1. Kuyini okwenza kube nzima ngezinye izikhathi ukuthi silalele?

 KWEZINYE izikhathi kuyake kube nzima yini ukuthi ulalele? INkosi uDavida kwakuke kuyithwalise nzima ukulalela, yikho yakhuleka icela ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘ayenze izimisele ukumlalela.’ (Hubo. 51:12) UDavida wayemthanda uJehova. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi kwakuke kube nzima ukuthi alalele, futhi lokhu kuyenzakala lakithi. Kubangelwa yikuyini? Isizatho sokuqala yikuthi silesono esasithola ebazalini bethu. Esesibili, yikuthi uSathane uhlala ezama ukwenza ukuthi sihlamukele uJehova njengaye. (2 Khor. 11:3) Esesithathu, siphila emhlabeni olabantu abangakuthandiyo ukulalela, abalomoya wokuvukela. IBhayibhili lithi ngabo: “Umoya lo yiwo osebenzayo khathesi ebantwini abangalaleliyo.” (Efe. 2:2) Kumele sisebenze nzima silwisane lesono esilaso kanye lomoya kaDeveli ngoba abantu bomhlaba lo bafuna singalaleli. Lokhu yikho okuzasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke silalela uJehova kanye lalabo ababeke ukuthi bakhokhele.

2. Kutshoni ‘ukuzimisela ukulalela’? (UJakhobe 3:17)

² Bala uJakhobe 3:17. UJakhobe waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale ukuthi abantu abahlakaniphileyo ‘bazimisele ukulalela.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kumele sibalalele ngenhliziyo yonke labo uJehova abanike amandla. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova kakhangelelanga ukuthi silalele abantu abafuna ukuthi singalandeli imithetho yakhe.—Imiseb. 4:​18-20.

3. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi silalele labo uJehova abanike amandla phezu kwethu?

³ Izikhathi ezinengi singakubona kulula ukulalela uJehova kulokulalela abantu. Phela uJehova uhlala esinika imithetho epheleleyo. (Hubo. 19:7) Kodwa njengoba abantu belesono, eyabo imithetho kungaba nzima ukuyilalela. Lanxa kunjalo uBaba wethu osezulwini unike abazali, iziphathamandla kanye labadala ebandleni amandla phezu kwethu. (Zaga. 6:20; 1 Thes. 5:12; 1 Phet. 2:​13, 14) Nxa sibalalela, siyabe silalela uJehova.  Asixoxeni ngokuthi kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi silalele labo uJehova abanike amandla lanxa kwezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukuvumelana labo lokwenza lokho abasitshela khona.

4. Kungani abantwana abanengi bengabalaleli abazali babo?

⁴ Khathesi abantwana abanengi ‘abasalaleli abazali.’ (2 Thim. 3:​1, 2) Kubangelwa yini lokhu? Abazali abanengi benza izinto ezitshiyene lalezo abafuna abantwababo bazenze. Lokhu kwenza abantwababo babone sengathi bayabaqilibezela. Abanye abantwana babona angani lokho abakutshelwa ngabazali babo akusasebenzi njalo sekuphelelwe yisikhathi ngoba izinto sezitshintshile. Kanti njalo abanye babona angani abazali babo balesandla esiqine kakhulu. Wena-ke? Uzizwa njalo yini? Abanye abasakhulayo bakuthola kunzima ukulalela umthetho kaJehova othi: “Lalelani abazali benu njengoba nje iNkosi ifuna lenze njalo ngoba lokho kulungile.” (Efe. 6:1) Kuyini okuzakunceda ukuthi ulalele abazali bakho?

5. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabahlonipha abazali bakhe? (ULukha 2:​46-52)

⁵ Ukufunda ngalokho okwenziwa nguJesu kungakunceda ukuthi ulalele ngoba yena uyisibonelo esihle ukwedlula zonke. (1 Phet. 2:​21-24) Wayengelasono kodwa abazali bakhe babelaso. Lanxa kunjalo waqhubeka ebahlonipha lanxa babewenza amaphutha futhi ngezinye izikhathi bengamzwisisi. (Eks. 20:12) Cabanga ngokwenzakala ngesikhathi uJesu eleminyaka engu-12. (Bala uLukha 2:​46-52.) Abazali bakhe bamtshiya eJerusalema njalo abazange bahle bananzelele ukuthi wayesele. UJosefa loMariya kwakumele baqiniseke ukuthi bonke abantwababo babekhona eqenjini labantu ababehamba labo sebebuyela ekhaya ngemva komkhosi. UJosefa loMariya bathi sebemtholile uJesu, uMariya wamsola ngalokho okwakwenzakele. UJesu wayengahle abatshele ukuthi yibo ababephambanisile, kodwa wabaphendula kuhle abazali bakhe ngamazwi alenhlonipho. UJosefa loMariya “abazange bakuzwisise ayekutsho.” Lanxa kunjalo uJesu “waqhubeka ezehlisa kubo.”

6-7. Kuyini okunganceda abasakhulayo ukuthi balalele abazali babo?

⁶ Nxa lingananzelela amaphutha enziwa ngabazali benu kumbe libone angathi abalizwisisi kwezinye izikhathi, kwakube nzima yini ukuthi libalalele? Nxa kunjalo kuyini okuzalinceda ukuthi libalalele? Okokuqala, cabangani ngokuthi uJehova uzezwa njani nxa lingalalela. IBhayibhili lithi ukulalela abazali benu “kuyayithokozisa iNkosi.” (Kol. 3:20) UJehova uyakwazi ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi abazali benu abalizwisisi lokuthi bangalifakela imithetho okungaba nzima ukuthi liyilalele. Nxa lingabalalela lanxa kunzima uJehova uyathokoza.

⁷ Okwesibili, cabangani ngokuthi abazali benu bazakuzwa njani nxa lingabalalela. Nxa lingalalela, abazali benu bayathokoza futhi lokhu kwenza balithembe kakhulu. (Zaga. 23:​22-25) Kanti njalo lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi lina labazali benu libe ngabangane. Omunye umzalwane weBelgium okuthiwa ngu-Alexandre uthi: “Ngathi sengiqalise ukwenza lokho abazali bami ababefuna ngikwenze, ubudlelwano bethu batshintsha. Sasesizwanana kakhulu futhi sesithokoza.” b Okwesithathu, cabanga ngokuthi ukulalela abazali bakho khathesi kuzakunceda njani esikhathini esizayo. UPaulo ohlala eBrazil uthi: “Ukulalela  abazali bami kungincede ukuthi ngenelise ukulalela uJehova kanye lalabo abanike amandla.” ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lilesinye isizatho esiqakathekileyo sokuthi kungani abantwana kumele balalele abazali babo. Lithi: “Ukuze kukuhambele kuhle njalo uhlale isikhathi eside emhlabeni.”—Efe. 6:​2, 3.

8. Abanye abasakhulayo bathi kungani bekubona kukuhle ukulalela abazali babo?

⁸ Abasakhulayo abanengi bananzelele ukuthi izinto zijayele ukubahambela kuhle nxa bengalalela abazali babo. ULuiza ohlala eBrazil kwakumthwalisa nzima ukuzwisisa ukuthi kungani abazali bakhe babengafuni ukuthi abe lefoni okwesikhathi esithile. Kanti njalo wayebona abanye abantwana abangangaye belawo amafoni. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabona ukuthi abazali bakhe babemvikela ngokwala ukuthi abe lefoni. Uthi khathesi usekwazi ukuthi nxa abazali bakhe bemnika imithetho akumelanga abone angani bayamcindezela ngoba bayabe bemvikela. Udade osakhulayo okuthiwa ngu-Elizabeth ohlala e-United States lokhu kumthwalisa nzima kwezinye izikhathi ukulalela abazali bakhe. Uthi: “Nxa abazali bami bangangifakela omunye umthetho engingawuzwisisiyo ngiyacabanga ngeminye abake bangifakela yona eyangivikelayo.” UMonica ohlala e-Armenia uthi izinto zijayele ukumhambela kuhle nxa engalalela abazali bakhe ukwedlula nxa engabalalelanga.

9. Abantu abanengi bathini ngemithetho efakwa yiziphathamandla?

⁹ Abantu abanengi bayavuma ukuthi siyabadinga ohulumende njalo bathi kumele silalele eminye imithetho efakwe ‘yiziphathamandla.’ (Rom. 13:1) Kodwa bangadonda ukulalela imithetho abangayithandiyo loba leyo ababona angani iyabacindezela. Ngokwesibonelo okunye abantu abangakuthandiyo yikubhadala imithelo. Kwelinye ilizwe elise-Europe abantu abanengi bathi “kulungile ukungabhadali imithelo nxa ubona angathi iyakucindezela.” Elizweni lelo abantu abayibhadali yonke imithelo efunwa nguhulumende.

10. Kungani silalela yonke imithetho kugoqele laleyo enzima?

¹⁰ IBhayibhili liyakuvuma ukuthi ohulumende basemhlabeni lo bangaphansi kukaSathane lokuthi benza abantu bahlupheke. Kanti njalo lithi sekuseduze ukuthi babhujiswe. (Hubo. 110:​5, 6; Umtshu. 8:9; Luk. 4:​5, 6) Kodwa liphinda lithi: “Loba ngubani ophikisana leziphathamandla uphikisana lalokho okuhlelwe nguNkulunkulu.” Okwakhathesi uJehova ubavumele ohulumende ukuthi babe khona ukuze kube lokuhleleka emhlabeni njalo ukhangelele ukuthi sibalalele. Ngakho kumele ‘sibanike bonke okubafaneleyo’ okuhlanganisa imithelo, inhlonipho kanye lokubalalela. (Rom. 13:​1-7) Eminye imithetho singabona angani iyasicindezela kumbe inzima ukuyilalela. Kanti njalo eminye imithelo ingabe  idura. Lanxa kunjalo siyazilalela iziphathamandla lezi ngoba uJehova ufuna sizilalele. Kodwa kasizilaleli nxa sezifuna seqe imithetho esiyiphiwa nguJehova.—Imiseb. 5:29.

11-12. UJosefa loMariya benzani ukuze balalele umthetho owawunzima futhi kwaphetha ngani? (ULukha 2:​1-6) (Khangela lemifanekiso.)

¹¹ Ake sixoxeni ngoJosefa loMariya. Baqhubeka belalela iziphathamandla lanxa kwakunzima ukwenza njalo. (Bala uLukha 2:​1-6.) UMariya wathi ezithwele, isisu sakhe sesingaba lenyanga ezingu-9, uhulumende wafaka umthetho owawunzima kubo. U-Augustus owayengumbusi weRoma ngalesosikhathi wathi bonke abantu baye emadolobheni akibo bayebhalisa. UJosefa loMariya kwasekumele baye eBhethilehema, umango ongaba ngamakhilomitha angu-150 bedabula emaqaqeni. Uhambo lolo lwaluzakuba nzima ikakhulu kuMariya. Kungenzakala babekhathazekile ngempilakahle kaMariya leyomntwana owayesesiswini. Mhlawumbe babezibuza ukuthi babezakwenzani nxa uMariya angaqalisa ukuhelelwa besemangweni. Njengoba umntwana lowo wayezakuba nguMesiya esikhathini esizayo, lokho kwakungaba yisizatho esizwakalayo yini esokuthi bangawulaleli umthetho weziphathamandla?

¹² UJosefa loMariya abazange bavume ukuthi izizatho lezi zibenze bangalaleli umthetho owawusufakiwe. Balalela futhi uJehova wababusisa. UMariya wafika kuhle eBhethilehema, wabeletha kuhle njalo umntwana wayeziphilele. Abakwenzayo kwancedisa lokuthi kugcwaliseke isiphrofetho esiseBhayibhilini.—Mik. 5:2.

13. Ukulalela kwethu kungabanceda njani abanye oFakazi?

¹³ Ukulalela iziphathamandla kuyasinceda kuphinde kuncede labanye. Njani? Kuyasivikela ukuthi singajeziswa yiziphathamandla njengoba zijayele ukubajezisa labo abephula umthetho. (Rom. 13:4) Kanti njalo kwenza iziphathamandla zibone ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova ngabantu abalalelayo. Ngokwesibonelo eminyakeni eminengi eyadlulayo amasotsha angena kweyinye iWolu yoMbuso eNigeria  ngesikhathi kulomhlangano webandla edinga abantu ababetshengisela, ababengafuni ukubhadala imithelo. Kodwa owayekhokhela amasotsha la wawatshela ukuthi aphume eWolu yoMbuso wathi: “OFakazi bakaJehova bayayibhadala yonke imithelo.” Ngakho sonke isikhathi nxa ulalela uyabe usenza ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova bahlale belebizo elihle, njalo lokhu kungavikela abafowethu labodadewethu esikhathini esizayo.—Mat. 5:16.

14. Kuyini okwanceda omunye udade ukuthi ‘azimisele ukulalela’ iziphathamandla?

¹⁴ Lanxa kunjalo kwezinye izikhathi singezwa kungatsho ukuthi silalele iziphathamandla. Omunye udade ohlala e-United States okuthiwa nguJoanna uthi: “Kwakunzima kakhulu ukuthi ngilalele ngoba abanye abangakithi babeke bahlukuluzwa yiziphathamandla.” Kodwa uJoanna wabona ukuthi kwakumele atshintshe indlela ayecabanga ngayo njalo wenza okulandelayo: Okokuqala, wayekela ukubala izinto ezaziphuma kwezempucuko ezazikhuluma kubi ngeziphathamandla. (Zaga. 20:3) Okwesibili, wathandaza kuJehova ecela ukuthi amncedise ukuthi athembele kuye kulokuthi athembe ukuthi uhulumende uzatshintsha. (Hubo. 9:​9, 10) Okwesithathu, wabala izihloko ezikhuluma ngokungangeni kwezombusazwe ezisemabhukwini ethu. (Joh. 17:16) UJoanna uthi ukulalela lokuhlonipha iziphathamandla sekumenze waba lokuthula futhi wahlaliseka.

15. Kungani kungaba nzima ngezinye izikhathi ukulalela lokho esikutshelwa yinhlanganiso kaJehova?

¹⁵ UJehova ufuna ‘silalele abakhokhelayo’ ebandleni. (Heb. 13:17) UMkhokheli wethu uJesu kalasono kodwa abazalwane abakhethileyo ukuthi bakhokhele ebandleni bona balaso. Ngakho kungaba nzima ukuthi sibalalele ikakhulu nxa lokho abasitshela khona sisizwa kungatsho ukuthi sikulalele. Umphostoli uPhetro laye kwake kwamthwalisa nzima ukulalela. Ingilosi yathi imtshela ukuthi adle inyama yezinyamazana okwakuthiwa zingcolile eMthethweni kaMosi wala, hatshi kanye kodwa kathathu. (Imiseb. 10:​9-16) Wayalelani? Lokho ayekutshelwa wayengakuzwisisi. Kwakutshiyene kakhulu lalokho ayevele ekwazi futhi esekwenze okwempilo yakhe yonke. Nxa kwaba nzima ukuthi uPhetro enze lokho ayekutshelwa yingilosi isidalwa esingelasono, akumangalisi ukuthi kungaba nzima lakithi ukulalela lokho esikutshelwa ngabantu abalesono.

16. UPhawuli wenzani lanxa ayekutshelwa kwakuzwakala angathi akulangqondo? (ImiSebenzi 21:​23, 24, 26)

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPhawuli ‘wayezimisele ukulalela’ langesikhathi etshelwa izinto ezazizwakala angathi azilangqondo. AmaKhristu ayengamaJuda ayezwe amahungahunga okuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wayetshumayeza abantu ukuthi ‘bahlamuke eMthethweni kaMosi’ lokuthi yena wayengawulandeli. (Imiseb. 21:21) Amadoda amadala ayeseJerusalema athi uPhawuli athathe amadoda amane aye lawo ethempelini bayezihlambulula belandela lokho okwakutshiwo nguMthetho kaMosi ukuze atshengise ukuthi laye wayesawulalela uMthetho. Kodwa uPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi amaKhristu ayengasekho ngaphansi koMthetho futhi wayengenzanga lutho olubi. Lanxa kunjalo uPhawuli walalela masinyane nje, ‘wathatha amadoda lawo ngelanga elilandelayo, wazihlambulula ngokoMthetho kaMosi kanye lawo.’ (Bala imiSebenzi 21:​23, 24, 26.) Ukulalela kukaPhawuli kwenza ukuthi kube lokumanyana ebandleni.—Rom. 14:​19, 21.

17. Ufundani kuStephanie?

¹⁷ Omunye udade okuthiwa nguStephanie kwamthwalisa nzima ukulandela isinqumo  esasenziwe ngabazalwane abakhokhelayo elizweni ahlala kulo. Yena lomkakhe babencedisa eqenjini elikhuluma ulimi lwakwelinye ilizwe futhi lokho kwakubathokozisa. Kodwa iwofisi yegatsha yalivala iqembu lelo njalo kwathiwa bona babuyele ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwabo. UStephanie uthi: “Lokho kwangizwisa ubuhlungu, ngangingakholwa ukuthi singaba luncedo ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwethu.” Lanxa kunjalo wakhetha ukwenza lokho ababekutsheliwe. Uqhubeka esithi: “Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngakubona ukuthi isinqumo esasenziwe ngabazalwane sasisihle. Ebandleni esesingena lalo kulabanengi abalabazali abangayisibo oFakazi, yikho thina sesibe njengabazali babo ukuze sibakhuthaze. Kanti njalo ngifunda iBhayibhili lomunye udadewethu osevuselelwe ekukhonzeni njalo sengilesikhathi esinengi sokutaditsha. Ukwenza konke okusemandleni ami ukuze ngilalele kungitshiye ngilomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo.”

18. Ukulalela kusinceda njani?

¹⁸ Lathi singafunda ukulalela. UJesu “wafunda ukulalela ngokudlula phakathi kwenhlupho.” (Heb. 5:8) Izikhathi ezinengi, lathi ubunzima esidlula kubo bujayele ukusinceda sifunde ukulalela. Ngokwesibonelo umkhuhlane weCOVID-19 wathi usanda kuqalisa satshelwa ukuthi siyekele ukuhlangana emaWolu oMbuso lokutshumayela endlini ngendlu. Kwaba lula yini ukuthi ulalele kumbe kwakunzima? Kuhle ukuthi walalela futhi lokhu kwakuvikela, kwakumanyanisa labafowenu labodadewenu njalo kwathokozisa loJehova. Sonke sesizimisele ukulalela loba yini esizayitshelwa ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu. Ngalesosikhathi ukulalela yikho okuzakwenza sisinde.—Jobe. 36:11.

19. Kungani uzimisele ukulalela?

¹⁹ Sifunde ukuthi ukulalela kuzakwenza sithole izibusiso ezinengi. Kodwa isizatho esiqakatheke ukwedlula zonke esenza silalele yikuthi siyamthanda uJehova futhi sifuna ukumthokozisa. (1 Joh. 5:3) Ngeke senelise ukumbhadala uJehova ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezinhle asenzele zona. (Hubo. 116:12) Kodwa esingakwenza yikumlalela lokulalela labo abanike amandla phezu kwethu. Nxa singalalela siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi sihlakaniphile. Kanti njalo nxa sihlakaniphile siyabe sisenza ukuthi inhliziyo kaJehova ithokoze.—Zaga. 27:11.