Thursday, October 22 O Jehovah, what is man that you should notice him?​—Ps. 144:3.

[Áine]

Thursday, October 22

O Jehovah, what is man that you should notice him?—Ps. 144:3.

 

From the Bible, we learn that Jehovah notices those who seem unimportant to others. For example, Jehovah sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as the future king of Israel. Jesse called seven of his eight sons to meet Samuel but did not include David, the youngest. Yet, it was David whom Jehovah chose. (1 Sam. 16:6, 7, 10-12) Jehovah saw who David really was on the inside—a young man who valued spiritual things. Think about how Jehovah has already shown that he notices you. He offers to give you advice tailored to fit your needs. (Ps. 32:8) How can he do that unless he knows you well? (Ps. 139:1) When you apply Jehovah’s advice and see how it helps you, you will become convinced that Jehovah is interested in you. (1 Chron. 28:9; Acts 17:26, 27) Jehovah takes note of your efforts. He sees your inner qualities and is moved to reach out to you.—Jer. 17:10. w24.10 25-26 ¶7-9

[Seasider]

What a wonderful thought…..that Almighty God Jehovah is actually interested personally in people like us . Amazing! 
I have no difficulty in accepting that he is looking out for others , including the “ lesser ones “ that a congregation might overlook. But I do still find it to personalise it , that he is looking out for me . I guess that is a work in progress for me.

[LeolaRootStew]

It's like God is standing inside of a glass box in the middle of a crowd. He can see out of the box, but people from the outside only see a hazy mirror. Most people ignore the box or pretend it doesn't exist, but he takes notice of everyone who looks in his direction as they pass by, everyone who stands and stares, and everyone who sits down and ponders. They aren't the norm.

 

If Jehovah were looking out at the world, would he see that our heart is pondering his name? Would he see spiritual hunger, good study habits, deep meditation? How often do we glance at Jehovah?

[Dré]

Perhaps Jesse did not love his son David as much as Jacob loved his son Joseph. However, we cannot say this with certainty or make such a definite statement. David was very young, and in Jesse’s eyes, he was an insignificant person.

 

When Jesse presented his older sons, he was proud of them and hoped that they would achieve greater things in life. This is normal and natural for parents, but sometimes they put their other children in the background. This is something that happens in real life.

 

Dear parents, do not divide your children into those who have good prospects and those who have not yet established themselves in life. In Jehovah’s eyes, every child is very important and precious.—1 Samuel 16:7

 

*** fl chap. 9 p. 118-119 par. 10-11 Training Children from Infancy ***
10 Each child is different, with a unique personality, and should be helped to develop in harmony with its individual inherited potential and gifts. If you train each child to develop its inherited strengths and abilities, it will not need to feel envy at the accomplishments of other children. Each child should be loved and appreciated for itself. While helping it to overcome or control wrong inclinations, you should not try to force the child into a predetermined mold. Rather, guide it to the best use of its own good personality traits.

 

11 A parent can foster a spirit of selfish competition by implying either the superiority or the inferiority of one child as compared with another. Whereas little children early in life show signs of inborn selfishness, they are initially free from ideas of rank, superiority, and feelings of self-importance. That is why Jesus could use a little child as an example to correct the spirit of ambition and concern for personal importance his disciples showed on a certain occasion. (Matthew 18:1-4) So, avoid comparing one child unfavorably with another. The child may take this as a rejection. First it will feel hurt, and if this treatment continues, it will likely turn hostile. On the other hand, the child presented as superior may become haughty and incur the dislike of others. As a parent, your love and acceptance should never be dependent upon how one child compares with another. Variety is delightful. An orchestra has many different kinds of instruments to add variety and richness, yet all are in harmony. Different personalities add flavor and interest to the family circle, yet harmony will not be impaired when all pattern themselves after their Creator’s right principles.
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1101978009#h=13-14

Edited 2 hours ago by Dré