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00:00:01 What do you think makes us valuable 00:00:04 to Jehovah? 00:00:06 Is it our natural ability? 00:00:10 our many years of faithful service? 00:00:14 Is it our Bethel assignment? 00:00:17 Well, turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 3, 00:00:21 and we’ll let Jehovah answer this for us through his Word. 00:00:26 First Peter 3 and we’ll read verse 4: 00:00:34 “But let it be the secret person of the heart 00:00:39 “in the incorruptible adornment of the quiet and mild spirit, 00:00:43 which is of great value in the eyes of God.” 00:00:48 Now, of course, we know in the full context 00:00:50 of the opening verses here in 1 Peter chapter 3, 00:00:53 Peter is referring to Christian women. 00:00:56 But if we isolate this phrase in verse 4, 00:01:00 “the secret person of the heart,” 00:01:04 that applies to all of us, brothers and sisters, 00:01:08 because it’s referring to who we are on the inside 00:01:12 —our thoughts, our beliefs, our emotions. 00:01:18 That’s why David prayed at Psalm 51:10 00:01:21 for Jehovah to create within him “a pure heart,” 00:01:26 because that’s what Jehovah sees and examines, 00:01:30 that is what is valuable to him, 00:01:34 and that’s what all of us are striving to do —to serve him in that way. 00:01:39 And the beautiful thing is that when Jehovah sees 00:01:42 that we’re trying to serve him this way, 00:01:45 not only does that make us valuable to him 00:01:49 but he will also give us whatever we need 00:01:53 in whatever assignment we happen to have. 00:01:57 Now, just to prove this, let’s look at three different occasions 00:02:01 in various stages of David’s life, 00:02:05 all related to his assignment in warfare. 00:02:09 We’ll start with the account in 1 Samuel chapter 17. 00:02:15 When it was determined that David was going to fight Goliath, 00:02:20 you’ll recall that he was clothed with Saul’s armor. 00:02:24 Now, likely that was quite the privilege 00:02:26 —to fight with the king’s armor. 00:02:30 But notice the middle of verse 39. 00:02:32 After David tries it on, look at what happens: 00:02:36 “David said to Saul: 00:02:38 “‘I am unable to go in these things, 00:02:41 “for I am not used to them.’ 00:02:43 So David took them off.” 00:02:46 So it was valuable armor, 00:02:49 but David wasn’t equipped to use it. 00:02:54 It didn’t fit him or his circumstances at the time. 00:02:58 But you notice David didn’t let that stop him. 00:03:03 Instead, he used what worked for him. 00:03:07 He looked for five smooth stones, 00:03:09 and with Jehovah’s help, 00:03:11 that was more than enough for him to carry out his assignment. 00:03:16 Perhaps we know of brothers and sisters, 00:03:19 maybe here at Bethel or in the field, 00:03:22 who at one time may have been hesitant to have a Bible study 00:03:26 or to engage in some other aspect of the ministry, 00:03:30 maybe because they felt they didn’t have the skill of a seasoned pioneer. 00:03:35 And yet they excelled, 00:03:38 and Jehovah blessed their efforts. 00:03:40 You see, they didn’t let that stop them. 00:03:43 They just worked with what they had 00:03:45 —their love for Jehovah, their sincerity— 00:03:49 and Jehovah blessed them. 00:03:52 The point is, because of our circumstances 00:03:55 we may not all have the experience, the training 00:03:59 —the figurative king’s armor, so to speak— 00:04:03 for a particular assignment, 00:04:05 but we still should not let that stop us 00:04:08 in our efforts to serve Jehovah. 00:04:11 We find what works for us. 00:04:13 And it may be that for a time we may feel that we’re just working 00:04:18 with a couple of figurative smooth stones. 00:04:22 But Jehovah says that is more than enough 00:04:24 for us to carry out our assignment. 00:04:28 Well, let’s consider the second occasion. 00:04:31 Sometime later, now David is trained, he’s skilled, and he’s quite the warrior. 00:04:36 And in 1 Samuel 18:4, he gets another privilege. 00:04:41 This time it’s to use the armor of Saul’s son, Jonathan. 00:04:46 And he’s successful. 00:04:48 He wins many battles. 00:04:50 To the point where, in verse 7, the women are celebrating: 00:04:55 “Saul has struck down his thousands, 00:04:57 and David his tens of thousands.” 00:05:01 Well, what makes David so successful? 00:05:05 One Watchtower noted 00:05:07 that David’s “fighting was a matter of courage” 00:05:11 because he “repeatedly . . . inquired of Jehovah 00:05:14 “as to his moving into battle, 00:05:17 “showing that he was being guided by [Jehovah] 00:05:21 and not merely love of conquest.” 00:05:25 What can we take away from this? 00:05:28 Even if we’re privileged to do many things in the organization, 00:05:33 we should never let our intellect, 00:05:35 our privilege, our position, our natural abilities stop us 00:05:40 from seeking Jehovah’s direction first. 00:05:44 That can help us to maintain humility 00:05:47 —to keep us valuable to Jehovah. 00:05:51 I thought it was interesting that The Watchtower also mentioned 00:05:53 one of the reasons that the women were able to sing 00:05:56 and celebrate David 00:05:58 was because of how David inspired his men in battle. 00:06:03 So, clearly, David must have worked well along with others. 00:06:08 He encouraged his men. He motivated them. 00:06:11 He brought out the best in them. 00:06:14 And together, 00:06:16 they were able to have many victories in behalf of Jehovah. 00:06:22 Well, isn’t that a nice reminder for family heads, congregation elders, 00:06:27 our overseers and crew leaders here at Bethel? 00:06:30 When we maintain the right disposition, 00:06:33 Jehovah can use us to inspire —to motivate— 00:06:37 and to encourage those whom we work with. 00:06:40 And then, together we can accomplish much 00:06:45 to Jehovah’s praise. 00:06:48 One final occasion, 00:06:50 this time in 2 Samuel. 00:06:54 At this point, David is now older. 00:06:57 He’s won many battles. 00:07:00 But in yet another war with the Philistines, notice what happens to him. 00:07:04 Notice 2 Samuel chapter 21. 00:07:12 In 2 Samuel 21, we’ll read verse 15. 00:07:18 It says: “Once again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. 00:07:23 “So David and his servants went down and fought the Philistines, 00:07:27 but David became exhausted.” 00:07:32 This time, David, even with his armor, 00:07:36 was in a situation that almost got him killed. 00:07:40 Now, the courage was still there, 00:07:43 but his strength wasn’t. 00:07:45 He was exhausted. 00:07:48 So in verse 17, how grateful he must have been 00:07:53 that men like Abishai had kept an eye on him 00:07:57 and quickly came to his aid. 00:08:00 If you go back a couple of chapters to chapter 18, 00:08:04 in verses 3 and 4, this matter of David going out to fight 00:08:08 had come up before. 00:08:10 But you notice when you look at those verses, 00:08:12 it was not as if the men were stopping David 00:08:15 from doing anything. 00:08:18 They just wanted him to do work 00:08:20 that fit his circumstances. 00:08:23 And in verse 4, we see the wisdom of David 00:08:26 in agreeing to do so. 00:08:30 Doesn’t this make us think of our dear, faithful older ones 00:08:34 in the family? 00:08:36 We love all of you so dearly. 00:08:38 We hold you in high esteem, 00:08:41 and we know that Jehovah treasures 00:08:44 and values you as well 00:08:47 because he sees your heart. 00:08:49 And he knows that your strength 00:08:51 may not be as it once was, 00:08:55 but your faith, your love, 00:08:58 your courage, your zeal 00:09:01 —it’s all there, and it’s as strong as ever. 00:09:05 So we’re so appreciative of our brotherhood and this Bethel family, 00:09:10 where we have members like Abishai 00:09:13 and where it’s such a privilege for them and us 00:09:16 to come to your aid and support you when we can. 00:09:21 And Jehovah certainly appreciates your willingness to do 00:09:24 whatever work you’re able to do as it fits your circumstances. 00:09:30 So, what a reminder it is to know 00:09:33 that it’s not our strength or natural ability 00:09:36 that draws us closer to Jehovah. 00:09:39 It’s that “secret person of the heart” 00:09:42 —a pure heart— 00:09:45 that makes us valuable to God. 00:09:47 And when we serve him in that way, 00:09:49 he will give us whatever we need, 00:09:51 regardless of our situation, or circumstances, 00:09:54 to always serve him in a way that he approves.
00:00:01 What do you think makes us valuable 00:00:04 to Jehovah? 00:00:06 Is it our natural ability? 00:00:10 our many years of faithful service? 00:00:14 Is it our Bethel assignment? 00:00:17 Well, turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 3, 00:00:21 and we’ll let Jehovah answer this for us through his Word. 00:00:26 First Peter 3 and we’ll read verse 4: 00:00:34 “But let it be the secret person of the heart 00:00:39 “in the incorruptible adornment of the quiet and mild spirit, 00:00:43 which is of great value in the eyes of God.” 00:00:48 Now, of course, we know in the full context 00:00:50 of the opening verses here in 1 Peter chapter 3, 00:00:53 Peter is referring to Christian women. 00:00:56 But if we isolate this phrase in verse 4, 00:01:00 “the secret person of the heart,” 00:01:04 that applies to all of us, brothers and sisters, 00:01:08 because it’s referring to who we are on the inside 00:01:12 —our thoughts, our beliefs, our emotions. 00:01:18 That’s why David prayed at Psalm 51:10 00:01:21 for Jehovah to create within him “a pure heart,” 00:01:26 because that’s what Jehovah sees and examines, 00:01:30 that is what is valuable to him, 00:01:34 and that’s what all of us are striving to do —to serve him in that way. 00:01:39 And the beautiful thing is that when Jehovah sees 00:01:42 that we’re trying to serve him this way, 00:01:45 not only does that make us valuable to him 00:01:49 but he will also give us whatever we need 00:01:53 in whatever assignment we happen to have. 00:01:57 Now, just to prove this, let’s look at three different occasions 00:02:01 in various stages of David’s life, 00:02:05 all related to his assignment in warfare. 00:02:09 We’ll start with the account in 1 Samuel chapter 17. 00:02:15 When it was determined that David was going to fight Goliath, 00:02:20 you’ll recall that he was clothed with Saul’s armor. 00:02:24 Now, likely that was quite the privilege 00:02:26 —to fight with the king’s armor. 00:02:30 But notice the middle of verse 39. 00:02:32 After David tries it on, look at what happens: 00:02:36 “David said to Saul: 00:02:38 “‘I am unable to go in these things, 00:02:41 “for I am not used to them.’ 00:02:43 So David took them off.” 00:02:46 So it was valuable armor, 00:02:49 but David wasn’t equipped to use it. 00:02:54 It didn’t fit him or his circumstances at the time. 00:02:58 But you notice David didn’t let that stop him. 00:03:03 Instead, he used what worked for him. 00:03:07 He looked for five smooth stones, 00:03:09 and with Jehovah’s help, 00:03:11 that was more than enough for him to carry out his assignment. 00:03:16 Perhaps we know of brothers and sisters, 00:03:19 maybe here at Bethel or in the field, 00:03:22 who at one time may have been hesitant to have a Bible study 00:03:26 or to engage in some other aspect of the ministry, 00:03:30 maybe because they felt they didn’t have the skill of a seasoned pioneer. 00:03:35 And yet they excelled, 00:03:38 and Jehovah blessed their efforts. 00:03:40 You see, they didn’t let that stop them. 00:03:43 They just worked with what they had 00:03:45 —their love for Jehovah, their sincerity— 00:03:49 and Jehovah blessed them. 00:03:52 The point is, because of our circumstances 00:03:55 we may not all have the experience, the training 00:03:59 —the figurative king’s armor, so to speak— 00:04:03 for a particular assignment, 00:04:05 but we still should not let that stop us 00:04:08 in our efforts to serve Jehovah. 00:04:11 We find what works for us. 00:04:13 And it may be that for a time we may feel that we’re just working 00:04:18 with a couple of figurative smooth stones. 00:04:22 But Jehovah says that is more than enough 00:04:24 for us to carry out our assignment. 00:04:28 Well, let’s consider the second occasion. 00:04:31 Sometime later, now David is trained, he’s skilled, and he’s quite the warrior. 00:04:36 And in 1 Samuel 18:4, he gets another privilege. 00:04:41 This time it’s to use the armor of Saul’s son, Jonathan. 00:04:46 And he’s successful. 00:04:48 He wins many battles. 00:04:50 To the point where, in verse 7, the women are celebrating: 00:04:55 “Saul has struck down his thousands, 00:04:57 and David his tens of thousands.” 00:05:01 Well, what makes David so successful? 00:05:05 One Watchtower noted 00:05:07 that David’s “fighting was a matter of courage” 00:05:11 because he “repeatedly . . . inquired of Jehovah 00:05:14 “as to his moving into battle, 00:05:17 “showing that he was being guided by [Jehovah] 00:05:21 and not merely love of conquest.” 00:05:25 What can we take away from this? 00:05:28 Even if we’re privileged to do many things in the organization, 00:05:33 we should never let our intellect, 00:05:35 our privilege, our position, our natural abilities stop us 00:05:40 from seeking Jehovah’s direction first. 00:05:44 That can help us to maintain humility 00:05:47 —to keep us valuable to Jehovah. 00:05:51 I thought it was interesting that The Watchtower also mentioned 00:05:53 one of the reasons that the women were able to sing 00:05:56 and celebrate David 00:05:58 was because of how David inspired his men in battle. 00:06:03 So, clearly, David must have worked well along with others. 00:06:08 He encouraged his men. He motivated them. 00:06:11 He brought out the best in them. 00:06:14 And together, 00:06:16 they were able to have many victories in behalf of Jehovah. 00:06:22 Well, isn’t that a nice reminder for family heads, congregation elders, 00:06:27 our overseers and crew leaders here at Bethel? 00:06:30 When we maintain the right disposition, 00:06:33 Jehovah can use us to inspire —to motivate— 00:06:37 and to encourage those whom we work with. 00:06:40 And then, together we can accomplish much 00:06:45 to Jehovah’s praise. 00:06:48 One final occasion, 00:06:50 this time in 2 Samuel. 00:06:54 At this point, David is now older. 00:06:57 He’s won many battles. 00:07:00 But in yet another war with the Philistines, notice what happens to him. 00:07:04 Notice 2 Samuel chapter 21. 00:07:12 In 2 Samuel 21, we’ll read verse 15. 00:07:18 It says: “Once again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. 00:07:23 “So David and his servants went down and fought the Philistines, 00:07:27 but David became exhausted.” 00:07:32 This time, David, even with his armor, 00:07:36 was in a situation that almost got him killed. 00:07:40 Now, the courage was still there, 00:07:43 but his strength wasn’t. 00:07:45 He was exhausted. 00:07:48 So in verse 17, how grateful he must have been 00:07:53 that men like Abishai had kept an eye on him 00:07:57 and quickly came to his aid. 00:08:00 If you go back a couple of chapters to chapter 18, 00:08:04 in verses 3 and 4, this matter of David going out to fight 00:08:08 had come up before. 00:08:10 But you notice when you look at those verses, 00:08:12 it was not as if the men were stopping David 00:08:15 from doing anything. 00:08:18 They just wanted him to do work 00:08:20 that fit his circumstances. 00:08:23 And in verse 4, we see the wisdom of David 00:08:26 in agreeing to do so. 00:08:30 Doesn’t this make us think of our dear, faithful older ones 00:08:34 in the family? 00:08:36 We love all of you so dearly. 00:08:38 We hold you in high esteem, 00:08:41 and we know that Jehovah treasures 00:08:44 and values you as well 00:08:47 because he sees your heart. 00:08:49 And he knows that your strength 00:08:51 may not be as it once was, 00:08:55 but your faith, your love, 00:08:58 your courage, your zeal 00:09:01 —it’s all there, and it’s as strong as ever. 00:09:05 So we’re so appreciative of our brotherhood and this Bethel family, 00:09:10 where we have members like Abishai 00:09:13 and where it’s such a privilege for them and us 00:09:16 to come to your aid and support you when we can. 00:09:21 And Jehovah certainly appreciates your willingness to do 00:09:24 whatever work you’re able to do as it fits your circumstances. 00:09:30 So, what a reminder it is to know 00:09:33 that it’s not our strength or natural ability 00:09:36 that draws us closer to Jehovah. 00:09:39 It’s that “secret person of the heart” 00:09:42 —a pure heart— 00:09:45 that makes us valuable to God. 00:09:47 And when we serve him in that way, 00:09:49 he will give us whatever we need, 00:09:51 regardless of our situation, or circumstances, 00:09:54 to always serve him in a way that he approves.
