Learning To Be Lowly In Mind

God's spirit working through his willing people enables them to learn to conquer the bad spirit of the world and then to demonstrate the fruitage of God's spirit. This manifests itself in "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22, 23) To help them develop those qualities, God's servants are counseled not to become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:26) Similarly, the apostle Paul said: " I tell everyone there among you not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think; but to think so as to have a sound mind." - Romans 12:3.

God's Word tells true Christians to do "nothing our of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with lowliness of mind considering that the others [of God's servants] are superior to you, keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon those of the others." (Philippians 2:3, 4) "Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person." (1Corinthians 10:24) Yes, "love builds up" others with un-selfish words and acts. (1 Corinthians 8:1) It promotes cooperation, not competition. The me-first spirit has no place among Jehovah's servants.

However, because of inherited imperfection, we are not born lowly in mind. (Psalm51:5) This quality must be learned. And this may be difficult for those not taught Jehovah's ways from childhood but who accept them later in life. They have already formed personalities based on this old world's attitudes. So they have to learn to "put away the old personality which conforms to [their]former course of conduct" and to "put on the new personality which was created according to God's will in true righteousness and loyalty." (Ephesians 4:22, 24) With God's help sincere ones can do what he asks of them: "Clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness and long-suffering." - Colossians 3:12.

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