When a Christian believes that he is the victim of injustice, he should be careful not to engage in harmful gossip. Of course, it is entirely proper to seek assistance from the elders and to inform them if a member of the congregation is guilty of a serious wrong. (Lev. 5:1) However, in many cases that do not involve serious wrongdoing, it may be possible to resolve a difference without involving anyone else, not even the elders. (Matt. 5:23, 24; 18:15) May we loyally handle such matters in line with Bible principles. In some cases, we may come to realize that we were not the victim of an injustice after all. How grateful we would be that we did not make a situation worse by slandering a fellow Christian! Remember, whether we are right or wrong, engaging in hurtful speech will never improve a situation. Loyalty to Jehovah and to our brothers will protect us from making such a mistake. w17.04 21 ¶14

When a Christian believes that he is the victim of injustice, he should be careful not to engage in harmful gossip. Of course, it is entirely proper to seek assistance from the elders and to inform them if a member of the congregation is guilty of a serious wrong. (Lev. 5:1) However, in many cases that do not involve serious wrongdoing, it may be possible to resolve a difference without involving anyone else, not even the elders. (Matt. 5:23, 24; 18:15) May we loyally handle such matters in line with Bible principles. In some cases, we may come to realize that we were not the victim of an injustice after all. How grateful we would be that we did not make a situation worse by slandering a fellow Christian! Remember, whether we are right or wrong, engaging in hurtful speech will never improve a situation. Loyalty to Jehovah and to our brothers will protect us from making such a mistake. w17.04 21 ¶14

The Mosaic Law stated: “If a man makes a vow to Jehovah or swears an oath to impose on himself a vow . . . , he must not violate his word. He should do everything he vowed he would do.” (Num. 30:2) Later, Solomon was inspired to write the words of today’s text. Jesus confirmed the seriousness of making vows when he stated: “It was said to those of ancient times: ‘You must not swear without performing, but you must pay your vows to Jehovah.’” (Matt. 5:33) It is clear, then, that it is a very serious matter to make promises to God. The way we treat our vows affects our relationship with Jehovah. David wrote: “Who may ascend to the mountain of Jehovah, and who may stand up in his holy place? Anyone . . . who has not sworn a false oath by My [Jehovah’s] life, nor taken an oath deceitfully.”​—Ps. 24:3, 4; ftn. w17.04 4 ¶3-4

Each of us does well to ask himself: ‘Do I have the faith and courage to use whatever is at my disposal to carry out the clear command of Jehovah? If I am contemplating a major move to another city or country for perceived economic advantages, do I give prayerful consideration to the effect this would have on my family and on the congregation?’ Jehovah dignifies us by allowing us to share in supporting his sovereignty. Since the Devil first enticed humans to support his rival sovereignty, your siding with Jehovah’s rulership sends Satan a message that is loud and clear. The faith and integrity that motivate your volunteer spirit are pleasing to Jehovah. (Prov. 23:15, 16) He uses your display of support to make a reply to the taunts of Satan. (Prov. 27:11) Thus, by your loyal obedience, you are, in effect, giving Jehovah something that he considers precious, and he finds profound joy in this. w17.04 32 ¶15-16

When “foreign residents” live far from other Witnesses who speak their language, they need to associate with a local-language congregation. (Ps. 146:9) But if there is a congregation nearby that uses your mother tongue, the question arises: Which language congregation is best for your family? After careful thought and prayer and consultation with his mate and children, a family head must decide. (1 Cor. 11:3) Parents must evaluate their children’s needs realistically. Of course​—regardless of language—​to gain a firm grasp of the truth, a child needs much more than just a few hours of spiritual education each week at meetings. But consider this: At meetings conducted in the language they understand best, children may absorb instruction simply by being present, perhaps learning more than their parents realize. That may not be the case when children do not fully understand the language.​—1 Cor. 14:11. w17.05 10 ¶10-11

Jesus was keenly aware of the pressures associated with the anxieties of this system of things. In his illustration of the sower, Jesus said that some would accept “the word of the Kingdom” and make initial progress but that “the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches” would “choke the word.” (Matt. 13:19-22;Mark 4:19) Indeed, if we are not careful, the everyday concerns of life could entice our heart and cause us to slow down spiritually. We prove the depth of our love for Christ by putting the work he has given us to do in first place. How can we make sure that we continue to do so? From time to time, we need to ask ourselves, ‘Where does my true affection lie? Does most of my joy come from engaging in mundane activities or in spiritual activities?’ w17.05 23 ¶3-4

No one disputes that billions of people are desperately poor, while others have enough wealth to last for many lifetimes. Jesus understood that the current economic system would not change until God’s Kingdom comes. Along with the political and religious elements, the greedy commercial system, represented by “the merchants” of Revelation 18:3, constitutes part of Satan’s world. Unlike the complete separation that God’s people maintain from politics and false religion, most cannot separate themselves completely from the commercial part of Satan’s world. As Christians, we do well to examine our view of today’s commercial system by asking ourselves such questions as these: ‘How can I use my material possessions to show faithfulness to God? How can I minimize involvement with the commercial world? What experiences show that God’s people fully trust in him in this challenging environment?’ w17.07 7-8 ¶1-3

Interestingly, when we show loving personal interest in others, we may actually let go of some of our own negative feelings. Sisters, married or unmarried, know for a fact that they find great joy in sharing the good news as fellow workers with God. Their goal is to honor God by doing his will. Some even view their participation in the ministry as therapy. Certainly, all of us contribute to a close bond in the congregation when we show concern for others, those in our territory and those in the congregation. The apostle Paul was a fine example. He became like “a nursing mother” to those in the Thessalonian congregation; he was also like a spiritual father. (1 Thess. 2:7, 11, 12) Young ones who learn to love the true God and to follow his counsel can become a source of comfort in a family. They can do so by showing respect for their parents and by helping in material ways. They can also make a valuable spiritual contribution. w17.06 7 ¶13-14; 8 ¶17

The grieving process can vary greatly from person to person. Therefore, make yourself available, not just for the first few days when many friends and relatives are present, but in subsequent months when others have returned to their normal routine. Fellow Christians can be a source of profound comfort for someone for as long as it takes him or her to deal with grief. (1 Thess. 3:7) Remember that bereaved ones may experience pangs of grief triggered by anniversaries, certain music, photographs, activities, or even a specific smell, sound, or season of the year. Many things a bereaved marriage mate does alone for the first time​—such as attending an assembly or the Memorial—​can be particularly painful. Bear in mind, though, that bereaved ones need encouragement not only on special occasions. w17.07 16 ¶17-19

As long as the question of the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty remains unsettled in the minds of humans or angels, discord among nations, races, tribes, families, and individuals will exist. But after Jehovah’s sovereignty is vindicated, all will submit everlastingly to his righteous rule. Universal peace will be restored. (Eph. 1:9, 10) The rightfulness of God’s sovereignty will be vindicated and rule by Satan and humans will utterly fail and be removed. Rule by God through his Messianic Kingdom will succeed, and integrity-keepers will have proved that humans can take their stand for God’s rulership. (Isa. 45:24) Do you want to be among those who go on record as integrity-keeping supporters of Jehovah’s sovereignty? No doubt you do. To be integrity-keepers, we need to fix our eyes on that big issue and comprehend how important it really is. w17.06 23 ¶4-5