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Imitate Jesus’ Mental Attitude

1. What mental attitude did Jesus manifest?

¹ Although we have never seen God’s Son, through the written record of Jesus’ life and ministry, we have truly come to love him. (1 Pet. 1:8) In obedience to his Father’s will, he forsook his exalted heavenly position and came to earth. As a human, he selflessly ministered to others and then gave his life in behalf of mankind. (Matt. 20:28) God’s Word urges us: “Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” How can we imitate his self-sacrificing spirit?​—Phil. 2:5-8.

2. What challenge do many Christians face, and what can help them to overcome it?

² When Feeling Tired: Even though Jesus was perfect, he still got tired. On one occasion, when he was “tired out from the journey,” he gave a thorough witness to a Samaritan woman. (John 4:6) Many Christians today face a similar challenge. After a tiring workweek, it can be difficult to find the strength to participate in the preaching work. However, if we do so regularly, we will find that the Christian ministry refreshes us spiritually.​—John 4:32-34.

3. How can we imitate Jesus’ willingness to teach?

³ On another occasion, Jesus and his disciples headed to a lonely place in order to rest up a bit. However, a great crowd found out and ran ahead to meet them. Rather than becoming irritated, Jesus was “moved with pity for them” and proceeded to “teach them many things.” (Mark 6:30-34) Starting and conducting Bible studies calls for a similar attitude. It requires persistent effort and genuine love for people. If you are not presently conducting a Bible study, do not give up in trying to find one.

4. How can auxiliary pioneering help us to imitate Christ’s mental attitude?

⁴ Put Spiritual Interests First: Auxiliary pioneering can help us to focus more on spiritual activities. One young sister wrote: “The mother of one of my friends encouraged both of us to auxiliary pioneer with her for a month. I’m really glad that we joined her. I enjoyed getting to know the brothers and sisters better, and soon they were like family to me. I also enjoyed having more of an opportunity to speak to others about Jehovah and teach them wonderful Kingdom truths. All of this made me feel closer to Jehovah and his organization.”​—Ps. 34:8.

5. Why must we continually put forth effort to imitate Jesus’ mental attitude?

⁵ All of us face a battle between our imperfect flesh and our desire to please Jehovah. (Rom. 7:21-23) We must resist the self-sparing spirit of the world. (Matt. 16:22, 23) Jehovah can help us to succeed in this by means of his holy spirit. (Gal. 5:16, 17) As we await our deliverance into God’s righteous new world, may we imitate Jesus’ mental attitude by putting Kingdom interests and the interests of others ahead of our own.​—Matt. 6:33; Rom. 15:1-3.