1. Kutshoni ukusebenzisa kuhle ingqondo? (U-2 Thimothi 4:5)

 NXA kungaba lokuthile okusihluphayo ebandleni kungaba nzima ukuthi siqhubeke siqotho kuJehova lasenhlanganisweni yakhe. Singenzani nxa sekunjalo? Kumele sisebenzise kuhle ingqondo zethu, sihlale siphapheme futhi siqinile okholweni. (Bala u-2 Thimothi 4:5.) Ukusebenzisa kuhle ingqondo zethu kutsho ukuthi sihlaliseke, sicabange kuhle njalo sizame ngamandla ukubona izinto ngendlela kaJehova. Nxa singenza njalo asisoze siphongulandela inhliziyo yethu kukho konke.

2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

² Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sixoxe ngenhlupho ezintathu esingahlangana lazo ezivela phandle kwebandla. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngenhlupho ezintathu ezingavela phakathi kwebandla futhi ezingenza kube nzima ukuthi sihlale siqotho kuJehova. Okokuqala, nxa omunye umKhristu esizwise ubuhlungu. Okwesibili, nxa singalaywa kumbe siphiwe iseluleko. Okwesithathu, nxa kunzima ukuthi sihambisane lotshintsho olwenziwe yinhlanganiso. Singenzani ukuze sisebenzise kuhle ingqondo zethu futhi sihlale siqotho kuJehova lasenhlanganisweni yakhe nxa sesehlelwe zinhlupho ezinjengalezi?

3. Singacabangani nxa sisizwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yalokho okwenziwe ngomunye umKhristu?

³ Wake wasala usizwa ubuhlungu yini ngenxa yalokho okwakwenziwe ngomunye umKhristu, mhlawumbe umfowethu  okhokhelayo ngokwesibonelo umdala? Kumele ukuthi wayengahlosanga ukukuzwisa ubuhlungu. (Rom. 3:23; Jak. 3:2) Lanxa kunjalo, akwenzayo kungabe kwakuzwisa ubuhlungu waze waphelelwa yibuthongo ucabanga ngendaba yakhona. Kungenzakala ukuthi wathi, ‘Nxa umzalwane esenzenje, kambe yinhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu sibili yonale?’ Lokho yikho kanye uSathane afuna sikucabange. (2 Khor. 2:11) Imicabango enjalo ingenza sicine sesizehlukanisa loJehova kanye lenhlanganiso yakhe. Yikho nxa sisizwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yalokho okwenziwe ngumfowethu kumbe udadewethu, singenzani ukuze sisebenzise kuhle ingqondo zethu futhi silahle imicabango engasiphambanisa?

4. UJosefa watshengisa njani ukuthi uyisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo ngesikhathi ephathwa kubi futhi akwenzayo kusifundisani? (UGenesisi 50:19-21)

⁴ Ungahlali uzondile. UJosefa waphathwa kubi ngabafowabo eseselijaha. Babemzonda futhi abanye babo babefuna lokumbulala. (Gen. 37:4, 18-22) Bacina sebemthengisile ukuthi ayekuba yisigqili. Lokhu kwenza uJosefa waba sebunzimeni obukhulu okweminyaka engaba ngu-13. Kungenzeka wayezibuza ukuthi uJehova uyamthanda yini sibili. Kanti njalo wayengazibuza lokuthi uJehova usemlahlile yini ngesikhathi edinga uncedo. Kodwa lokhu akuzange kumenze azonde. Wayisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo yakhe ngokuqhubeka ehlalisekile. Walithola sibili ithuba lokuthi aphindisele kubafowabo kodwa kazange enze njalo. Watshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda, wabaxolela. (Gen. 45:4, 5) Okwenza wabaphatha ngalindlela yikuthi wayecabanga kuhle. Kulokuthi acabange ngenhlupho zakhe, wananzelela ukuthi okwakuqakatheke kakhulu yinhloso kaJehova. (Bala uGenesisi 50:19-21.) Sifundani kulokhu? Nxa ungaphathwa kubi ungazondeli uJehova njalo ungaboni angani sekulahlile. Cabangisisa ngokuthi ukuncedisa njani ukuthi ulwisane lohlupho lwakho. Nxa abanye bangakuzwisa ubuhlungu, zama ukubatshengisa uthando kulokukhangela kakhulu lokho abakuphambanisele khona.​—1 Phet. 4:8.

5. UMiqueas watshengisa njani ukuthi uyisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo ngesikhathi ezwiswa ubuhlungu?

⁵ Ake sixoxe ngokwenzakala komunye umdala webandla weSouth America okuthiwa nguMiqueas. b Ukhumbula isikhathi lapho azwiswa khona ubuhlungu ngabazalwane abakhokhelayo ebandleni. Uthi: “Ngangingakaze ngikhathazeke kangako selokhu ngaba yimi, ngathwala nzima. Ngangingabuquthi njalo ngangikhala ngoba ngibona kungelanto engingayenza.” Lanxa kunjalo uMiqueas wayisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo yakhe wazama ngamandla ukuzibamba. Wayehlala ethandaza kuJehova emcela ukuthi amnike umoya ongcwele lamandla okuthi aqinisele. Waphinda wadinga okunye okwakungamnceda emabhukwini ethu. Sifundani kulokhu? Nxa umfowenu kumbe udadewenu engakuzwisa ubuhlungu, zama ukuhlaliseka njalo ungakhulelwa yimicabango ebuhlungu ongabe uyizwa. Kwezinye izikhathi uyabe ungakwazi ukuthi kuyini okubangele ukuthi umuntu lo enze into ekucaphulayo kumbe akhulume amazwi akuzwise ubuhlungu. Yikho thandaza kuJehova umcele akuncedise ukuthi ubone izinto ngendlela yalowomuntu. Lokhu kungakunceda ungacabangi ukuthi umfowenu kumbe udadewenu ubevele ehlose ukukuzwisa ubuhlungu, kukuncede lokuthi ukudlulise lokho ayabe ekwenzile. (Zaga. 19:11) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova uyakubona okwenzakalayo njalo uzakunika amandla okuthi uqinisele.​—2 Imilan. 16:9; Umtshu. 5:8.

6. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sibone ukulaywa kuyindlela uJehova atshengisa ngayo ukuthi uyasithanda? (UHebheru 12:5, 6, 11)

⁶ Ukulaywa kungasizwisa ubuhlungu. Kodwa nxa singacabanga ngobuhlungu esibuzwayo kuphela, singacina sibona angani bekungadingeki ukuthi silaywe lokuthi umuntu obesilaya ubelukhuni. Lokhu kungenza singananzeleli into eqakatheke kakhulu, ukuthi ukulaywa kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda. (Bala uHebheru 12:5, 6, 11.) Kanti njalo nxa silokhu sicabanga ngobuhlungu bokulaywa siyabe sivulela uSathane ithuba lokuthi asiphambanise. Ufuna singakwamukeli ukulaywa njalo sizehlukanise loJehova lebandla. Ungenzani ukuze uyisebenzise kuhle ingqondo nxa ungalaywa?

7. (a) Ngokwalokho okusemfanekisweni, uJehova wamsebenzisa njani uPhetro esevume ukulaywa? (b) Ufundani kuPhetro?

⁷ Kwamukele ukulaywa, ulungisise lapho okumele ulungise khona. Ngezinye izikhathi uJesu wayekhuza uPhetro phambi kwabanye abaphostoli. (Mak. 8:33; Luk. 22:31-34) Kumele ukuthi uPhetro wayesala eyangekile sibili, kodwa wahlala eqotho kuJesu. Wavuma ukulaywa, walungisisa lapho okwakumele alungise khona. UJehova wambusisa uPhetro, wamnika lemisebenzi emikhulu ebandleni. (Joh. 21:15-17; Imiseb. 10:24-33; 1 Phet. 1:1) Sifundani kuPhetro? Nxa singavuma ukulaywa, singakhathazeki kakhulu ngokuthi abantu bazathini futhi silungisise lapho okumele silungise khona sizancedakala siphinde sincede labanye. Kanti njalo uJehova uzasisebenzisa kakhulu futhi sizakwenza izinto ezizanceda abazalwane.

8-9. UBernardo wenzani esanda kulaywa njalo kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi atshintshe indlela ayecabanga ngayo?

⁸ Ake sixoxe ngomzalwane waseMozambique okuthiwa nguBernardo. Umfowethu lo kwathiwa ame ukuba ngumdala. UBernardo wezwa njani ngalesosikhathi? Uthi: “Lokho akungiphathanga kuhle futhi ngangingavumelani lokulaywa engakutholayo.” Wayezihlupha ngokuthi abanye ebandleni bazambona njani. Uthi: “Kwangithatha isikhathi ukuthi ngibone izinto ngendlela eyiyo lokuthi ngiphinde ngimthembe uJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe.” Kuyini okwanceda uBernardo?

⁹ UBernardo watshintsha indlela ayecabanga ngayo. Uthi: “Ngisesengumdala, ngangijayele  ukusebenzisa uHebheru 12:7 ukuze ngincede abanye bakubone ngendlela eqondileyo ukulaywa nguJehova. Sengimile ukuba ngumdala, ngazibuza ngathi: ‘Ngubani okumele alalele okutshiwo yivesi le?’ Yizinceku zikaJehova zonke okutsho lami.” Ngakho uBernardo waqalisa ukwenza izinto ezazimenza aphinde amthembe uJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe. Walibala kakhulu iBhayibhili, wacabangisisa okuzwayo ngalo. Lanxa wayekhathazeke ngokuthi abafowabo labodadewabo bambona njani, wayetshumayela labo futhi ephendula emihlanganweni yebandla. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uBernardo waphinda waba ngumdala. Nxa lawe ungalaywa njengoBernardo, ungakhathazeki kakhulu ngokuthi abantu bazathini. Yamukela ukulaywa, ulungisise lapho okumele ulungise khona. c (Zaga. 8:33; 22:4) Nxa ungenza njalo futhi ungamtshiyi uJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe, uzakubusisa.

10. Yiluphi utshintsho olwabakhona olwalungenza amanye ama-Israyeli angabi qotho?

¹⁰ Nxa kungaba lotshintsho enhlanganisweni kungabanzima ukuthi sihlale siqotho. Lokhu kungasehlukanisa loJehova nxa singananzeleli. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli engaphansi koMthetho kaMosi kwaba lotshintsho endleleni izinto ezazisenziwa ngayo. UJehova engakawaniki uMthetho izinhloko zezimuli zazisenza imisebenzi yabaphristi. Zazisakha ama-alithare zinikele imihlatshelo kuJehova zimele imuli zazo. (Gen. 8:20, 21; 12:7; 26:25; 35:1, 6, 7; Jobe. 1:5) Kodwa kwathi sekuloMthetho kaMosi izinhloko zezimuli zazingasavunyelwa ukwenza imisebenzi le. UJehova wakhetha abemuli ka-Aroni ukuthi babe ngabaphristi futhi kube yibo kuphela abanikela imihlatshelo. Nxa inhloko yemuli engayisiyo yemuli ka-Aroni yayingenza umsebenzi womphristi ngemva kotshintsho lolu yayingabulawa. d (Lev. 17:3-6, 8, 9) Kambe utshintsho lolu yilo olwenza uKhora loDathani lo-Abhiramu labakhokheli babantu abangu-250 bahlamukela uMosi lo-Aroni? (Nan. 16:1-3) Engxenye. Okusalayo yikuthi uKhora labangane bakhe abazange babeqotho kuJehova. Ungenzani nxa utshintsho olwenziwe enhlanganisweni lusenza kubenzima ukuthi uqhubeke uqotho?

11. Sifundani kumaKhohathi?

¹¹ Sekela loba yiluphi utshintsho olwenziwayo enhlanganisweni. Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ehamba enkangala amaKhohathi ayesenza umsebenzi oqakatheke kakhulu. Sonke isikhathi nxa ama-Israyeli ayesethutha, amanye amaKhohathi ayehamba ethwele ibhokisi lesivumelwano phambi kwabo bonke abantu. (Nan. 3:29, 31; 10:33; Josh. 3:2-4) Lesi kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu sibili. Kodwa ama-Israyeli athi eseseLizweni Lesithembiso izinto zatshintsha. Kwakungasadingeki ukuthi ibhokisi lesivumelwano libe lithwalwa zikhathi zonke. Ngesikhathi uSolomoni eseyinkosi amanye amaKhohathi aphiwa umsebenzi wokuba ngabahlabeleli, amanye aba ngabalindi bamagedi njalo amanye akhangela iziphala. (1 Imilan. 6:31-33; 26:1, 24) Akula lapho esithola khona kuthiwa amaKhohathi akhonona kumbe acela izikhundla eziphezulu ngenxa yomsebenzi ayewenza kuqala. Sifundani kulokhu? Sekela ngenhliziyo yonke loba yiluphi utshintsho olwenziwayo enhlanganisweni kaJehova lanxa kusitsho ukuthi umsebenzi obuwenza  uyatshintsha. Thokoza kungelani lokuthi yiwuphi umsebenzi owenzayo. Khumbula ukuthi umsebenzi owenzayo ayisiwo owenza uqakatheke kuJehova. Akuqakathekisa kakhulu yikulalela kwakho ukwedlula loba yiwuphi umsebenzi ongabe uwenza.​—1 Sam. 15:22.

12. UZaina wezwa njani lapho ephiwa omunye umsebenzi?

¹² Ake sixoxe ngodadewethu okuthiwa nguZaina owaphiwa omunye umsebenzi wasetshiya lowo ayewuthanda kakhulu. Waphiwa umsebenzi wokuba liphayona eliqakathekileyo esesebenze eBhetheli okweminyaka edlula engu-23. Uthi: “Lokhu kwangimangalisa kakhulu. Ngazibona ngingumuntu ongelancedo futhi ngangihlala ngizibuza ukuthi ‘Kanti ngiphambaniseni?’” Okudanisayo yikuthi abanye abafowethu labodadewethu ebandleni babemzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu besithi kuye, “Ngabe ubuwenza kuhle umsebenzi wakho inhlanganiso ibingasoze ithi uhambe.” UZaina wake wahlulukelwa okokuthi wayelala ekhala nsuku zonke. Kodwa uthi: “Angizange ngithandabuze ukuthi uJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe bayangithanda.” Kuyini okwanceda uZaina ukuthi asebenzise kuhle ingqondo yakhe?

13. Kuyini okwanceda uZaina?

¹³ UZaina wenelisa ukulwisana lemicabango eyayingamphambanisa. Kuyini okwamncedayo? Wabala izihloko ezazikhuluma ngohlupho lwakhe. Isihloko esikhuluma ngokudana esiku-Nqabayokulinda kaFebruary 1 2001 samnceda kakhulu. Isihloko lesi sikhuluma ngobunzima obuhambelana lobukaZaina okungenzakala ukuthi umlobi weBhayibhili uMakho waba phakathi kwabo ngesikhathi ephiwa eminye imisebenzi. UZaina uthi: “Okwenziwa nguMakho yikho kanye okwangincedayo ngesikhathi ngidanile.” UZaina kazange azehlukanise labangane bakhe loba abafowabo labodadewabo ebandleni njalo kazange ahlale esengohlulukelweyo. Wananzelela ukuthi inhlanganiso le ikhokhelwa ngumoya kaJehova ongcwele lokuthi abafowethu abakhokhelayo bayamthanda sibili. Wananzelela lokuthi okuqakatheke kakhulu enhlanganisweni kaJehova yikuthi umsebenzi wakhe uqhubekele phambili.

14. Yiluphi utshintsho uVlado athwala nzima ukulujayela njalo kuyini okwamncedayo?

¹⁴ UVlado umdala webandla oleminyaka engu-73 futhi ohlala eSlovenia wathwala nzima ngesikhathi ibandla ayekulo libanjaniswa lelinye njalo betshelwa ukuthi iWolu yabo  yoMbuso ingasasetshenziswa. Uthi: “Ngangizibuza ukuthi kanti vele ivalelwani iWolu yoMbuso enhle kangaka. Ngezwa ubuhlungu ngoba sasisanda kuyilungisisa iWolu yethu. Ngingumbazi futhi ngangibaze ezinye izinto ezazisetshenziswa kuleyoWolu. Kanti njalo ukubanjaniswa kwamabandla kwakungalula kithi esesibadala.” Kuyini okwanceda uVlado ukuthi asekele utshintsho lolu? Uthi: “UJehova kayekeli ukusibusisa nxa singahambisana lotshintsho oluyabe lwenziwe enhlanganisweni yakhe. Ukutshintshwa kwezinto khathesi kusilungiselela ukutshintsha kwezinto okukhulu okungabakhona esikhathini esizayo.” Ibandla obukulo libanjaniswe lelinye yini? Umsebenzi obuwenza utshintshile yini? Nxa kuyikuthi lokho kukuthwalisa nzima, qiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyayizwisisa indlela ozizwa ngayo. Uzakubusisa sibili nxa ungasekela utshintsho lolo njalo unamathele kuye lasenhlanganisweni yakhe.​—Hubo. 18:25.

15. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sisebenzisa kuhle ingqondo zethu nxa kungaba lokukuhluphayo ebandleni?

¹⁵ Zisazokubakhona inhlupho ebandleni njengoba umumo lo wezinto ususiya komlindi uyacina. Inhlupho lezi zingenza kubenzima ukuthi sibe qotho kuJehova. Yikho kumele sisebenzise kuhle ingqondo zethu. Ungahlali uzondile nxa omunye umKhristu angakuzwisa ubuhlungu. Nxa ungalaywa ungazihluphi kakhulu ngokuthi abantu bazakuthini, vuma ukulaywa njalo ulungisise lapho okumele ulungise khona. Nxa kungaba lotshintsho enhlanganisweni kaJehova, lwamukele ngenhliziyo yonke njalo ulandele loba yini eyabe itshiwo.

16. Ungenzani ukuze uqhubeke umthemba uJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe?

¹⁶ Ungenelisa ukuhlala umthemba uJehova kanye lenhlanganiso yakhe lanxa kungenzakala izinto ezenza kubenzima ukuthi ube qotho. Okuzakunceda yikusebenzisa kuhle ingqondo okutsho ukuthi uhlaliseke, ucabange kuhle futhi ubone izinto ngendlela kaJehova. Zimisele ukubala lokucabangisisa ngabantu okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhilini abenelisa ukumelana lenhlupho ezinjengalezo esixoxe ngazo. Thandaza kuJehova umcela ukuthi akuncedise. Ungaqali ukuzehlukanisa lebandla. Nxa ungakwenza konke lokhu uSathane kasoze wafa wakwehlukanisa loJehova lenhlanganiso yakhe.​—Jak. 4:7.