Love for Our Christian Brothers

Paul said to the Thessalonian Christians:  "Your yourselves are taught by God to love one another." (1 Thessalonians 4:9)  Yes, those who are "taught by Jehovah" love one another. (Isaiah 54:13)  Their love is expressed in action, as Paul showed when he said:  "Through love slave for one another."  (Galatians 5:13; 1 John 3:18) This they do, for example,when they visit sick brothers and sisters, encourage the depressed, and support the weak.  (1 Thessalonians 5:14) Our genuine Christian love contributes to the growth of our spiritual paradise. 

In the Ancon Congregation-one of the 544 congregations in Ecuador-the brothers showed their love in a practical way. A financial crisis left them without work or income, so the publishers decided to raise money by selling food to the local fishermen when these came home after a night's fishing.  Everyone cooperated, including the children.  They had to start at 1:00 a.m.  so as to have the food prepared by 4:00 a.m. when the fishermen returned. The money raised by the brothers was shared among them according to their need.  Such mutual help demonstrated genuine Christian love. 

However, our love is not limited to Christians whom we personally  know.  The apostle Peter said:  "Have love for the whole association of brothers." (1 Peter 2:17) We love all our brothers and sisters because they are all fellow worshipers of Jehovah God. Times of crisis may present an opportunity to demonstrate this love.  For example, during the 2000 service year, severe floods ravaged Mozambique, and an ongoing civil war in Angola left many impoverished. A large number of the 31,735 brothers in Mozambique and the 41,222 in Angola have been affected  by these events. Hence, Witnesses in neighboring South Africa have sent large quantities of provisions to alleviate the distress of their brothers in those lands.  Their willingness to contribute their "surplus" to their needy brothers demonstrated their love. -2 Corinthians 8:8, 13-15, 24. 

Love is seen, too, when brothers in many countries contribute toward the building of Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls in less prosperous lands. An example is in the Solomon Islands. Despite much unrest, the Solomon Islands saw  a 6-percent increase in publishers last year, with a peak of 1,697.  They planned  to build an Assembly Hall. Although many islanders were fleeing the country, volunteers came from Australia to help in the construction.  Eventually, the volunteers  had to leave, but not before  they had trained local brothers to complete the foundation.  The prefabricated steel structure  of the hall  was shipped from Australia, and the completion  of this fine building for worship-at a time when many building sites lie abandoned-will be a fine witness to Jehovah's name and tot he love of the brothers. 

Next time: Like God, We Love the World

From the Watchtower magazine, 2001