1, 2. (a) Yiphi inotho eligugu kakhulu esilayo? (b) Yiziphi izinto esizifundileyo esiziqakathekisa kakhulu njalo kungani ziqakathekile? (Khangela imifanekiso esekuqaliseni.)

SONKE silezinto esiziqakathekisayo empilweni. Wena kuyini okuqakathekisa ukwedlula konke olakho? Kambe ungavuma yini ukuthi kukulahlekele mahlayana nje? Sonke esizinikele kuJehova silenotho eligugu kakhulu esingeke siyithengise ngaloba yini. Inotho le yibungane esilabo loJehova. Elinye igugu esilithanda kakhulu liBhayibhili ngoba yilo elenza senelise ukumazi uBaba wethu osezulwini njalo sibe ngabangane bakhe.​—Kol. 1:9, 10.

² UJehova unguMfundisi wethu omkhulu futhi usebenzisa iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili ukuze asifundise izinto ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo, uyasifundisa ukuthi ibizo lakhe liqakatheke kangakanani njalo uyasichazela ubuntu bakhe obuhle. Usitshela lokuthi uyasithanda kakhulu yikho wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe uJesu ukuze sihlawulelwe izono. Uphinda asifundise ngoMbuso kaMesiya langethemba labagcotshiweyo lokuyaphila ezulwini kanye lokuthi “ezinye izimvu” zizaphila ePharadayisi emhlabeni. (Joh. 10:16) Kanti njalo  uyasifundisa ukuthi siziphathe njani. Zonke izinto lezi esizifundileyo siyaziqakathekisa kakhulu ngoba ziyasinceda ukuthi sisondele kuMdali wethu futhi sazi ukuthi siphilelani.

3. UJehova uyasithengisela yini iqiniso?

³ UJehova nguNkulunkulu ophanayo. Kasincitshi iqiniso nxa silidinga, yikho waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ukuze sisindiswe. Kasoze athi silibhadalele loba sekutheni. Ngokwesibonelo, enye indoda okwakuthiwa nguSimoni yazama ukunika umphostoli uPhetro imali ifuna ukuthenga amandla okubeka abantu izandla ukuze bathole umoya ongcwele. Kodwa uPhetro wathi kuyo: “Sengathi imali yakho ingabhubha kanye lawe ngokuba ucabanga ukuthi ungasithenga isipho sikaNkulunkulu ngemali!” (ImiSeb. 8:18-20) Pho atshoni amazwi athi: “Thenga iqiniso”?

4. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁴ Bala iZaga 23:23. Iqiniso eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu ngeke siphongulithola nje sigoqe izandla. Kumele sivume ukulahlekelwa yizinto esizithandayo ukuze silithole. Umlobi weZaga wathi nxa ‘singathenga iqiniso’ kumele ‘singalithengisi.’ Ayekutsho yikuthi nxa singalithola kumele silibambe siligagadlele ukuze lingasiphunyuki. Ake sixoxe ngokuthi kutshoni ‘ukuthenga’ iqiniso njalo sibone ukuthi singalithenga ngani. Ukwenza njalo kuzasisiza ukuthi silithande kakhulu futhi sizimisele ‘ukungalithengisi.’ Sizabona lokuthi ukuthenga iqiniso kuqakatheke ukwedlula loba yini engasilahlekela.

5, 6. (a) Singalithenga njani iqiniso singasebenzisanga imali? Nika umzekeliso. (b) Iqiniso lisinceda ngani?

⁵ Lanxa into ingeyamahala akutsho ukuthi ungaphonguyithola nje ungenzanga lutho. Ibala lesiHebheru elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “thenga” elikuZaga 23:23 lingatsho lokuthi “thola.” Wonke amabala la atshengisa ukuthi umuntu kumele enze okuthile kumbe adele izinto alazo ukuze azuze into eqakathekileyo. Nanku umzekeliso ongasinceda ukuthi sikuzwisise ukuthi kutshoni ukuthenga iqiniso: Ake sithi uzwe ukuthi abantu banikwa amabhanana emakethe. Kungenzakala isimanga yini ubone amabhanana la esesendlini yakho ungazange uyewathatha? Hatshi, kumele uhambe emakethe uyewathatha. Lanxa amabhanana la engawamahala, kukhona okuyabe kumele ukwenze ukuze uwathole. Lokuthenga iqiniso kunjalo. Siyakwazi ukuthi iqiniso ngelamahala kodwa kumele senze okuthile ukuze silithole.

⁶ Bala u-Isaya 55:1-3. Amazwi kaJehova alotshwa ngu-Isaya ayasicacisela ukuthi kutshoni ukuthenga iqiniso. Emavesini la uJehova ufanisa ilizwi lakhe lamanzi, uchago kanye lewayini. Nxa umuntu owomileyo enganatha amanzi uba lamandla. Lamazwi kaNkulunkulu ayasivuselela sibe lamandla. Uchago lona luyawuqinisa umzimba futhi lwenza abantwana bakhule kuhle. Ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lalo liyasiqinisa njalo lenza sibe ngabangane bakhe. Kanti njalo amazwi kaJehova anjengewayini. Njani? IBhayibhili lithi iwayini lenza umuntu athokoze. (Hubo. 104:15) Yikho nxa uJehova esitshela ukuthi ‘sithenge iwayini,’ uyabe esiqinisekisa ukuthi ukulandela lokho akutshoyo kuzasenza sithokoze. (Hubo. 19:8) Izifaniso lezi zenza sizwisise ukuthi ukufunda iqiniso kanye lokusebenzisa lokho esikufundayo kuyasinceda kakhulu. Ngakho konke esikwenzayo ukuze sithole iqiniso kufanana lokukhipha imali yokulithenga. Kasixoxeni ngezinto ezinhlanu esingathenga ngazo iqiniso.

7, 8. (a) Kungani kumele sisebenzise isikhathi sethu ukuze sithenge iqiniso? (b) UMariko wenzani ukuze athenge iqiniso futhi lokho kwamnceda ngani?

⁷ Isikhathi. Iqiniso singalithenga ngesikhathi sethu. Kumele sisebenzise isikhathi sethu  ukuze sibale iBhayibhili lamabhuku esiwaphiwa yinhlanganiso, silungiselele imihlangano njalo siyingene. Lomuntu otshunyayezwayo kumbe ofundiswa iBhayibhili kumele asebenzise isikhathi sakhe ukuze alalele izindaba ezinhle. Sonke kufanele sitshiye izinto ezingaqakathekanga kangako ukuze sithole isikhathi loba ithuba lokufunda iqiniso. (Bala u-Efesu 5:15, 16.) Pho kuthatha isikhathi esinganani ukuzwisisa izimfundiso zeBhayibhili eziqakathekileyo? Asingeke sitsho ngoba indlela abantu abazwisisa ngayo iyatshiyana. Lanxa kunjalo kumele sikhumbule ukuthi ukufunda akupheli. Ngeke sithi sesiyazi yonke inhlakanipho kaJehova lezindlela zakhe kanye lemisebenzi yakhe. (Rom. 11:33) Phela langesikhathi sesiphila phakade sizaqhubeka sifunda okunengi ngaye. INqabayokulinda yokuqala eyaphuma ngoJuly 1879 yafanisa iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini leluba elihle. Yathi ‘akumelanga sisuthiseke ngokuthola iluba elilodwa kuphela kodwa kumele siqhubeke sidinga ukuze sithole amanengi.’ Ngenxa yani? Yaqhubeka yathi, ‘Ngabe uNkulunkulu ubefuna sithole elilodwa kuphela ubengasoze asinike amanengi.’ Ngakho umuntu ngamunye kumele azibuze ukuthi lunganani ulwazi aselalo. Sonke kasizameni ngamandla wonke ukusebenzisa isikhathi sethu ukuze sithenge iqiniso kungelani lokuthi izimo zethu zinjani. Ake sixoxe ngomunye owesifazana owakwenzayo lokhu.

⁸ UMariko * wasuka kibo eJapan waya edolobheni leNew York eMelika esiyafundela umsebenzi. Ngalesosikhathi wayelilunga lenye inkolo eyaqala eJapan ngo-1959. Ngelinye ilanga omunye udadewethu oliphayona wathi etshumayela endlini ngendlu wahlangana loMariko. UMariko wakuthanda kakhulu ayekufunda waze wacela udadewethu ukuthi afunde laye iBhayibhili kabili ngeviki. Lanxa kwakukunengi okwakumele akwenze esikolo lasemsebenzini, wahle waqalisa ukungena imihlangano yebandla. Waphinda watshiya ukwenza ezinye izinto ayezilibazisa ngazo ukuze athole isikhathi sokufunda iqiniso. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukutshiya izinto azithandayo kwamnceda ukuthi athuthuke masinyane futhi wabhabhathizwa kungakapheli lomnyaka. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha nje waqalisa ukuphayona. Kusukela ngo-2006 kuze kube khathesi ulokhu ephayona.

9, 10. (a) Kuyini okumele sikuqakathekise nxa sesithole iqiniso? (b) UMaria wenzani ukuze athenge iqiniso? (c) UMaria uthini ngesinqumo asenzayo?

⁹ Imali lenotho. Abanye batshiye imisebenzi elemali lamathuba okuthola inotho ukuze bathenge iqiniso. Lokhu yikho kanye okwenziwa nguPhetro lo-Andreya ngesikhathi uJesu ebacela ukuthi babe ‘ngabagoli babantu.’ Bahle “batshiya amambule abo” bamlandela. (Mat. 4:18-20) Lanxa kunjalo, ukufunda iqiniso akutsho ukuthi sekumele utshiye umsebenzi ngoba uNkulunkulu ukhangelele ukuthi sisebenze ukuze sinakekele izimuli zethu. (1 Tim. 5:8) Kodwa umuntu osethole iqiniso kaphileli ukudinga imali ngoba uyabe esenanzelela ukuthi kuyini okuqakatheke kakhulu empilweni. UJesu wakucacisa lokhu lapho esithi: “Lingazibutheli inotho emhlabeni . . . Kodwa zibutheleni inotho ezulwini.” (Mat. 6:19, 20) Omunye owesifazana okuthiwa nguMaria wakwenza lokhu.

¹⁰ Waqalisa ukudlala umdlalo we-golf esesemncane kakhulu, engakangeni lesikolo. Waqhubeka esiba yintshantshu emdlalweni lo waze wanikwa ithuba lokuyafunda eyunivesithi mahala. Wayesephilela i-golf ngoba wayezimisele ukuthuthuka aze abe ngumdlali odumileyo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili. Wakuthanda kakhulu ayekufunda njalo waqalisa ukukusebenzisa empilweni yakhe. Uthi: “IBhayibhili lingincede ukuthi  ngintshintshe indlela engangiphila ngayo lengangicabanga ngayo futhi lokho kungenza ngithokoze kakhulu.” UMaria wakubona ukuthi ukugijimisa inotho ngapha ekhonza uJehova kwakuzakwenza impilo yakhe ibe nzima. (Mat. 6:24) Yikho wakhetha ukulahlekelwa lithuba lokuba ngumdlali odumileyo elalizamenza athole imali enengi. Ukuthenga iqiniso kwamsiza sibili. Khathesi uyaphayona njalo uyathokoza kakhulu ngoba usekwazi ukuthi uphilelani.

11. Ukuthenga iqiniso kungenza izihlobo kanye labangane bethu basiphathe njani?

¹¹ Izihlobo labangane. Ukusebenzisa iqiniso esilifundayo kungenza singazwanani lezihlobo kanye labangane bethu. UJesu wathandazela abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Bangcwelise ngalo iqiniso; ilizwi lakho liliqiniso.” (Joh. 17:17) Ibala elithi “bangcwelise” lingatsho ukuthi “behlukanise.” Yikho amazwi kaJesu atshengisa ukuthi nxa sesithole iqiniso siyabe sesehlukene labantu bomhlaba lo, singasalandeli indlela zabo. Lokhu kungenza bantshintshe indlela abasiphatha ngayo. Lanxa singafuni ukuxabana lezihlobo kanye labangane bethu, abanye babo bangaqalisa ukusizonda kumbe ukuphikisa esikukholwayo. Kodwa lokhu akusimangalisi ngoba uJesu wathi: “Izitha zomuntu zizakuba ngabendlu yakhe.” (Mat. 10:36) Waphinda waveza ukuthi izibusiso esizitholayo nxa singathenga iqiniso zedlula khatshana izinto ezingasilahlekela.​—Bala uMakho 10:28-30.

12. Enye indoda engumJuda yakhetha ukulahlekelwa kuyini ukuze ithenge iqiniso?

¹² Omunye usomabhizimusi ongumJuda okuthiwa ngu-Aaron wakhula etshelwa ukuthi ukubiza ibizo likaNkulunkulu akuqondanga. Lanxa kunjalo wayekufuna sibili ukumazi uNkulunkulu. Ngelinye ilanga omunye uFakazi wamtshengisa ukuthi nxa engafaka onkamisa phakathi kwabongwaqa abane besiHebheru ababumba ibizo likaNkulunkulu, kuphuma ibizo elithi “Jehova.” U-Aaron wathokoza okwamagama, wahle waqonda esinagogeni wayabikela orabi ngalokho ayekutholile. Kodwa abazange bamamukele ngendlela ayeyikhangelele. Kulokuthi labo bathokoze ngokuthi usefunde iqiniso mayelana lebizo likaNkulunkulu, bamkhafulela njalo bamphatha angathi ngumhlamuki. Izihlobo zakhe lazo zasezimninela khatshana. Kodwa waba lesibindi, waqhubeka ethenga iqiniso futhi wakhonza uJehova okwempilo yakhe yonke. Lathi kumele simlingisele u-Aaron, sizimisele ukuqhubeka sihamba eqinisweni kungelani lokuthi izihlobo, abangane kanye labanye emphakathini basiphatha njani.

13, 14. Yiluphi untshintsho esingalwenza ukuze sithenge iqiniso? Nika isibonelo.

¹³ Imicabango engcolileyo lezenzo ezimbi. Nxa sesithole iqiniso futhi sesifuna ukwenza lokho iBhayibhili elikutshoyo, kumele sizimisele ukuntshintsha imicabango lezenzo zethu. UPhetro wabhala ngontshintsho okufanele silwenze, wathi: ‘Njengabantwana abalalelayo lingavumeli [“ukubunjwa,” NW] zinkanuko ezimbi elalilazo lingakazi. Kodwa yibani ngcwele kukho konke elikwenzayo.’ (1 Phet. 1:14, 15) Abantu abanengi ababehlala edolobheni leKhorinte babexhwalile, yikho kwakumele bantshintshe indlela ababephila ngayo ukuze bathenge iqiniso. (1 Khor. 6:9-11) Lalamuhla banengi abatshiye imicabango lezenzo ezimbi ukuze bathenge iqiniso. Abakwenzileyo kuhambelana lamazwi kaPhetro athi: “Selichithe isikhathi esaneleyo ngaphambili lisenza lokho abahedeni abakhetha ukukwenza—impilo yobudlova, inkanuko, lokudakwa, ukuzitika, ukuzivusa amadlabuzane kanye lezithombe eziyisinengiso.”​—1 Phet. 4:3.

¹⁴ UDevynn lomkakhe uJasmine bakwenza lokhu lanxa basebeleminyaka eminengi beyizidakwa. UDevynn wayeyingcitshi emsebenzini  wokuphatha amabhuku ezimali zenkampani kodwa wayehlala ephelelwe ngumsebenzi ngenxa yokuthanda utshwala. UJasmine yena wayelolaka futhi ethanda ukulwa. Ngelinye ilanga wathi ezihambela emgwaqweni ephelile ngokudakwa wahlangana lomunye umzalwane lomkakhe abangabanali. Bamthembisa ukuthi bazafika emzini wakhe bazofunda laye iBhayibhili. Bathi befika ngeviki elandelayo bathola uJasmine loDevynn bedakwe befile. Babecabanga ukuthi abanali labo kabasoze bazihluphe ngokufika emzini wabo. Kodwa ngesikhathi esilandelayo abanali laba bathola izinto sezintshintshile. UJasmine loDevynn basebezimisele ukufunda iBhayibhili njalo bahle baqalisa ukusebenzisa izinto ababezifunda. Kungakapheli lenyanga ezintathu babutshiya utshwala futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi babhalisa umtshado wabo emthethweni. Abantu emphakathini balunanzelela untshintsho olwenziwa nguJasmine loDevynn njalo abanengi babo baqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili.

15. Kuyini okungaba nzima ukuthi umuntu akwenze nxa esefuna ukuthenga iqiniso futhi kungani kunzima?

¹⁵ Imikhuba lamasiko aphikisana leBhayibhili. Lanxa umuntu efuna ukulithenga iqiniso, kungaba nzima ukuthi atshiye imikhuba lamasiko angavumelani leLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Abanye bayazwisisa sibili ukuthi iBhayibhili lithini ngezinto lezi kodwa kube nzima ukuthi batshiyane lazo ngenxa yokwesaba izihlobo labangane babo kanye labantu abasebenza labo. Bayakwazi ukuthi amasiko anjalo ajayele ukudala ingxabano, ikakhulu lawo aphathelane lokuhlonipha izihlobo ezafayo. (Dute. 14:1) Ukuhlola izibonelo zabanye abenelisa ukunqoba imikhuba lamasiko anjalo kungasinceda kakhulu. Ake sibone ukuthi abazalwane base-Efesu benzani ukuze batshiye imikhuba lamasiko aphikisana leBhayibhili.

16. Abanye abantu base-Efesu benzani ukuze bathenge iqiniso?

¹⁶ Abantu bedolobho le-Efesu babekuthanda kakhulu ukwenza amasalamusi. Kodwa abanye babo baphenduka baba ngamaKhristu eqiniso. Benzani ukuze batshiye leyomikhuba engalunganga? IBhayibhili lithi: “Abanengi ababehlahlula baletha ndawonye izincwadimgoqwa zabo bazitshisa obala. Bathi sebehlolile izindleko zalezozincwadimgoqwa kwabonakala kungaba ngamadrakhima ayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amahlanu. Ngaleyondlela ilizwi leNkosi landa kabanzi njalo lakhula laba lamandla.” (ImiSeb. 19:19, 20) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi amaKhristu la athembekileyo avuma ukulahlekelwa yizinto ayezithanda futhi lokhu kwenza uJehova wawabusisa.

17. (a) Yiziphi ezinye izinto esingazitshiya ukuze sithenge iqiniso? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Wena walithenga ngani iqiniso? Sonke sasebenzisa isikhathi sethu ukuze sithenge iqiniso. Kodwa abanye balithenga ngokutshiya amathuba okuzuza imali lenotho njalo abanye badela izihlobo labangane. Abanengi bantshintsha izenzo zabo lendlela ababecabanga ngayo futhi abanye batshiya imikhuba lamasiko aphikisana leLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Kasizisoli ngalokho esakwenzayo ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini liqakatheke ukwedlula loba yini engasilahlekela. Iqiniso leli lenze sathola izibusiso ezinhle okwamagama! Phela yilo elisenza sibe ngabangane bakaJehova njalo lokhu kuqakatheke ukwedlula loba yini esingaba layo. Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi abanye bayalithengisa iqiniso. Kuyabe sekutheni nxa umuntu esethengisa into eligugu kangaka? Singenzani ukuze singalithengisi iqiniso? Imibuzo le sizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo.