The long-suffering of Jehovah teaches ministers and church members who aspire to be colaborers with Christ, unmistakable lessons of forbearance and love. Christ connected Judas and impulsive Peter with Himself, not because Judas was covetous and Peter passionate, but that they might learn of Him, their great Teacher, and become, like Him, unselfish, meek, and lowly of heart. He saw good material in both these men. Judas possessed financial ability and would have been of value to the church had he taken home to his heart the lessons which Christ was giving by rebuking all selfishness, fraud, and avarice, even in the little matters of life. These lessons were oft-repeated: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” {4T 486.3}

Af Jehovas langmodighed kan prædikanter og menighedsmedlemmer, der tragter efter at blive Kristi medarbejdere, hente utvetydige lærdomme om overbærenhed og kærlighed. Kristus knyttede Judas og den impulsive Peter til sig, ikke fordi Judas, var havesyg og Peter lidenskabelig, men for at de kunne lære af ham, deres store lærer og ligesom ham blive uegennyttige, sagtmodige og ydmyge af hjertet. Han så godt materiale i begge disse mænd. Judas besad dygtighed på det økonomiske område og ville have været værdifuld for menigheden, hvis han havde tilegnet sig de lærdomme, Kristus gav, når han straffede al egoisme, svig og havesyge selv i livets små anliggender. (487) Denne undervisning blev ofte givet: »Den, som er tro i det små, er også tro i det store og den, som er uretfærdig i det små, er også uretfærdig i det store.«