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00:00:00 There’s no doubt 00:00:02 that Jesus was the Great Teacher, 00:00:05 and there were many reasons for that. 00:00:07 But one of them is 00:00:08 that he really understood 00:00:10 the people that he was dealing with. 00:00:13 He knew what was really inside. 00:00:16 Now, he had God-given ability to actually read hearts. 00:00:20 But he also had abilities that he got from his Father as well 00:00:25 —such as insight, discernment, 00:00:30 understanding, wisdom. 00:00:32 And all of this combined to make him an outstanding teacher. 00:00:37 Well, obviously, we can’t read hearts, 00:00:40 but we can imitate Jesus 00:00:42 in developing the qualities that will help us 00:00:44 to be the most effective in helping others. 00:00:47 For example, insight: 00:00:50 How would you define it? 00:00:52 It’s the ability to see into a situation, 00:00:56 to act with discretion, to be successful. 00:01:00 It means not just looking at the obvious 00:01:03 but going deeper. 00:01:05 It’s related to understanding. 00:01:08 Understanding is the ability 00:01:10 to distinguish different components 00:01:12 of a subject or a situation, 00:01:15 but insight goes further. 00:01:17 It’s an intelligent knowledge of the reason. 00:01:21 In other words, it answers the question, Why? 00:01:25 Why is this happening? 00:01:28 Or why would I say what I’m about to say 00:01:32 because that’s the best thing to say? 00:01:35 It’s also related to discernment 00:01:38 —that’s being keen in judgment, 00:01:41 perceiving differences, 00:01:43 being able to see what appears to be one way 00:01:46 but may not be that way at all. 00:01:48 And it helps to identify the true needs 00:01:51 of a person or the real problem. 00:01:54 Now, to illustrate how the use of these qualities can be very helpful, 00:01:58 suppose someone in the congregation comes to you and says: 00:02:02 “I’m really having a problem controlling my temper. 00:02:05 I’m getting angry.” 00:02:08 So now, right away we may think (and rightfully so), 00:02:11 ‘Well, I have a number of scriptures that I can share with you 00:02:14 about controlling anger, controlling the tongue, 00:02:19 not letting any bad thing come out of our mouth.’ 00:02:22 Those are excellent. 00:02:24 But the teacher or the helpful counselor 00:02:26 that will do the best good would want to do what? 00:02:30 He’d want to ask the question, Why? 00:02:34 Why are you getting angry? 00:02:36 Can you pinpoint it? 00:02:38 Are you feeling well? 00:02:40 Have you not gotten enough rest? 00:02:42 Is there a catalyst at work, at school, 00:02:45 in the congregation, at home? 00:02:48 And then after determining why, 00:02:52 the most effective scriptures 00:02:54 and the most encouragement can be given. 00:02:58 And where do we get these qualities 00:03:00 of insight, discernment, and understanding? 00:03:03 Well, they come from Jehovah, don’t they? 00:03:06 Psalm 32:8 says: 00:03:08 “I will give you insight and instruct you 00:03:11 in the way you should go.” 00:03:13 And he does that through his Word 00:03:16 but also through his organization. 00:03:19 Jeremiah 3:15 says: 00:03:21 “And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, 00:03:25 and they will feed you with knowledge and insight.” 00:03:29 So we’re blessed to have Jehovah’s Word 00:03:33 and “the faithful and discreet slave” 00:03:35 to assist us to gain these qualities. 00:03:37 And how will it help us? 00:03:39 Open your Bibles, please, to Psalm 119, 00:03:42 and let’s read together verse 99. 00:03:45 Psalm 119:99: 00:03:49 “I have more insight than all my teachers, 00:03:53 because I ponder over your reminders.” 00:03:57 Notice the psalmist did not say, 00:04:00 ‘I can quote more scriptures than anybody else, 00:04:03 and I can answer all the difficult Bible questions—no problem.’ 00:04:08 No, in this context he says: “I have more insight.” 00:04:13 ‘Jehovah has given me the ability 00:04:16 ‘to see beyond the obvious in myself 00:04:20 and also in my ability to help someone else.’ 00:04:24 Well, how do we learn to display this? 00:04:27 Well, we go back to our exemplar Jesus, 00:04:31 and we start with his approach to people 00:04:34 —warm, kind, affectionate, 00:04:37 compassionate, empathetic. 00:04:40 And when a person conveys that spirit 00:04:43 to those that he is trying to help, 00:04:46 they feel comfortable and they are more likely 00:04:50 to reveal what may be in their heart. 00:04:54 So with that fine approach, 00:04:56 Jesus was able to put himself 00:04:58 into others’ situations —to have empathy and compassion— 00:05:03 for example, with Martha and Mary 00:05:06 at the time of Lazarus’ death. 00:05:09 So we can appreciate, can’t we, that that is a critical element 00:05:13 of being insightful, making others feel comfortable? 00:05:18 But then, what else can we do 00:05:20 to find out what’s really in a person’s heart? 00:05:22 We can’t read it. 00:05:24 Well, let’s open our Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 20. 00:05:29 Proverbs chapter 20, and let’s look at verse 5: 00:05:33 “The thoughts of a man’s heart are like deep waters, 00:05:37 but the discerning man draws them out.” 00:05:42 So how does he do that? 00:05:45 By questions. 00:05:47 He seeks knowledge; 00:05:50 he gathers facts 00:05:52 in line with Proverbs 15:14, 00:05:55 where it talks about the wise one, 00:05:57 the understanding one, “seeks knowledge.” 00:06:01 So he doesn’t answer before he has all the facts. 00:06:05 And he uses tactful and respectful questions, 00:06:09 but he doesn’t probe 00:06:12 to the point of embarrassment unnecessarily. 00:06:15 And he realizes that point-blank questions, blunt questions, 00:06:20 may give him an answer 00:06:22 but they can be very harmful 00:06:25 —especially if they insinuate 00:06:27 a suspicion of wrongdoing 00:06:30 without any warranting of that. 00:06:33 Such questions may cause deep wounds 00:06:36 as described at Proverbs 12:18: 00:06:39 “Thoughtless speech is like the stabs of a sword.” 00:06:42 So ask respectful, gentle, meaningful questions, 00:06:47 and then listen. 00:06:50 ‘Be swift about listening, 00:06:52 slow about speaking,’ according to James, 00:06:55 and not overreacting to what they may say. 00:06:58 We have, in effect, asked them: 00:07:00 ‘Please tell us, how do you feel about this? 00:07:02 Or, what’s happening?’ 00:07:04 And if they tell us, 00:07:06 we can’t get mad at them, because we asked them. 00:07:10 So there’s a time to be quiet. 00:07:14 We ask a meaningful, tactful question 00:07:17 and Ecclesiastes 3:7 applies: 00:07:20 “A time to be silent and a time to speak.” 00:07:23 Now, not talking too much helps us in another way 00:07:28 because Proverbs 10:19 says: 00:07:31 “When words are many, transgression cannot be avoided, 00:07:34 but whoever controls his lips acts discreetly.” 00:07:38 So there’s this matter of being cautious 00:07:41 with how much we talk, especially before we have all the facts. 00:07:46 We want the complete picture (with thoughtful questions), 00:07:49 and then we will be able to assist. 00:07:52 And if they say something, 00:07:54 we want to be careful that we don’t overreact. 00:07:57 It’s insightful, 00:07:59 and it shows discernment not to overreact. 00:08:02 Here’s an illustration of that: 00:08:04 A Christian couple noticed 00:08:06 that their daughter was withdrawing 00:08:09 from family association. 00:08:12 She would isolate herself and want to be by herself. 00:08:16 So they gently questioned her, trying to find out what was happening. 00:08:20 She would never open up. 00:08:22 They kept it up—kindly, patiently. 00:08:26 And one day, the mother went into the daughter’s bedroom, 00:08:29 sat down, put her arm around her daughter, 00:08:32 and said, “Honey, tell me, what’s happening?” 00:08:35 So she said: 00:08:37 “Well, Mom, I don’t feel like you 00:08:42 “and the rest of the family like my company. 00:08:44 So I’m staying away as much as possible.” 00:08:47 So now the mother’s first reaction as she reported, 00:08:51 the mother said: “I wanted to say, 00:08:54 “‘That is absolutely ridiculous!’ 00:08:58 But then I held it in,” she said, 00:09:00 and I listened, and she poured out her heart.” 00:09:04 She got better. 00:09:07 The family made some adjustments and, in time, 00:09:10 this fine young woman went into the full-time service. 00:09:14 But let’s think back. 00:09:16 What if the mother had not used discernment and insight 00:09:19 when her daughter told her what the problem was 00:09:21 and she did say, “That’s ridiculous?” 00:09:25 What would that have done to the daughter? 00:09:28 ‘Oh, now you think I’m stupid, 00:09:31 ‘and I’m ridiculous. 00:09:33 ‘Well, that really helps a lot. Thank you very much. 00:09:36 I feel even more willing to be with you folks now.’ 00:09:39 Well, it could have happened that way, perhaps. 00:09:43 But it does show the value of listening and not overreacting 00:09:47 to get really what’s in a person’s heart. 00:09:49 And when they tell us, we respond accordingly. 00:09:52 So in imitation of Christ, 00:09:55 we want to know what’s inside people so that we can help them the most. 00:09:58 But we do that by relying on the insight 00:10:01 and discernment that Jehovah gives us 00:10:04 and by being compassionate and caring and kind 00:10:07 and probing gently to find out what the real problem is 00:10:10 so that we can use the most effective scriptures 00:10:12 to help them for that particular problem.
00:00:00 There’s no doubt 00:00:02 that Jesus was the Great Teacher, 00:00:05 and there were many reasons for that. 00:00:07 But one of them is 00:00:08 that he really understood 00:00:10 the people that he was dealing with. 00:00:13 He knew what was really inside. 00:00:16 Now, he had God-given ability to actually read hearts. 00:00:20 But he also had abilities that he got from his Father as well 00:00:25 —such as insight, discernment, 00:00:30 understanding, wisdom. 00:00:32 And all of this combined to make him an outstanding teacher. 00:00:37 Well, obviously, we can’t read hearts, 00:00:40 but we can imitate Jesus 00:00:42 in developing the qualities that will help us 00:00:44 to be the most effective in helping others. 00:00:47 For example, insight: 00:00:50 How would you define it? 00:00:52 It’s the ability to see into a situation, 00:00:56 to act with discretion, to be successful. 00:01:00 It means not just looking at the obvious 00:01:03 but going deeper. 00:01:05 It’s related to understanding. 00:01:08 Understanding is the ability 00:01:10 to distinguish different components 00:01:12 of a subject or a situation, 00:01:15 but insight goes further. 00:01:17 It’s an intelligent knowledge of the reason. 00:01:21 In other words, it answers the question, Why? 00:01:25 Why is this happening? 00:01:28 Or why would I say what I’m about to say 00:01:32 because that’s the best thing to say? 00:01:35 It’s also related to discernment 00:01:38 —that’s being keen in judgment, 00:01:41 perceiving differences, 00:01:43 being able to see what appears to be one way 00:01:46 but may not be that way at all. 00:01:48 And it helps to identify the true needs 00:01:51 of a person or the real problem. 00:01:54 Now, to illustrate how the use of these qualities can be very helpful, 00:01:58 suppose someone in the congregation comes to you and says: 00:02:02 “I’m really having a problem controlling my temper. 00:02:05 I’m getting angry.” 00:02:08 So now, right away we may think (and rightfully so), 00:02:11 ‘Well, I have a number of scriptures that I can share with you 00:02:14 about controlling anger, controlling the tongue, 00:02:19 not letting any bad thing come out of our mouth.’ 00:02:22 Those are excellent. 00:02:24 But the teacher or the helpful counselor 00:02:26 that will do the best good would want to do what? 00:02:30 He’d want to ask the question, Why? 00:02:34 Why are you getting angry? 00:02:36 Can you pinpoint it? 00:02:38 Are you feeling well? 00:02:40 Have you not gotten enough rest? 00:02:42 Is there a catalyst at work, at school, 00:02:45 in the congregation, at home? 00:02:48 And then after determining why, 00:02:52 the most effective scriptures 00:02:54 and the most encouragement can be given. 00:02:58 And where do we get these qualities 00:03:00 of insight, discernment, and understanding? 00:03:03 Well, they come from Jehovah, don’t they? 00:03:06 Psalm 32:8 says: 00:03:08 “I will give you insight and instruct you 00:03:11 in the way you should go.” 00:03:13 And he does that through his Word 00:03:16 but also through his organization. 00:03:19 Jeremiah 3:15 says: 00:03:21 “And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, 00:03:25 and they will feed you with knowledge and insight.” 00:03:29 So we’re blessed to have Jehovah’s Word 00:03:33 and “the faithful and discreet slave” 00:03:35 to assist us to gain these qualities. 00:03:37 And how will it help us? 00:03:39 Open your Bibles, please, to Psalm 119, 00:03:42 and let’s read together verse 99. 00:03:45 Psalm 119:99: 00:03:49 “I have more insight than all my teachers, 00:03:53 because I ponder over your reminders.” 00:03:57 Notice the psalmist did not say, 00:04:00 ‘I can quote more scriptures than anybody else, 00:04:03 and I can answer all the difficult Bible questions—no problem.’ 00:04:08 No, in this context he says: “I have more insight.” 00:04:13 ‘Jehovah has given me the ability 00:04:16 ‘to see beyond the obvious in myself 00:04:20 and also in my ability to help someone else.’ 00:04:24 Well, how do we learn to display this? 00:04:27 Well, we go back to our exemplar Jesus, 00:04:31 and we start with his approach to people 00:04:34 —warm, kind, affectionate, 00:04:37 compassionate, empathetic. 00:04:40 And when a person conveys that spirit 00:04:43 to those that he is trying to help, 00:04:46 they feel comfortable and they are more likely 00:04:50 to reveal what may be in their heart. 00:04:54 So with that fine approach, 00:04:56 Jesus was able to put himself 00:04:58 into others’ situations —to have empathy and compassion— 00:05:03 for example, with Martha and Mary 00:05:06 at the time of Lazarus’ death. 00:05:09 So we can appreciate, can’t we, that that is a critical element 00:05:13 of being insightful, making others feel comfortable? 00:05:18 But then, what else can we do 00:05:20 to find out what’s really in a person’s heart? 00:05:22 We can’t read it. 00:05:24 Well, let’s open our Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 20. 00:05:29 Proverbs chapter 20, and let’s look at verse 5: 00:05:33 “The thoughts of a man’s heart are like deep waters, 00:05:37 but the discerning man draws them out.” 00:05:42 So how does he do that? 00:05:45 By questions. 00:05:47 He seeks knowledge; 00:05:50 he gathers facts 00:05:52 in line with Proverbs 15:14, 00:05:55 where it talks about the wise one, 00:05:57 the understanding one, “seeks knowledge.” 00:06:01 So he doesn’t answer before he has all the facts. 00:06:05 And he uses tactful and respectful questions, 00:06:09 but he doesn’t probe 00:06:12 to the point of embarrassment unnecessarily. 00:06:15 And he realizes that point-blank questions, blunt questions, 00:06:20 may give him an answer 00:06:22 but they can be very harmful 00:06:25 —especially if they insinuate 00:06:27 a suspicion of wrongdoing 00:06:30 without any warranting of that. 00:06:33 Such questions may cause deep wounds 00:06:36 as described at Proverbs 12:18: 00:06:39 “Thoughtless speech is like the stabs of a sword.” 00:06:42 So ask respectful, gentle, meaningful questions, 00:06:47 and then listen. 00:06:50 ‘Be swift about listening, 00:06:52 slow about speaking,’ according to James, 00:06:55 and not overreacting to what they may say. 00:06:58 We have, in effect, asked them: 00:07:00 ‘Please tell us, how do you feel about this? 00:07:02 Or, what’s happening?’ 00:07:04 And if they tell us, 00:07:06 we can’t get mad at them, because we asked them. 00:07:10 So there’s a time to be quiet. 00:07:14 We ask a meaningful, tactful question 00:07:17 and Ecclesiastes 3:7 applies: 00:07:20 “A time to be silent and a time to speak.” 00:07:23 Now, not talking too much helps us in another way 00:07:28 because Proverbs 10:19 says: 00:07:31 “When words are many, transgression cannot be avoided, 00:07:34 but whoever controls his lips acts discreetly.” 00:07:38 So there’s this matter of being cautious 00:07:41 with how much we talk, especially before we have all the facts. 00:07:46 We want the complete picture (with thoughtful questions), 00:07:49 and then we will be able to assist. 00:07:52 And if they say something, 00:07:54 we want to be careful that we don’t overreact. 00:07:57 It’s insightful, 00:07:59 and it shows discernment not to overreact. 00:08:02 Here’s an illustration of that: 00:08:04 A Christian couple noticed 00:08:06 that their daughter was withdrawing 00:08:09 from family association. 00:08:12 She would isolate herself and want to be by herself. 00:08:16 So they gently questioned her, trying to find out what was happening. 00:08:20 She would never open up. 00:08:22 They kept it up—kindly, patiently. 00:08:26 And one day, the mother went into the daughter’s bedroom, 00:08:29 sat down, put her arm around her daughter, 00:08:32 and said, “Honey, tell me, what’s happening?” 00:08:35 So she said: 00:08:37 “Well, Mom, I don’t feel like you 00:08:42 “and the rest of the family like my company. 00:08:44 So I’m staying away as much as possible.” 00:08:47 So now the mother’s first reaction as she reported, 00:08:51 the mother said: “I wanted to say, 00:08:54 “‘That is absolutely ridiculous!’ 00:08:58 But then I held it in,” she said, 00:09:00 and I listened, and she poured out her heart.” 00:09:04 She got better. 00:09:07 The family made some adjustments and, in time, 00:09:10 this fine young woman went into the full-time service. 00:09:14 But let’s think back. 00:09:16 What if the mother had not used discernment and insight 00:09:19 when her daughter told her what the problem was 00:09:21 and she did say, “That’s ridiculous?” 00:09:25 What would that have done to the daughter? 00:09:28 ‘Oh, now you think I’m stupid, 00:09:31 ‘and I’m ridiculous. 00:09:33 ‘Well, that really helps a lot. Thank you very much. 00:09:36 I feel even more willing to be with you folks now.’ 00:09:39 Well, it could have happened that way, perhaps. 00:09:43 But it does show the value of listening and not overreacting 00:09:47 to get really what’s in a person’s heart. 00:09:49 And when they tell us, we respond accordingly. 00:09:52 So in imitation of Christ, 00:09:55 we want to know what’s inside people so that we can help them the most. 00:09:58 But we do that by relying on the insight 00:10:01 and discernment that Jehovah gives us 00:10:04 and by being compassionate and caring and kind 00:10:07 and probing gently to find out what the real problem is 00:10:10 so that we can use the most effective scriptures 00:10:12 to help them for that particular problem.
