Sometimes a brother may tell me, "Oh, Brother Lee, Brother So-and-so has a high fever." I would ask, "What is the temperature?" He would say, "I will go and measure it." After a while he would return and would say, "I have measured it. It is only 37.5 C." Then I would go and measure it myself. It would turn out to be only 37.3 C., even less than 37.5 C. You see how inaccurate one can be even in taking body temperature. Do not think I am just joking. This actually happened.

When I was in mainland China, sometimes I would go to a place to work and to hold conferences. I asked the responsible brothers how many could be seated in their meeting hall. One elder said, "It can seat 250." Another elder said, "It can seat approximately 450." Still another said, "We have only 220 seats." When I heard this, I was utterly confused. Was it 250, 450, or 220? How many seats were there after all? After much questioning, I still could not get an exact number.

Never consider this to be a small matter. The elders must have a character that is very thorough. Otherwise, sooner or later, everything in the church under your hand will become a problem. In the church, no matter what is placed in the hands of a careless person, it will become a problem. In managing things, negotiating matters, passing on words, or solving others' problems, our character needs to be thorough.

When a brother tells you his spiritual problem, you cannot listen to it carelessly. You must listen seriously to it like a physician. We often say that a good physician must be fine in his heart and bold in his courage. This fineness is a matter of character. You must be very fine and very serious. When a brother or a sister speaks to you concerning the problems of others, he or she may be careless in speaking. However, you must listen seriously and even inquire seriously. Occasionally, a sister may come to you and say, "Oh, how terrible is my husband!" If you say, "Wait until I get a piece of paper so that I can write down what you say," you can be sure that if you put the paper on the table and write down point by point what she says, she will change her tone. It does not mean that she has originally intended to lie, but it means that she is careless. When she sees that you are seriously taking notes, she will then speak seriously. After she is finished speaking, you may nail the matter down further: "Did you say that he came home at 12 o'clock last night?" She may say, "Yes, it was 12 o'clock..Oh, no! Maybe it was a little past ten." You may say, "Did you say he spent $2,000?" She may say, "Well, maybe about $1,200." If you pin her down a little, she will change her tone. Things like this have actually happened. If you are not thorough in this way and you merely sit there listening, she may speak something up in the air. If you believe every word she says, you can never help her solve her family problem.

Even in listening to the truth and to God's word, we often hear inaccurately. If you do not believe me, please repeat what you have heard. You will find out that the message was given one way, and when you repeat it, it takes on another form. We often record our messages on the tape recorder here. It is best after you have heard a message to repeat it once to yourself, then compare it with a recording of that message. You will find out there is a vast difference. What is the reason for such inaccuracy? It is simply the problem of character; you are a person who is not thorough. I can only touch the principle. I believe that the brothers and sisters can apply it to their practical daily living.