Appreciate the Variety in Your Congregation
IMAGINE attending a meeting for field service. The conductor assigns two brothers to work together. One has earned a reputation as a zealous evangelizer and the other as a compassionate shepherd. After the closing prayer, the brother known for being zealous checks his watch and heads straight for the door. The brother known for being compassionate settles back into his chair and begins to chat with an elderly sister.
What happens next? Much will depend on how these brothers view each other. Will the first brother see his partner as inefficient, wasting time that should be spent preaching? Will the second brother view his partner as cold, insensitive to the needs of others? In either case, a pleasant morning in the ministry could be ruined.
We all have different personalities and preferences. Jessica, who got baptized more than 20 years ago, admits, “We can get so used to thinking or behaving in a certain way that we unwittingly come to believe that our way is the only way.”
How can we broaden our perspective and deepen our appreciation for the different traits of our brothers and sisters? We can start by considering Jehovah’s view of variety.
JEHOVAH APPRECIATES VARIETY
Jehovah undoubtedly appreciates unity. He wants us to “be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.” (1 Cor. 1:10) He wants all of us to follow the “one shepherd” he appointed and to live by the same book—his Word, the Bible.—John 10:16.
At the same time, Jehovah also loves variety. We can see this in his creation. Some animals run, while others crawl, fly, or swim. Some plants grow tall and sturdy, while others stay short and delicate. Jehovah called this stunning variety “very good.”—Gen. 1:30, 31.
Jehovah also takes delight in the variety found among his worshippers. Consider one of Isaiah’s prophecies. The prophet describes different animals residing together in peace. (Isa. 11:6) Today, Jehovah’s people fulfill that prophecy because they are at peace with one another. Is that peace a result of all his worshippers being identical? No. As is the case with the animals in the prophecy, Jehovah’s people are quite diverse. They come from different backgrounds and have different personalities and temperaments. Some are bold and confident; others are gentle and reserved. Nevertheless, they live in peace because they share the most important thing—“the knowledge of Jehovah.”—Isa. 11:9.
Because Jehovah allows room for variety among his people, we should not let such differences divide us. Instead, we can view those differences as gifts that reflect Jehovah’s wisdom, creativity, and generosity.
HOW TO DEEPEN YOUR APPRECIATION
We might easily say that we appreciate the variety among our brothers and sisters. But when someone frustrates us, we may struggle to appreciate that person’s different way of thinking or acting. What can help?
Attribute good motives to your brothers and sisters. (1 Cor. 13:4, 7) To Jehovah, they are treasures; that is why he has invited them to be guests in his tent. (Ps. 15:1, 2) When we remember that our brothers and sisters are working hard to keep themselves in God’s love, it is easier to put up with personal differences and to treat one another with tender compassion.—Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13.
Broaden your perspective. It is natural to like the way we do things. But this does not mean that our way is the only way. All of us were raised in different environments that shaped our way of communicating, our values, and even our preferences in food. So when we are frustrated by someone who thinks differently from the way we do, we can ask ourselves, ‘What would my perspective have been if I had grown up in a different place, at a different time, or in a different family?’
Look for godly traits in others. Think back to the scenario described at the outset. What if those two brothers appreciated each other’s gifts? Suppose the zealous brother saw kindness in his partner instead of idleness. Suppose the compassionate brother saw devotion in his partner instead of impatience. By looking for these godly traits, they would avoid the mistake of trying to change each other’s behavior. Rather, they would put aside any tension they might feel and work together peacefully as a team.—Rom. 12:10.
May we all strive to appreciate the variety among our brothers and sisters. (Phil. 2:2-4) When we do, we will enjoy inner peace. (Ps. 119:165) We will draw closer to them. And above all, we will deepen our bond with Jehovah—the one who has lovingly brought “the whole association of brothers” together.—1 Pet. 2:17.