the 9 attributes of Jehovah

Today I learned about the 9 attributes Jehovah LOVES about us.

They are:

1) Love
2) Joy
3) Peace
4) Patience
5) Kindness
6) Goodness
7) Faith
8) Gentleness
9) Self-Control

This list is based on Galatians 5:22, 23 that states:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

#4 in the Witness Bible - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures - is long suffering; and #8 is mildness.  I personally understand patience more than I can wrap my head around long-suffering.  When I think of suffering I picture a starving animal with a bleeding limb as it limps around the street.  But Bonnie told me that long-suffering has to do with the Beatitude: "Blessed are those that have been persecuted for righteousness sake, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them."

Rather than physically suffering with ailments left and right, to be patient regardless of the daily trials is what God wants of us.  God LOVES these 9 attributes.

Of course, in past weeks I have been taught what Jehovah HATES.  Yes, the Witnesses use the word, HATE, to describe how Jehovah feels when we act certain ways.  Here are the 14:

1) Killing
2) Sexual Immorality
3) Spiritism
4) Idolatry
5) Drunkenness
6) Stealing
7) Lying 
8) Greed
9) Violence
10) Improper Speech
11) Misuse of blood
12) Refusal to provide for ones family
13) Participation in wars or political controversies of this world
14) Use of tobacco or so-called recreational drugs

So some of the above seem "obvious," and yet others (like the one about blood) seem a bit different that what most have grown up with.  Murder and Stealing can land you in jail, and Lying (purjery), Drunkenness, Drug Use, and Violence can put you there too.  However, smoking (cigars or cigarettes), refusal to participate in wars or politics, improper speech, "white" lying, sexual conduct, spiritism, and idolatry are not aspects our society reprimands.  Of course our society (unlike many believe) was NOT founded by Christians (but that is another story for another time).

Whether you live by the 9 aspects or the Beatitudes, it still seems almost impossible to be a "good" Christian person.  To uphold Jehovah's desires is really quite difficult in today's world.  Maybe that's why the Witnesses seem to different to us.