1. What support do sisters give to the organization, but what challenges do many face? (See cover picture.)

HOW grateful we are to have so many sisters working hard in the congregation! For example, they participate at the meetings and in the ministry. Some share in maintaining the Kingdom Hall, and they show personal interest in fellow worshippers. Of course, they face challenges. Some provide care for elderly parents. Others endure opposition from family members. And still others who are single parents work hard to provide for their children.

2. Why consider the need to give support to sisters?

2 Why focus on giving support to sisters? Because the world does not always treat women with the dignity that they deserve. In addition, the Bible encourages us to give them support. For instance, the apostle Paul alerted the congregation in Rome to welcome Phoebe and “give her whatever help she may need.” (Rom. 16:1, 2) As a Pharisee, Paul had likely been immersed in a culture that treated women as being inferior. Yet, now that he was a Christian, he imitated Jesus and treated women with dignity and kindness.​—1 Cor. 11:1.

3. How did Jesus treat women, and how did he view women who did God’s will?

3 Jesus treated all women with dignity. (John 4:27) He did not view women as did the Jewish religious leaders of his day. In fact, one Bible reference states: “No saying of Jesus ever denigrates or belittles women.” Jesus, however, had special regard for women who did the will of his Father. Significantly, he viewed them as sisters and mentioned them along with the men whom he viewed as part of his spiritual family.​—Matt. 12:50.

4. What will we discuss in this article?

4 Jesus was always ready to help his spiritual sisters. He appreciated them and spoke up for them. Let us discuss how we can imitate Jesus in showing consideration to our sisters.

5. Why might some sisters find it difficult to benefit from upbuilding association?

5 All of us, brothers and sisters, need to have good association. At times, however, sisters may find it challenging to fill this need. Why? Note the following comments. One sister named Jordan* says, “Because I am single, I often feel that I can’t find my place in the congregation, that I do not really fit in.” Kristen, a pioneer who moved to expand her ministry, says, “When you are new to a congregation, you may feel alone.” Some brothers might feel similarly. Those who live in a religiously divided home may feel somewhat separated from their literal family and at the same time feel isolated from their spiritual family. Those who are housebound may feel lonely, as may those who must care for sick family members. Annette states, “I wasn’t able to accept invitations to gatherings because I was the main caregiver for my mother.”

6. How did Jesus help Martha and Mary, as recorded at Luke 10:38-42?

6 Jesus spent time with his spiritual sisters, and he was a true friend to them. Consider his friendship with Mary and Martha, both of whom were apparently single. (Read Luke 10:38-42.) By his words and actions, Jesus obviously made them feel comfortable. Mary felt welcome to sit at his feet as a disciple.* And Martha, disturbed because Mary was not helping, felt free to tell Jesus what was on her mind. In that informal setting, Jesus was able to help both women spiritually. And he showed his care for these women and their brother, Lazarus, by visiting with them on other occasions. (John 12:1-3) It is no wonder that when Lazarus fell seriously ill, Mary and Martha knew that they could turn to Jesus for help.​—John 11:3, 5.

7. What is one way we can encourage sisters?

7 For some sisters, the meetings are their main opportunity to be with fellow worshippers. So we want to use those occasions to welcome them, speak with them, and let them see our concern for them. Jordan, mentioned earlier, says, “It means so much when others notice my comments, arrange to work with me in the ministry, or reach out to me in some other way.” We must let our sisters know that they are important to us. “If I miss a meeting,” says Kia, “I know I will get a text message to see if I am OK. That lets me know that the brothers and sisters care about me.”

8. In what other ways can we imitate Jesus?

8 Like Jesus, we can make time to socialize with sisters. Perhaps we can invite them over for a simple meal or for some recreation. When we do, we want to keep the conversation upbuilding. (Rom. 1:11, 12) Elders do well to keep Jesus’ attitude in mind. He knew that singleness could be challenging for some, but he made it clear that neither getting married nor having children is the key to lasting happiness. (Luke 11:27, 28) Rather, permanent happiness comes from putting Jehovah’s service first.​—Matt. 19:12.

9. What can elders do to help sisters?

9 Elders especially need to treat Christian women as their spiritual sisters and mothers. (1 Tim. 5:1, 2) Elders do well to make time before or after meetings to talk with the sisters. “One elder noticed that I was very busy and wanted to understand what my schedule was like,” says Kristen. “I really appreciated his sincerity.” When elders regularly make time to talk with their spiritual sisters, they prove that they care about them.* Annette, mentioned earlier, highlights one benefit of regularly talking with the elders. She says: “I get to know them better, and they get to know me. Then, when I’m going through a difficult trial, I feel more comfortable reaching out to them for help.”

10. What can help our sisters thrive?

10 All of us, men and women, thrive when others acknowledge our abilities and tell us they appreciate the work we do. On the other hand, if our talents and work are taken for granted, we get discouraged. A single pioneer named Abigail admits that sometimes she feels overlooked: “I’m just seen as the fleshly sister of so-and-so or the daughter of so-and-so. Sometimes I feel invisible.” Note, however, the comment from a sister named Pam. While single, she served for many years as a missionary. Eventually, she returned home to care for her parents. Now in her 70’s, she is still pioneering. Pam says: “What has been most helpful to me is when others tell me that they appreciate me.”

11. How did Jesus show that he valued the women who accompanied him in his ministry?

11 Jesus valued the help he received from the godly women who ministered to him “from their belongings.” (Luke 8:1-3) He not only allowed them to have that privilege but also revealed to them deep spiritual truths. For example, he informed them that he would die and be resurrected. (Luke 24:5-8) He prepared these women, as he had the apostles, for the trials they would encounter. (Mark 9:30-32; 10:32-34) It is worth noting that though the apostles fled when Jesus was arrested, some of the women who had supported him were by his side while he was dying on the torture stake.​—Matt. 26:56; Mark 15:40, 41.

12. What work did Jesus entrust to women?

12 Jesus entrusted women with important work. For example, godly women were the first witnesses of his resurrection. He assigned those women to tell the apostles that he had been raised from the dead. (Matt. 28:5, 9, 10) And at Pentecost 33 C.E., women may have been present when the holy spirit was poured out. If so, these newly anointed sisters could have received the miraculous ability to speak in foreign languages and tell others about “the magnificent things of God.”​—Acts 1:14; 2:2-4, 11.

13. What are Christian women doing today, and how can we show our appreciation for what they do?

13 Our sisters deserve to be commended for all they do in Jehovah’s service. That service includes constructing and maintaining buildings, supporting foreign-language groups, and volunteering at Bethel facilities. They assist in disaster relief work, help to translate our publications, and serve as pioneers and missionaries. As do brothers, sisters attend pioneer school, the School for Kingdom Evangelizers, and Gilead School. In addition, wives help their husband to carry a heavy load in the congregation and in the organization. These responsible brothers would not be able to serve so fully as “gifts in men” were it not for the support of their wife. (Eph. 4:8) Can you think of ways to support these sisters in the work they do?

14. In light of the statement made at Psalm 68:11, what do wise elders do?

14 Wise elders realize that sisters are “a large army” of willing workers and that they are often among the most capable preachers of the good news. (Read Psalm 68:11.) So elders look for ways to benefit from their experience. Abigail, mentioned earlier, appreciates it when brothers ask her what she has found to be effective ways to approach people in the territory. She says, “That helps me to see that Jehovah has a place for me in his organization.” In addition, elders recognize that faithful, mature sisters are effective in helping younger sisters deal with challenges. (Titus 2:3-5) Certainly, our sisters deserve to be appreciated!

15. When might sisters need someone to speak up for them?

15 At times, sisters may need someone to speak up for them when they face a specific challenge. (Isa. 1:17) For example, a widow or a divorced sister may need someone to be her advocate and help her care for some tasks that her husband used to do. An elderly sister may need help to speak to medical professionals. Or a pioneer sister who works on other theocratic projects may need someone to speak up for her if she is criticized for not being in the ministry as often as other pioneers are. How else can we help our sisters? Again, let us consider Jesus’ example.

16. How did Jesus come to Mary’s aid, as recorded at Mark 14:3-9?

16 Jesus was quick to speak up for his spiritual sisters when they were misunderstood. For instance, he defended Mary when Martha criticized her. (Luke 10:38-42) And he defended Mary a second time when others berated her for making what they thought was a bad decision. (Read Mark 14:3-9.) Jesus understood Mary’s motive and commended her, saying: “She did a fine deed toward me. . . . She did what she could.” He even prophesied that her kind act would be recounted “wherever the good news is preached in all the world,” just as this article is doing right here. How remarkable that Jesus mentioned the global extent of the preaching work in connection with this woman’s unselfish action! How his words must have reassured Mary after she had been misjudged!

17. Give an example of when we might need to speak up for a sister.

17 Do you speak up for your spiritual sisters when they need it? For example, consider the following scenario. Some publishers see that a sister in a divided home often arrives late to the meetings and leaves right away at the end. They note that she seldom brings her children along. So they question why she does not take a more forceful stand with her unbelieving husband, and they criticize her. However, the reality is that the sister is doing the best she can. She does not have complete control over her schedule; nor does she have the final say over her children. What can you do? If you commend the sister and mention to others what she is doing well, you may stop the negative talk.

18. In what other ways can we help our sisters?

18 We can show our sisters how much we care for them by offering practical help. (1 John 3:18) Annette, the sister who cared for her ailing mother, says: “Some of the friends would come over to relieve me, or they would bring food. This made me feel loved and a part of the congregation.” Jordan received help too. A brother offered her tips on car maintenance. She says: “It’s nice to know that my brothers and sisters care about my safety.”

19. In what additional ways can elders help sisters?

19 Elders likewise look out for the needs of sisters. They know that it matters to Jehovah how such ones are treated. (Jas. 1:27) They therefore imitate Jesus’ reasonableness, not making rules when it would be more appropriate to make exceptions. (Matt. 15:22-28) Elders who take the initiative to render aid make their sisters feel supported. When Kia’s group overseer learned that she was moving to a different home, he immediately arranged for help. “It took away so much of the stress,” relates Kia. “Between their encouraging words and their practical assistance, the elders clearly showed me that I’m an important part of the congregation and that I’m not alone when I have a difficult situation.”

20-21. How can we show that we treasure all our Christian sisters?

20 When we look around our congregations today, we find countless examples of hardworking Christian women worthy of our support. As we have learned from Jesus’ example, we can help them by spending time with them and getting to know them. We can show appreciation for what they do in God’s service. And we can speak up for them when necessary.

21 At the close of his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul specifically mentioned nine Christian women. (Rom. 16:1, 3, 6, 12, 13, 15) Those women were no doubt encouraged by hearing his greetings and commendation. Let us likewise support all the sisters in our congregation. We thereby show that we treasure them as part of our spiritual family.

1. When might it be a challenge to serve Jehovah?

WHEN, do you think, might it be most challenging to serve Jehovah​—when you are dealing with difficult problems or when your life is relatively peaceful? When we face challenges, we readily rely on Jehovah. But what do we do when our lives are peaceful? Might we become distracted from serving God? Jehovah warned the Israelites about this very possibility.​—Deut. 6:10-12.

2. What example did King Asa set?

2 King Asa is an excellent example of a man who acted wisely by relying completely on Jehovah. He served Jehovah not only in bad times but also during times of peace. From early on, “Asa’s heart was completely devoted to Jehovah.” (1 Ki. 15:14, ftn.) One way Asa demonstrated his devotion was by clearing out false worship from Judah. The Bible says that “he removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the sacred poles.” (2 Chron. 14:3, 5) He even removed Maacah, his grandmother, from being a sort of first lady in the kingdom. Why? Because she promoted false worship of an idol.​—1 Ki. 15:11-13.

3. What will we consider in this article?

3 Asa did more than clear away false worship. He promoted pure worship, helping the kingdom of Judah return to Jehovah. Jehovah blessed Asa and the Israelites with a time of peace.* For a period of ten years during Asa’s rulership, “the land had no disturbance.” (2 Chron. 14:1, 4, 6) In this article, we will discuss how Asa used that time of peace. Then we will consider the example of first-century Christians who, like Asa, took advantage of a peaceful time. Finally, we will answer this question: If you live in a land that grants freedom of worship, how can you make wise use of that time of peace?

4. According to 2 Chronicles 14:2, 6, 7, how did Asa use a time of peace?

4 Read 2 Chronicles 14:2, 6, 7. Asa told the people that it was Jehovah who had “given [them] rest all around.” Asa did not feel that this period of peace was a time to relax. On the contrary, he set out to build cities, walls, towers, and gates. He told the people of Judah: “The land is still at our disposal.” What did Asa mean? He meant that the people could move about freely in their God-given land and build without opposition from enemies. He urged the people to take advantage of this time of peace.

5. Why did Asa build up his military force?

5 Asa also used the time of peace to strengthen his military force. (2 Chron. 14:8) Does this mean that he did not trust in Jehovah? No. Rather, Asa knew that it was his duty as king to prepare the people for the troubles they might face in the future. Asa knew that the period of peace that Judah enjoyed likely would not last indefinitely, and this proved true.

6. How did first-century Christians use a time of peace?

6 Although the first-century Christians were often persecuted, they also enjoyed periods of peace. How did the disciples use those opportunities? Those faithful men and women preached the good news without letup. The account in Acts says that they “walked in the fear of Jehovah.” They kept on preaching the good news, and as a result, they “kept on multiplying.” Jehovah obviously blessed their zealous preaching during times of peace.​—Acts 9:26-31.

7-8. What did Paul and others do when they had the opportunity? Explain.

7 The first-century disciples took every opportunity to spread the good news. As one example, when the apostle Paul recognized that a large door was opened to him while in Ephesus, he took advantage of the opportunity to preach and to make disciples in that city.​—1 Cor. 16:8, 9.

8 Another opportunity presented itself to Paul and other Christians when the issue of circumcision was settled in 49 C.E. (Acts 15:23-29) After the decision was communicated to the congregations, the disciples put forth great effort to declare “the good news of the word of Jehovah.” (Acts 15:30-35) What resulted? The Bible says that “the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number day by day.”​—Acts 16:4, 5.

9. What is the situation in many lands today, and what can we ask ourselves?

9 In many lands today, we can preach without disturbance. Do you live in a country that grants freedom of worship? If so, ask yourself, ‘How am I using this freedom?’ During these exciting last days, Jehovah’s organization has spearheaded the greatest preaching and teaching campaign the world has ever known. (Mark 13:10) Many possibilities are open to Jehovah’s people.

10. What does 2 Timothy 4:2 encourage us to do?

10 How can you take advantage of a time of peace? (Read 2 Timothy 4:2.) Why not examine your circumstances and see if you or a member of your family could have an increased share in the preaching work, perhaps even serving as a pioneer? Now is not the time to amass riches and material possessions​—things that will not survive with us through the great tribulation.​—Prov. 11:4; Matt. 6:31-33; 1 John 2:15-17.

11. What have some done to reach as many people as possible with the good news?

11 Many publishers have learned a new language so that they can use it in preaching and teaching. God’s organization supports them by producing Bible-based material in an increasing number of languages. For example, in 2010, our literature was available in some 500 languages. Today, that number has increased to over 1,000 languages!

12. How do people benefit by hearing the Kingdom message in their native tongue? Give an example.

12 What impact does it have on people when they are able to hear the truth from God’s Word in their native tongue? Consider the experience of a sister who benefited from a regional convention in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A. The convention was presented in Kinyarwanda, a language that is primarily spoken in Rwanda, Congo (Kinshasa), and Uganda. After the convention, the Kinyarwanda-speaking sister said: “This is the first time I have been able to understand a spiritual program fully since moving to the United States 17 years ago.” Clearly, this sister was deeply touched when she heard the program in her native tongue. If your circumstances permit, can you learn another language to help some in your territory? Might it be especially appealing because in your congregation’s territory, there are some who are most comfortable speaking another language? The rewards are worth the effort.

13. How did our brothers in Russia use a time of peace?

13 Not all our brothers enjoy freedom to preach openly. At times, governmental restrictions have severely limited how we accomplish our ministry. For example, consider our brothers in Russia. Following decades of persecution, they received official recognition in March 1991. At that time, there were about 16,000 Kingdom proclaimers in Russia. Twenty years later, that number had grown to over 160,000 publishers! Clearly, our brothers acted wisely when they had the opportunity to preach freely. That time of peace did not last. But a change in circumstances has not dampened their zeal to advance pure worship. They continue to serve Jehovah, using every means at their disposal.

14-15. How did Jehovah show his power in behalf of Asa?

14 In Asa’s day, the time of peace eventually came to an end. A huge military force​—one million strong—​came from Ethiopia. Its commander, Zerah, was confident that he and his army could defeat Judah. However, King Asa trusted, not in numbers, but in his God, Jehovah. Asa prayed: “Help us, O Jehovah our God, for we are relying on you, and in your name we have come against this crowd.”​—2 Chron. 14:11.

15 Although the Ethiopian army had almost double the number of soldiers, Asa acknowledged Jehovah’s power and ability to act in behalf of His people. And Jehovah did not disappoint him; the Ethiopian army suffered a humiliating defeat.​—2 Chron. 14:8-13.

16. How do we know that the time of peace will end?

16 Although we do not know in detail what the future holds for us as individuals, we do know that any time of peace God’s people enjoy will be temporary. In fact, Jesus foretold that in the last days, his disciples would “be hated by all the nations.” (Matt. 24:9) Likewise, the apostle Paul said that “all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.” (2 Tim. 3:12) Satan has “great anger,” and we would be fooling ourselves if we were to imagine that we could somehow avoid his wrath.​—Rev. 12:12.

17. In what ways may our faith be tested?

17 In the near future, all of us will face tests of our integrity. Soon, the world will experience “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now.” (Matt. 24:21) During that time, family members may turn against us and our work may be banned. (Matt. 10:35, 36) Will we personally, like Asa, trust in Jehovah for help and protection?

18. According to Hebrews 10:38, 39, what will help us to prepare for the end of peace?

18 Jehovah has been preparing us spiritually for what lies ahead. He is guiding “the faithful and discreet slave” to provide nourishing spiritual “food at the proper time” to help us remain steadfast in our worship. (Matt. 24:45) But we must do our part and build unshakable faith in Jehovah.​—Read Hebrews 10:38, 39.

19-20. In view of 1 Chronicles 28:9, what questions should we ask ourselves, and why should we ask them?

19 Like King Asa, we need to “search for Jehovah.” (2 Chron. 14:4; 15:1, 2) We begin that search by coming to know Jehovah and getting baptized. We take every opportunity to strengthen our love for Jehovah. To test how we are doing in this regard, we might ask ourselves, ‘Do I regularly attend congregation meetings?’ When we attend the meetings provided by Jehovah’s organization, we receive true spiritual refreshment along with upbuilding association. (Matt. 11:28) We might also ask ourselves, ‘Do I have good personal study habits?’ If you live with your family, do you set aside time every week for family worship? Or if you live alone, do you still set aside time just as if you were part of a family? Also, do you share as fully as possible in the preaching and disciple-making work?

20 Why should we ask those questions? The Bible tells us that Jehovah examines our thoughts and what is in our hearts, so we should do the same. (Read 1 Chronicles 28:9.) If we see that we need to make some changes in our goals, attitude, or thinking, we should ask Jehovah to help us make those changes. Now is the time to prepare ourselves for the tests that lie ahead. Let nothing stop you from making wise use of a time of peace!