Help Others Deal With Stress - BE PATIENT

Lot made a bad decision when he chose to live among the grossly immoral people of Sodom.  (Read 2 Peter 2:7, 8)  The region was prosperous, but Lot paid a high price for moving to Sodom.  (Genesis 13:8-13; 14:12)  His wife apparently became so attached to the city or to some of the people living there that she disobeyed Jehovah. She lost her life when God rained fire and sulfur on the region. And think of Lot's two daughters. They were engaged to men who died in Sodom. Lot lost his home, his possessions and, most painful of all, his wife.  (Genesis 19:12-14, 17, 26)  during this stressful period, did Jehovah lose patience with Lot? No. 

Even though Lot chose to live in Sodom,  Jehovah compassionately sent angels to rescue him and his family.  However, instead of immediately obeying the angels' urgent command to leave Sodom, Lot "kept lingering" the angels had to seize hold of his hand and help him and his family flee the city.  (Genesis 19:15, 16)  The angels then told him to run to the mountainous region. But instead of obeying Jehovah, Lot asked to go to a nearby town.  (Genesis 19:17-20)  Jehovah patiently listened and allowed Lot to go to that town.  Lot later became afraid of living there  and moved to the mountainous region, the very area Jehovah had told him to go in the first place.  (Genesis 6:7)  However, we can do better. We can imitate the way that Jehovah helped Lot. How?

Jehovah sent the angels not only to warn Lot but also to help him escape the disaster brought on  Sodom. Likewise, we may need to warn our brother if we see that he is heading for trouble.  But we may also be able to help him. Even if he is slow to apply the Bible-based counsel he receives, we need to be patient. Be like the two angels. Rather than give up on and draw away from our brother, we should look for practical ways to assist him.  (1 John 3:18)  We may need to offer to take him by the hand, figuratively speaking, and help him apply the good advice he is given. -Read 1 THESSALONIANS 5:14. 

Jehovah could have focused on Lot's imperfections. Instead, he later inspired the apostle Peter to refer to Lot as a righteous man.  How happy we are that Jehovah overlooks our mistakes!  (1 Psalm 130:3)  Can we imitate the way that Jehovah viewed Lot? IF we focus on the good qualities of our brothers and sisters, we will be more patient with them.  They, in turn, will more likely accept the help we offer. 

Next time: Help Others Deal With Stress - BE COMPASSIONATE

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