Thursday, December 9 Warn the disorderly, . . . support the weak, be patient toward all.​—1 Thess. 5:14.

[Áine]

Thursday, December 9

Warn the disorderly, . . . support the weak, be patient toward all.—1 Thess. 5:14.

 

Jehovah sent angels not only to warn Lot but also to help him escape the disaster brought on Sodom. (Gen. 19:12-14, 17) Likewise, we may need to warn our brother if we see that he is heading for trouble. 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 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. Jehovah could have focused on Lot’s imperfections. Instead, he later inspired the apostle Peter to refer to Lot as a righteous man. (Ps. 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 be more likely to accept the help we offer. w19.06 21 ¶6-7

[Gruder]

Most likely most of us have been to a spectacular waterfall a place of extraordinary beauty, but, there are signs everywhere to stay on the trail for good reason.(many accidents some deadly) We like to get the most spectacular photos and some put themselves in precarious positions just to get the "perfect shot". What if we see our friend getting off the path? What would you do?   
 Likely, you would urge and plead for them not to do it. It might get to the point where we need to grab their hand to keep them out of harms way. We would not lose patience and give up on them, because we love them.
  In imitation of Jehovah, we do not lose patience and give up when we see our friends straying from the "spiritual trail". 

[Vinnie]

 Jehovah is the most patient person we know. His patience is shown to us out of great love for us. He does not desire any to be destroyed but to attain to repentance.  He is an example for us to meditate on and to follow. When we follow his way of patience, in time we will reap the rewards of our efforts.