only broth-ers are appointed as elders and ministeri-al servants, does this imply that everybrother is the head of every sister in thecongregation?

IS EVERY BROTHERTHE HEAD OF EVERY SISTER?

8 The short answer is no! A brother isnot the head of all sisters in the con-gregation; Christ is. (Read Ephesians 5:23.) In the family, the husband has au-thority over his wife. A baptized son is

6. How did the apostle Paul show that he respect-ed women?7. What questions will we now consider?8. According to Ephesians 5:23, is every brotherthe head of every sister? Explain.

FEBRUARY 2021 15

16 THE WATCHTOWER

To know if she should wear a head covering,a sister would need to answer these threequestions:

1 Does the activity require that a sister praypublicly or teach from the Bible while abaptized brother is present?—1 Cor. 11:4, 5.

2 Even if a baptized male is not present,would this assignment normally be doneby a baptized brother?—1 Tim. 2:11, 12;Heb. 13:17.

3 If the sister is married, is her husband pres-ent while she publicly prays for others orteaches them from the Bible?—1 Cor. 11:3.

If the answer to any of those questions isyes, then a sister should wear a head covering.If the answer to all those questions is no, thenshe does not need to wear a head covering.�

� For a detailed discussion of this topic, see the book “KeepYourselves in God’s Love,” pp. 209-212.

When Should a SisterWear a Head Covering?

not the head of his mother. (Eph. 6:1, 2)And in the congregation, the elders haveonly limited authority over sisters andbrothers. (1 Thess. 5:12; Heb. 13:17) Sin-gle women who no longer live with theirfather and mother continue to respecttheir parents and the elders. However,like the men in the congregation, theyhave only one head, Jesus.

9 It is true, however, that Jehovah hasappointed men to take the lead in teach-ing and worship in the congregation, andhe has not given women that same au-thority. (1 Tim. 2:12) Why? For the samereason that he has appointed Jesus ashead of the man—to keep good order inhis family. If because of circumstancesa sister must fill a role that is normallycared for by a brother, then Jehovah re-quires that she wear a head covering.�(1 Cor. 11:4-7) Jehovah asks this of sis-ters, not to demean them, but to givethem a way to show respect for the head-ship principle that he has put in place.With those facts in mind, let us now an-swer the question: How much authoritydo family heads and elders have?

THE ROLES OFFAMILY HEADS AND ELDERS

10 Elders love Christ, and they love the“sheep” whom Jehovah and Jesus haveplaced under their care. (John 21:15-17)With good intentions, an elder mightthink of himself as a fatherlike head in

� See the box “When Should a Sister Wear a Head Cover-ing?”

9. Why do sisters at times need to wear a headcovering?10. Why might an elder be inclined to make rulesfor the congregation?

FEBRUARY 2021 17

the congregation. He may reason thatif a family head has the right to makerules to protect his family, an elder canmake rules that he hopes will protectGod’s sheep. And some brothers and sis-ters may encourage elders to act as theirspiritual head by asking them to make de-cisions for them. But do elders in the con-gregation and family heads have the sameauthority?

11 The apostle Paul implied that thereare some similarities between the roleof a family head and that of an el-

11. How are the roles of family heads and elderssimilar?

der. (1 Tim. 3:4, 5) For example, Jeho-vah wants family members to obey thehead of the family. (Col. 3:20) And hewants those in the congregation to obeythe elders. Jehovah expects both fami-ly heads and elders to make sure thatthose under their care are spirituallyhealthy. Both also care for the emotion-al needs of those under their authori-ty. And like good family heads, eldersmake sure that those under their carereceive help in times of crisis. (Jas. 2:15-17) In addition, Jehovah expects el-ders and family heads to promote hisstandards and not to “go beyond the

Jesus, under Jehovah’s headship,gives direction to the Christian congregation

(See paragraph 14)

Elders care for the spiritualand emotional needs of thecongregation. Jehovah has giventhem the responsibility to keepthe congregation morally clean(See paragraphs 11-12)

Family heads have been givenauthority by Jehovah to take thelead in their family. Beforemaking decisions, a loving familyhead will consult with his wife(See paragraph 13)

Single ones who no longerlive with their parents areunder Jesus’ headship(See paragraph 8)

18 THE WATCHTOWER

The members of the Governing Body arenot masters over the faith of their brothersand sisters. (2 Cor. 1:24) They recognizeJesus Christ as the head of the Christiancongregation, and they agree wholehearted-ly with the Lord’s admonition to his disciples:“All of you are brothers.” (Matt. 23:8) At thesame time, they love their brothers and sis-ters very much and do their best to care fortheir needs. Under the headship of ChristJesus, the members of the Governing Bodyprovide helpful direction to organize Jeho-vah’s people worldwide. They appointBranch Committee members and circuitoverseers. (Eph. 4:7-13) In turn, circuit over-seers appoint congregation elders. (Acts14:23; Titus 1:5) The Governing Body alsotakes very seriously its responsibility to pro-vide spiritual food and instruction fromGod’s Word. The Governing Body does sothrough letters, printed guidelines and publi-cations, JW Broadcasting˙ programs as wellas through schools, meetings, conventions,and assemblies. (Acts 15:22-35) And when anatural disaster or some other calamitystrikes, the members of the Governing Body,moved by heartfelt love for their brothersand sisters, immediately take action to en-sure that practical help will be provided.�

� For a full discussion of the role of the GoverningBody, see the July 15, 2013, issue of The Watchtower,pp. 20-25.

The Role of theGoverning Body

things that are written” in the Bible.—1 Cor. 4:6.

12 However, there are also significantdifferences between the role of an el-der and the role of a family head. Forinstance, Jehovah has assigned the el-ders to act as judges, and he has giv-en them the responsibility of removingunrepentant sinners from the congrega-tion.—1 Cor. 5:11-13.

13 On the other hand, Jehovah has giv-en family heads some authority that hehas not given to elders. For instance, hehas authorized a family head both tomake and to enforce rules for his fami-ly. (Read Romans 7:2.) For example,a family head has the right to decideat what time his children should arrivehome at night. He also has the authori-ty to discipline his children if they failto obey that rule. (Eph. 6:1) Of course,a loving family head consults with hiswife before making rules in the house-hold; after all, the two of them are “oneflesh.”�—Matt. 19:6.

RESPECT CHRIST ASHEAD OF THE CONGREGATION

14 By means of the ransom, Jehovahpurchased the lives of each individu-al in the congregation and, potential-

� For a discussion of who should decide in which congre-gation a family will serve, see paragraphs 17-19 of the ar-ticle “Respect the Place of Others in Jehovah’s Con-gregation,” published in the August 2020 issue of TheWatchtower.

12-13. As indicated at Romans 7:2, how are theroles of family heads and elders different?14. (a) In light of what is said at Mark 10:45, whyis it fitting that Jehovah has appointed Jesus ashead of the congregation? (b) What is the role ofthe Governing Body? (See the box “The Role of theGoverning Body.”)

ly, of all humankind. (Read Mark 10:45; Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22) So itis fitting that he appointed Jesus, whogave his life as a ransom, as head ofthe congregation. As our head, Jesushas the authority to make and to en-force rules that govern the conduct ofindividuals, of families, and of the entirecongregation. (Gal. 6:2) But Jesus doesmore than just make rules. He feeds andcherishes each one of us.—Eph. 5:29.

15 Sisters show that they respect Christby following the direction given by themen he has appointed to take care ofthem. A sister named Marley, who livesin the United States, sums up the view ofmany sisters. She says: “I really valuemy place as a wife and as a sister inthe congregation. I constantly have tocultivate the right attitude toward Je-

15-16. What do you learn from the commentsmade by a sister named Marley and a brothernamed Benjamin?

hovah’s headship arrangement. But myhusband and the brothers in the congre-gation have made that easier for me be-cause they respect me and express theirappreciation for the work I do.”

16 Brothers show that they understandthe headship arrangement by respectingand honoring sisters. Benjamin, a broth-er who lives in England, says: “I havelearned so much from sisters’ commentsat the meetings and from their tips onhow to study and how to be effective inthe ministry. I think the work that theydo is very valuable.”

17 When all in the congregation—men,women, family heads, and elders—under-stand and respect the principle of head-ship, the congregation enjoys peace. Andmore important, we bring praise to ourloving heavenly Father, Jehovah.—Ps.150:6.

17. Why should we respect the headship principle?

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

˛ How should we view sistersin the congregation?

˛ Is every brother the head ofevery sister? Explain.

˛ How are the roles of familyheads and elders different?

SONG 123Loyally Submitting to Theocratic Order

MY PARENTS’ GUIDANCEPUT ME ON THE RIGHT PATHIn the 1920’s before they got married, myparents learned the truth. I was born in thebeginning of 1939. As a youngster in En-gland, I accompanied my parents to Chris-tian meetings and enjoyed the TheocraticMinistry School. To this day, I recall how Ifelt climbing on top of a box to be tallenough to see over the speaker’s stand topresent my first talk. I was six years old andvery nervous, looking out at all the grown-ups in the audience.

For field service, my father typed a sim-ple presentation on a card for me to use inthe ministry. I was eight years old when forthe first time I went to a door alone. Howthrilled I was when the householder read mycard and right away accepted the book“Let God Be True”! I ran down the streetto tell my father. The ministry and the meet-ings brought me joy and helped develop mydesire to serve Jehovah full-time.

Bible truth began to touch me deeperafter my father obtained a subscription toThe Watchtower for me. I took a real inter-est in each copy as it arrived in the mail. Mytrust in Jehovah grew and led me to make adedication to him.

As a family we were delegates to the1950 Theocracy’s Increase Assembly in NewYork. On Thursday, August 3, the theme ofthe day was “Missionary Day.” That day,Brother Carey Barber, who later served onthe Governing Body, gave the baptism talk.After he asked the baptism candidates thetwo questions at the end of his talk, I stoodup and said, “Yes!” I was 11 years of age but

LIFE STORY

Jehovah Has ‘Made My Paths Straight’AS TOLD BY STEPHEN HARDY

A YOUNG brother once asked me,“What is your favorite scripture?”Without hesitation, I replied,“Proverbs 3, verses 5 and 6, whichstates: ‘Trust in Jehovah with all yourheart, and do not rely on your ownunderstanding. In all your ways takenotice of him, and he will make yourpaths straight.’ ” Yes, Jehovah hasindeed made my paths straight.How?

20 THE WATCHTOWER

realized that I had taken an important step.However, I feared going into the water be-cause I had not yet learned to swim. My un-cle accompanied me to the pool and as-sured me that everything would be fine.Indeed, it was over so quickly that my feetnever touched the bottom of the pool. I washanded from one brother to another; onebaptized me, and another lifted me fromthe pool. Ever since that important day,Jehovah has continued to make my pathsstraight.

CHOOSING TO TRUST JEHOVAHWhen I left school, I wanted to pioneer,

but my teachers urged me to pursue highereducation. I succumbed to their pressureand went to university; however, I soon real-ized that I could not remain firm in the truthand at the same time concentrate on mystudies, so I decided to leave. I took thematter to Jehovah in prayer and wrote a re-spectful resignation letter, leaving at theend of that first year. With full trust in Jeho-vah, I immediately took up pioneer service.

In July 1957 my full-time service began inthe town of Wellingborough. I asked broth-ers at the London Bethel to recommend anexperienced pioneer brother whom I couldjoin. Brother Bert Vaisey became my men-tor, and his diligence helped me to establisha good field service routine. The congrega-tion consisted of six elderly sisters andBrother Vaisey and me. Preparing for and

participating in all the meetings gave memany opportunities to build trust in Jeho-vah and to express my faith.

After a short time in prison for refusalto engage in military service, I met Barbara,a special pioneer sister. We got married in1959, willing to go wherever assigned. Atfirst, it was Lancashire in northwest En-gland. Then in January 1961, I was invited toattend a one-month course of the KingdomMinistry School at London Bethel. To mysurprise, at the end of the course, I was as-signed to the traveling work. For two weeks,I received training from an experienced cir-cuit overseer in the city of Birmingham, andBarbara was allowed to join me. Then wewere off to our own assignment back in thecounties of Lancashire and Cheshire.

TRUST IN JEHOVAH NEVER MISPLACEDWhile on vacation in August 1962, we

received a letter from the branch office.Enclosed were application forms for GileadSchool! After making the matter a subjectof prayer, Barbara and I completed theforms and quickly returned them to thebranch office as requested. Five monthslater, we were on our way to Brooklyn, NewYork, to attend the 38th class of Gilead, aten-month course of theocratic education.

Instruction at Gilead taught us notonly about God’s Word and his organizationbut also about our brotherhood. Still in ourmid-20’s, we learned much from the other

Street witnessingwith my parents

students in our class. It was my privilege tohave a work assignment each day alongsideBrother Fred Rusk, one of our instructors.One outstanding lesson he emphasized wasthe need always to counsel righteously, thatis, to make sure that advice given was solid-ly based on the Scriptures. Among thosewho gave lectures during our course weresuch experienced brothers as Nathan Knorr,Frederick Franz, and Karl Klein. And howwe students learned from the humble ex-ample of Brother A. H. Macmillan, whoselecture gave us insight into Jehovah’s guid-ance during the time of testing from 1914 toearly 1919!

A CHANGE OF ASSIGNMENTToward the end of the course, Broth-

er Knorr told Barbara and me that we wereto be assigned to Burundi in Africa. Werushed to the Bethel library to look up inthe Yearbook how many publishers wereserving in Burundi at that time. To our sur-prise, nowhere did we find figures for thatcountry! Yes, we were going to virgin terri-tory, located on a continent about which we

knew very little. Oh, how our nerves kickedin! Earnest prayer helped calm them.

In our new assignment, everything wasso different from anything we had ever ex-perienced—the climate, the culture, andthe language. Now we had to masterFrench. We also faced the challenge ofwhere to live. Two days after we arrived,one of our Gilead classmates, Harry Arnott,visited us on his way back to his assign-ment in Zambia. He helped us locate anapartment, which became our first mission-ary home. Soon, though, we began to getopposition from local authorities, who knewnothing about Jehovah’s Witnesses. Just aswe were beginning to enjoy our assignment,the authorities informed us that we wouldnot be able to stay without a valid work per-mit. Sadly, we had to leave and adjust to anew country, this time Uganda.

Trust in Jehovah alleviated our fearsabout arriving in Uganda without a visa. ACanadian brother serving where the needwas greater in Uganda managed to explainour situation to an immigration officer, and

On our “scoutingsafari,” Uganda

AFRICA

SUDAN

ERITREA

ETHIOPIA

UGANDA

Kampala

BURUNDI

KENYA

Port ofMombasa

SEYCHELLES

FEBRUARY 2021 23

we were given some months during whichwe could apply to legalize our residence.That favorable development indicated to usthat Jehovah was helping us.

Conditions in this new assignment werevery different from those in Burundi. TheKingdom work was already established, al-though there were only 28 Witnesses in theentire country. In the territory, we foundmany who spoke English. We soon realized,however, that in order to help interestedones progress, we needed to learn at leastone of the many indigenous languages. Westarted preaching in the Kampala area,where Luganda was widely spoken, so wedecided to concentrate on that language.It took us several years to become fluent,but what a difference it made to the effec-tiveness of our work! We began to under-stand better the spiritual needs of our Biblestudents. They, in turn, opened their heartsand expressed how they felt about whatthey were learning.

MULTIPLE SAFARISOur joy of finding humble people who

were receptive to the truth was compound-ed by another unexpected privilege—that ofserving in the traveling work throughout thecountry. Under the direction of the Kenyabranch, we embarked on a “scouting safari”to find suitable locations for special pio-neers who could open up the field. Severaltimes we experienced outstanding hospital-ity from people who had never met Witness-es before. They made us feel welcome andeven prepared meals for us.

A different kind of safari came next. FromKampala, I traveled two days by train to theKenyan port of Mombasa and then onwardby ship to the Seychelles, an island groupout in the Indian Ocean. Later, from 1965 to1972, Barbara joined me on regular visitsto the Seychelles. During that time, the twoisolated publishers became a group and

then a thriving congregation. Other “safa-ris” took me to visit the brothers in Eritrea,Ethiopia, and Sudan.

Back in Uganda the political climatechanged rapidly following a military coup.The years of terror that followed broughthome to me the wisdom of obeying the in-struction to “pay back Caesar’s things toCaesar.” (Mark 12:17) At one point, all resi-dent foreign nationals were required to reg-ister at the police post nearest their home.Promptly we obeyed. A few days later, whiledriving through Kampala, secret police of-ficers approached another missionary andme. Our hearts were pounding! They ac-cused us of being spies and escorted us tothe main police station where we explainedthat we were peaceful missionaries. Ourprotests that we had already registered withthe police fell on deaf ears. Under armedguard we were driven to the police postnearest the missionary home. How relievedwe were when the desk officer, who knew wehad registered earlier, recognized us and di-rected our guard to release us!

In those days, we often experienced tensemoments at military roadblocks, especiallywhen stopped by soldiers who had beendrinking heavily. Every time, though, we

Mimeographing Our Kingdom Ministry,Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire branch

24 THE WATCHTOWER

prayed and felt an inner calm as we were al-lowed to pass through safely. Sadly, in 1973all foreign missionaries were ordered toleave Uganda.

Again we received an assignmentchange, this time to Cote d’Ivoire, WestAfrica. What an adjustment this meant forus: learning a completely new culture andonce again speaking French all the time andadapting to life with missionaries from dif-ferent backgrounds! Yet, once more wesaw Jehovah’s direction as humble, honest-hearted ones from the field quickly re-sponded to the good news. Together wesaw how our trust in Jehovah made ourpaths straight.

Then suddenly Barbara was diagnosedwith cancer. Despite our international trav-els for specialized treatment, by 1983 it be-came obvious that we could no longer servein our assignment in Africa. What a dis-appointment this was for both of us!

CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCESBarbara’s cancer progressed while we

were serving at London Bethel, and sheeventually died. The Bethel family proved tobe a wonderful support. One couple in par-ticular helped me to adjust and continueto trust in Jehovah. Later I met a commu-ter Bethel sister who had experience as aspecial pioneer and whose love for Jeho-vah showed that she was a spiritual person.Ann and I got married in 1989, and we haveserved at London Bethel ever since.

From 1995 to 2018, I enjoyed the privilegeof serving as a world headquarters repre-sentative (formerly called zone overseer),visiting nearly 60 different countries. Ineach, I saw living proof of how Jehovahblesses his servants under various circum-stances.

In 2017 our visits took me back to Af-rica. What a joy it was to introduce Ann toBurundi and for both of us to marvel at the

growth in that field! On the very streetwhere I preached from house to house backin 1964, there is now a beautiful Bethelhome serving more than 15,500 publishers.

I was overjoyed when I received the itin-erary for my visits in 2018. There on the listof countries was Cote d’Ivoire. Our arrival inAbidjan, the capital, was like coming homefor me. As I glanced at the telephone listing,who should be living next door to our Beth-el guest room but a brother whose name Irecognized, Sossou. I remembered that hehad served as city overseer when I was inAbidjan. But I was mistaken. It was anotherSossou—his son.

Jehovah has been true to his word.Through numerous adversities, I have cometo appreciate that when we trust in Jeho-vah, he really does make our paths straight.Now we eagerly anticipate following the un-ending path that will become even brighterwith life in the new world.—Prov. 4:18.

With Ann in front of the new Britain Bethel site

TWO young women were walking togetherin a business district in Baguio City, Philip-pines. They noticed a public witnessingcart, but they did not approach it. Helen,the sister standing next to the cart, smiledbroadly at them. The women continued ontheir way, but they were impressed by Hel-en’s warm smile.

Later, as the women were riding home ona bus, they spotted a large jw.org sign dis-played at a Kingdom Hall. They rememberedthat it was the same lettering they had seenon the witnessing cart earlier. They bothgot off the bus and checked the scheduleof meetings for the different congregationslisted at the gate of the Kingdom Hall.

The two women attended one of the nextmeetings. And whom did they see as theywalked into the Kingdom Hall? Helen! Theyrecognized her immediately as the personwith the big smile. “When they walked up tome,” says Helen, “I got a bit nervous. Ithought that perhaps I had done somethingwrong.” But the women explained to Helenwhat had happened.

The young women enjoyed the meetingand association; they felt right at home.When they saw others cleaning the hallafter the meeting, they asked if they couldhelp. One of the women has since left thecountry, but the other woman beganattending meetings and started studyingthe Bible—all because of a smile!

All Becauseof a Smile!

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JESUS promised his followers that they would be genu-inely happy. He also warned those who love him that theywould face trials. (Matt. 10:22, 23; Luke 6:20-23) We findjoy in being disciples of Christ. But how do we feel aboutthe possibility of being opposed by our family, persecut-ed by the government, or pressured to do what is wrongbyour workmates or schoolmates? Understandably, suchpossibilities can make us feel anxious.

2 People do not normally view persecution as a reasonto feel joyful. Yet, that is exactly what God’s Word tells usto do. For example, the disciple James wrote that insteadof feeling overwhelmed, we should consider it a joy whenwe go through trials. (Jas. 1:2, 12) And Jesus said that weshould be happy even when we are persecuted. (ReadMatthew 5:11.) How can we keep our joy despite trials?We can learn much by considering a few thoughts fromthe letter that James wrote to the early Christians. First,let us consider the challenges that those Christians faced.

WHAT TRIALS DID THEFIRST-CENTURY CHRISTIANS FACE?

3 Shortly after Jesus’ half brother James became a dis-ciple, opposition broke out against Christians in Jerusa-lem. (Acts 1:14; 5:17, 18) And when the disciple Ste-phen was murdered, many Christians fled the city and“were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Sa-maria,” eventually as far away as Cyprus and Antioch.

1-2. According to Matthew 5:11, how should we view trials?3. What happened shortly after James became a disciple of Jesus?

STUDYARTICLE 8

How to Maintain JoyWhen Enduring Trials

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meetwith various trials.”—JAS. 1:2.

SONG 111Our Reasons for Joy

PREVIEW

The book of James is fullof practical counsel ondealing with trials. Thisarticle reviews some of theadvice James offers. Thisadvice can help us to en-dure hardship withoutlosing our joy in servingJehovah.

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(Acts 7:58–8:1; 11:19) We can only imag-ine the hardship the disciples had to en-dure. Still, they eagerly preached thegood news wherever they went, and con-gregations were established throughoutthe Roman Empire. (1 Pet. 1:1) But farmore turbulent times lay ahead for theearly Christians.

4 The early Christians had to endure avariety of trials. For instance, about theyear 50 C.E., Roman Emperor Claudiusordered all Jews to leave Rome. So Jewswho had become Christians were forcedto abandon their homes and relocateelsewhere. (Acts 18:1-3) About 61 C.E.,the apostle Paul wrote that his fellowChristians had been publicly reproached,

4. What other trials did the early Christians haveto endure?

put in prison, and plundered. (Heb.10:32-34) And just like other people,Christians had to endure poverty andsickness.—Rom. 15:26; Phil. 2:25-27.

5 When James wrote his letter beforethe year 62 C.E., he was fully awareof the trials being experienced by hisbrothers and sisters. Jehovah inspiredJames to write to those Christians togive them practical advice that wouldhelp them remain joyful even when fac-ing trials. Let us examine the letterof James and answer these questions:What is the joy that James wrote about?What could rob a Christian of that joy?And how canwisdom, faith, and couragehelp us to maintain our joy no matterwhat trials we face?

5. What questions will we answer?

Like a steadily burning flame inside theprotection of a lantern, the deep joythat Jehovah gives steadily burns withina Christian heart(See paragraph 6)

28 THE WATCHTOWER

WHAT MAKES A CHRISTIAN FEEL JOY?6 People may think that they can be

happy only if they have good health, alot of money, and peaceful family rela-tionships. But the type of joy that Jameswrote about is a part of the fruitageof God’s spirit and is not dependenton a person’s circumstances. (Gal. 5:22)A Christian gains joy, or a deep senseof happiness, from knowing that he ispleasing Jehovah and following Jesus’example. (Read Luke 6:22, 23; Col. 1:10, 11) Like a flame burning inside theprotection of a lantern, this type of joyburns within a Christian’s heart. It doesnot flicker when health fails or money isscarce. And it is not snuffed out by ridi-cule or opposition from family membersor others. Rather than being put out, theflame burns brighter each time oppos-ers try to extinguish it. The trials weface because of our faith confirm that weare true disciples of Christ. (Matt. 10:22; 24:9; John 15:20) For good reason,James could write: “Consider it all joy,my brothers, when you meet with vari-ous trials.”—Jas. 1:2.

7 James identifies an additional rea-son why Christians are willing to faceeven severe trials. He says: “This test-ed quality of your faith produces endur-ance.” (Jas. 1:3) Trials can be likenedto the fire that is used to forge a bladeof steel. When the blade is heated andcooled, the steel becomes stronger. Sim-ilarly, when we endure trials, our faith isstrengthened. That is why James wrote:

6. According to Luke 6:22, 23, why can a Christianfeel joy when suffering trials?7-8. How does our faith benefit from beingtested?

“Let endurance complete its work, sothat you may be complete and sound inall respects.” (Jas. 1:4)Whenwe see thatour trials make our faith stronger, wecan endure them with joy.

8 In his letter, James also identifiessome of the things that could cause us tolose our joy. What are those challenges,and how can we overcome them?

OVERCOMING CHALLENGESTHAT COULD ROB US OF JOY

9 The challenge: Not knowing what todo. When undergoing a trial, we wantto look to Jehovah for help to makechoices that please him, benefit ourbrothers and sisters, and help us to keepour own integrity. (Jer. 10:23) We needwisdom to know what course to take andwhat we should say to those who oppose

9. Why do we need wisdom?

FEBRUARY 2021 29

us. If we do not know what to do, wemay feel that we are helpless victims ofour circumstances, and we could quicklylose our joy.

10 The solution: Ask Jehovah for wis-dom. If we are to endure our trials withjoy, we must first ask Jehovah in prayerto give us the wisdom we need to makegood decisions. (Read James 1:5.)Howshould we react if we feel that Jehovahdoes not answer our prayer immediate-ly? James says that we should “keep ask-ing” God. Jehovah is not annoyed whenwe keep asking him for wisdom. He willnot reproach us. Our heavenly Father“gives generously” when we pray for thewisdom to endure our trials. (Ps. 25:12,13) He sees our trials, he has empathy,and he is eager to help us. Certainly, that

10. To gain wisdom, what does James 1:5 tell uswe need to do?

is a cause for joy! How, though, does Je-hovah give us wisdom?

11 Jehovah gives us wisdom by meansof his Word. (Prov. 2:6) To gain thatwisdom, we must study God’s Word andBible-based publications. But we needto do more than just accumulate knowl-edge.Wemust put God’s wisdom to workin our life by acting on his advice. Jameswrote: “Become doers of the word andnot hearers only.” (Jas. 1:22) When weapply God’s counsel, we become morepeaceable, reasonable, and merciful.(Jas. 3:17) Those qualities help us todeal with any trial without losing our joy.

12 God’s Word acts like a mirror, help-ing us to identify and address what weneed to work on. (Jas. 1:23-25) For

11. What else must we do to gain wisdom?12. Why is it important that we know the Biblewell?

Why can trials be likened to the firethat is used to forge a blade of steel?(See paragraph 7)

30 THE WATCHTOWER

example, after studying God’s Word, wemight realize that we need to control ourtemper. With Jehovah’s help, we learnhow to be mild when dealing with peopleor problems that could provoke us. Be-cause we are mild, we cope better withthe pressures we face. We are able tothink more clearly and make better deci-sions. (Jas. 3:13) How important it isthat we know the Bible well!

13 Sometimes we learn what to avoidonly after we make a mistake. But that isa hard way to learn. A better way to gainwisdom is to learn from both the success-es and the mistakes of others.That is whyJames encourages us to look at examplesset by such Bible characters as Abraham,Rahab, Job, and Elijah. (Jas. 2:21-26; 5:10, 11, 17, 18) Those loyal servants ofJehovah were able to endure trials thatcould have robbed them of joy. Their ex-amples of endurance show that with Je-hovah’s help we can do the same.

14 The challenge: Unresolved doubts.From time to time, we might have dif-ficulty understanding something in God’sWord. Or Jehovah may not answer ourprayers the way that we had hoped for.This may give rise to doubts. If we ignoreour doubts, they will weaken our faithand damage our relationship with Jeho-vah. (Jas. 1:7, 8) And they could evenmake us lose our hope for the future.

15 The apostle Paul likened our hopefor the future to an anchor. (Heb. 6:19) An anchor stabilizes a ship during astorm and stops it from drifting onto

13. Why should we study the examples set by Biblecharacters?14-15. Why must we resolve our doubts?

rocks. But an anchor is useful only if thechain that attaches it to the ship doesnot break. Just as rust weakens an an-chor chain, so unresolved doubts weak-en our faith.When tested by opposition,a personwho has doubts could lose faiththat Jehovah will fulfill his promises. Ifwe lose our faith, we lose our hope. AsJames says, the doubter “is like a waveof the sea driven by the wind and blownabout.” (Jas. 1:6) A person in that posi-tion is unlikely to feel any joy at all!

16 The solution: Face your doubts;strengthen your faith. Do not be indeci-sive. In the days ofthe prophet Elijah, Je-hovah’s people had become indecisive.Elijah told them: “How long will you belimping between two different opinions?If Jehovah is the true God, follow him;but if Baal is, follow him!” (1 Ki. 18:21) The same is true today. We need todo some research to prove to ourselvesthat Jehovah is God, that the Bible is hisWord, and that Jehovah’s Witnesses arehis people. (1 Thess. 5:21) Doing all ofthat will dispel our doubts and strength-en our faith. If we need help to resolveour doubts, we can ask the elders. Wemust take decisive action if we are tomaintain our joy in serving Jehovah!

17 The challenge: Discouragement.God’s Word says: “If you become dis-couraged in the day of distress, yourstrength will be meager.” (Prov. 24:10)The Hebrew word translated “becomediscouraged” can mean “to lose cour-age.” If you lose your courage, you willquickly lose your joy.

16. What should we do if we have doubts?17. What will happen if we lose our courage?

18 The solution: Rely on Jehovah to giveyou the courage to endure. We need tohave courage if we are to endure trials.(Jas. 5:11) The word James used that isrendered “endurance” conveys the ideaof someone who remains steadfast in hisposition.We might think of a soldier cou-rageously standing his ground against theenemy, refusing to give an inch no matterhow fiercely he is attacked.

19 The apostle Paul set an outstandingexample of courage and endurance. Attimes, he felt weak. But he was able toendure because he relied on Jehovah togive him the strength he needed. (2 Cor.12:8-10; Phil. 4:13) We can have thatkind of strength and courage if we hum-bly recognize that we need Jehovah’shelp.—Jas. 4:10.

DRAW CLOSE TO GODAND KEEP YOUR JOY

20 We can be certain that the trials weface are not punishment from Jehovah.

18. What does it mean to endure?19. What can we learn from the example set by theapostle Paul?20-21. Of what can we be certain?

James assures us: “When under trial, letno one say: ‘I am being tried by God.’For with evil things God cannot be tried,nor does he himself try anyone.” (Jas. 1:13) When we are convinced of that fact,we are drawn closer to our loving heav-enly Father.—Jas. 4:8.

21 Jehovah “does not vary or change.”(Jas. 1:17) He supported the first-century Christians through their trials,and hewill help each of us today too. Ear-nestly ask Jehovah to help you gain wis-dom, faith, and courage. He will answeryour prayers. Then you can be certainthat he will help you to maintain your joywhile enduring trials!

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PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Page 29: A brother is ar-rested in his home. His wife and daughter look onas police officers take him away. While the hus-band is in prison, fellow worshippers join the sisterand her daughter for family worship. The motherand daughter frequently ask Jehovah for strengthto endure their trial. Jehovah gives them innerpeace and courage. As a result, their faith growsstronger, enabling them to endure with joy.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

˛ What makes a Christianjoyful?

˛ What challenges couldrob us of joy?

˛ How can we remainjoyful despite trials?

SONG 128Enduring to the End

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The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) February 2021 is published by Watch-

tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; Harold L. Corkern, Pres-

ident; Mark L. Questell, Secretary-Treasurer; 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill,

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IN THIS ISSUE��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 5: April 5-11 2“The Head of Every Man Is the Christ”

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Study Article 6: April 12-18 8“The Head of a Woman Is the Man”

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Study Article 7: April 19-25 14Understanding Headship in the Congregation��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

LIFE STORY 20Jehovah Has ‘Made My Paths Straight’��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

All Because of a Smile! 25��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Study Article 8: April 26–May 2 26How to Maintain Joy When Enduring Trials

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February 2021 � Vol. 142, No. 3 ENGLISH

This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwideBible educational work supported by voluntary donations. To makea donation, please visit donate.jw.org.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from themodern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

COVER PICTURE:After sending food to David and his men,Abigail approaches David. Then she bowsdown to the ground and urges him not tobring bloodguilt on himself by taking revenge(See study article 6, paragraph 16)