How do we seek Jehovah’s direction?

    *** ws14 4/15 p. 25 par. 17 Be of Good Courage—Jehovah Is Your Helper! ***

¹⁷ Seek Jehovah’s direction before you make a decision so that you will not have regrets later. Pray for holy spirit, wisdom, and guidance. (2 Timothy 1:7) Ask yourself: ‘How much am I willing to sacrifice in order to serve Jehovah? Will I listen to his direction to stay with my family, even if that means we will have a less comfortable life?’ (Luke 14:33) Ask the elders for help, and follow their Bible-based advice. If you do this, you show that you trust in Jehovah’s promise to help you. The elders will not tell you what to do, but they will help you to make wise choices that will lead to a happy life.—2 Corinthians 1:24.

     What does it mean to be holy?

     *** it-1 p. 849 Forehead ***

Israel’s High Priest. In Israel the high priest’s turban had on its front, over the priest’s forehead, a gold plate, “the holy sign of dedication,” upon which were inscribed “with the engravings of a seal” the words “Holiness belongs to Jehovah.” (Ex 28:36-38; 39:30) As Israel’s chief representative of Jehovah’s worship, it was fitting that the high priest keep his office holy, and this inscription would also serve as a reminder to all Israel of the need of constant holiness in the service of Jehovah. It also served as a suitable picture of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ, and his being dedicated by Jehovah to this priestly service that upholds God’s holiness.—Heb 7:26.

     How can we display modesty and dignity?

     *** w99 12/1 pp. 26-28 Do Not Let Your Strength Become Your Weakness ***

A good mind is certainly a fine asset. Still, it could become a weakness if it leads to overconfidence or causes us to develop an inflated opinion of ourselves, especially if others commend us excessively or flatter us. Or we might develop an intellectual view of God’s Word and Bible-based study publications.

Overconfidence may surface in various ways. For example, when someone with a fine mind receives a speaking assignment in the Christian congregation, perhaps a public discourse or a talk in the Theocratic Ministry School, he may leave preparation to the last minute, maybe not even praying for Jehovah’s blessing. Rather, he trusts in his reserve of knowledge and in his ability to think on his feet. Natural ability may mask his laxness for a time, but without Jehovah’s full blessing, his spiritual progress would slow down, perhaps even stop. What a waste of a fine gift!—Proverbs 3:5, 6; James 3:1.

Someone of keen mind might also take an intellectual view of the Bible and Bible study aids. However, such knowledge only “puffs up,” or inflates the ego like a balloon; it does not ‘build up’ loving Christian relationships. (1 Corinthians 8:1; Galatians 5:26) On the other hand, the spiritual man, regardless of his mental abilities, always prays for and trusts in God’s spirit. His strength becomes ever more an asset as he grows in love, humility, knowledge, and wisdom—and all in pleasing proportion.—Colossians 1:9, 10.

Ability would also become a weakness if through it we developed an inflated opinion of ourselves, revealing a lack of modesty. A gifted person—and any who adulate him—may forget that Jehovah “does not regard any who are wise in their own heart,” gifted though they may be. (Job 37:24) “Wisdom is with the modest ones,” says God’s Word. (Proverbs 11:2) The apostle Paul, though highly intelligent and well educated, said to the Corinthians: “I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come with an extravagance of speech or of wisdom . . . I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling; and my speech and what I preached were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of spirit and power, that your faith might be, not in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power.”—1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

The truly wise person is not fooled by the world’s view of intellect, nor by its definition of success. So rather than using his talents to earn the plaudits of men or to amass worldly riches, he gives his best to the One who gave him his life and abilities. (1 John 2:15-17) To that end he keeps Kingdom interests first in his life, becoming like a fruitful “tree planted by streams of water.” Thanks to Jehovah’s blessing, not to his own natural talents, “everything he does will succeed.”—Psalm 1:1-3; Matthew 6:33.