1. Kungani abantu abakhonza uJehova bethokoza? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

OFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA ngabantu abathokozayo sibili. Nxa bendawonye emihlanganweni yabo yebandla leyeziqinti loba bezikwejisele nje bayabe bezixoxela behleka futhi bekholisa. Kungani behlala bethokoza? Isizatho esikhulu yikuthi bayamazi ‘uNkulunkulu othokozayo’ futhi bayamkhonza njalo bazame lokumlingisela. (1 Tim. 1:11, NW; Hubo. 16:11) UJehova uyathokoza futhi ufuna lathi sithokoze, yikho esipha izinto ezinengi ezenza ukuthi sijabule.​—Dute. 12:7; UmTshu. 3:12, 13.

2, 3. (a) Kutshoni ukuthokoza? (b) Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi sihlale sithokoza?

² Wena uyathokoza yini? Ungenzani ukuze uthokoze kakhulu? Kanti vele kutshoni ukuthokoza? Ukuthokoza yikuzizwa uchelesile enhliziyweni, usuthiseka futhi ujabula kakhulu njalo ulesifiso sokuthi leyonjabulo ingapheli. IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi abantu ababusiswe nguJehova yibo abalentokozo yeqiniso. Kodwa emhlabeni lo kunzima ukuthi sihlale sithokoza.

³ Kulezinto ezinengi ezisikhathazayo ezingenza singathokozi.  Ngokwesibonelo, siyafelwa ngabantu esibathandayo. Abanye bayasuswa ebandleni loba bachithekelwe yimitshado kumbe baphelelwe yimisebenzi. Kanti njalo kuba nzima ukuthi sithokoze nxa kulezingxabano ngekhaya loba nxa esisebenza labo kumbe esifunda labo behlala besichothoza. Kwezinye izikhathi siyahlukuluzwa futhi sibotshwe ngenxa yokuthi sikhonza uJehova. Ukuguga lokuhlala sigula loba ukuhlulukelwa lakho kungenza singathokozi. Lanxa kunjalo uJesu Khristu, “Lowo Olamandla futhi othokozayo,” uzimisele ukusiduduza ukuze sihlale sithokoza. (1 Tim. 6:15, NW; Mat. 11:28-30) ENtshumayelweni Yasentabeni uJesu wachasisa ukuthi kumele sibe ngabantu abanjani ukuze sithokoze lanxa siphila emhlabeni lo ogcwele izinhlupho njalo obuswa nguSathane.

4, 5. Singenzani ukuze sihlale sithokoza?

⁴ ENtshumayelweni Yasentabeni uJesu waqala ngokukhuluma ngento eqakatheke kulazo zonke engenza sithokoze. Wathi: “Bayathokoza abakunanzelelayo ukuthi kumele bakhokhelwe nguNkulunkulu, ngoba uMbuso wezulu ngowabo.” (Mat. 5:3, NW) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sifuna ukukhokhelwa nguNkulunkulu? Singakwenza ngokubala iBhayibhili lokulalela imilayo yakhe kanye lokuqakathekisa ukukhonza ukwedlula loba yini. Nxa singenza njalo, sizathokoza kakhulu futhi kasisoze sithandabuze ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zizagcwaliseka. Kanti njalo “ithemba elibusisiweyo” loba elithokozisayo esilithola eLizwini likaNkulunkulu lizasenza siqinisele nxa singehlelwa yibunzima.​—Tit. 2:13.

⁵ Nxa sifuna ukuhlala sithokoza kumele siqhubeke siqinisa ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. Umphostoli uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi alobe amazwi la athi: “Thokozani eNkosini [uJehova] kokuphela. Ngiyatsho futhi ngithi: Thokozani!” (Flp. 4:4) Ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuJehova kuyasinceda ukuthi sibe ngabangane bakhe abaseduze. Yikho iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lisithi: “[Uyathokoza] umuntu ozuza ukuhlakanipha, umuntu ozuza ukuqedisisa. Kuyisihlahla sokuphila kulabo abakwamukelayo; labo abakuphathayo bazabusiswa.”​—Zaga. 3:13, 18.

6. Kuyini okunye okungenza ukuthi sihlale sithokoza?

⁶ Nxa sifuna ukuhlala sithokoza akumelanga sibale iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kuphela kodwa kumele sikusebenzise lokho esikubalayo. UJesu watshengisa ukuthi lokhu kuqakathekile lapho esithi: “Nxa lizazi izinto lezi lizathokoza lingazenza.” (Joh. 13:17, NW; bala uJakhobe 1:25.) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sisebenzise esikufundayo ngoba singenza njalo uNkulunkulu uzaqhubeka esikhokhela njalo sizahlala sithokoza. Kodwa singathokoza njani thina siphila emhlabeni ogcwele izinto ezisiqeda injabulo? Ake sihlole okunye uJesu akhuluma ngakho eNtshumayelweni Yasentabeni.

7. Kungenzakala njani ukuthi abakhalayo bathokoze?

⁷ Bayathokoza “labo abakhalayo ngoba bazaduduzwa.” (Mat. 5:4) Kodwa abanye bangazibuza ukuthi, ‘Umuntu angathokoza njani yena ekhala?’ UJesu wayengakhulumi ngabo bonke abakhalayo. Labantu abenza izinto ezimbi bayakhala ngenxa yokuthi siphila ‘ezikhathini ezinzima.’ (2 Tim. 3:1) Lanxa kunjalo ukukhala kwabo akubasondezi eduze kukaJehova yikho bengathokozi. Ngakho uJesu  wayekhuluma ngabantu abakunanzelelayo ukuthi kumele bakhokhelwe nguNkulunkulu. Bayakhala ngoba babona abantu abanengi bengelandaba loNkulunkulu futhi besenza izinto uNkulunkulu angazifuniyo. Bayakwazi lokuthi balesono njalo bayazibona izinto ezimbi ezenzakala emhlabeni. UJehova ulendaba labo futhi uyabaduduza esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe njalo ubenza baphile impilo ethokozisayo.​—Bala uHezekheli 5:11; 9:4.

8. Chasisa ukuthi ukuba mnene kungenza njani ukuthi sithokoze.

⁸ “Bayathokoza abamnene, ngoba bazakudla ilifa lomhlaba.” (Mat. 5:5, NW) Ukuba mnene kungenza umuntu athokoze. Ngokwesibonelo abanye bengakafundi iBhayibhili babengahloniphi futhi bethanda ukulwa. Lokhu kwakusenza ukuthi bahlale belezinhlupho ezinengi. Kodwa bathe sebefunde iqiniso bantshintsha bagqoka ubuntu obutsha. Khathesi ‘sebelesihawu, umusa, ukuzithoba, ubumnene kanye lokubekezela.’ (Kol. 3:9-12) Lokhu sekwenze ukuthi babe lokuthula kanye lobudlelwano obuhle labanye futhi bathokoze. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithembisa ukuthi abantu abanjalo “bazazuza ilifa lelizwe.”​—Hubo. 37:8-10, 29.

9. (a) Abamnene bazalidla njani “ilifa lomhlaba”? (b) Kungani bethokoza labo ‘abalambele futhi abomele ukulunga’?

⁹ Abamnene bazalidla njani “ilifa lomhlaba”? Abagcotshiweyo bazakudla ilifa lomhlaba nxa sebewubusa bengamakhosi labaphristi ezulwini. (Isam. 20:6) Abantu abanengi abangelathemba lokuya ezulwini bona bazakudla ilifa lomhlaba lapho bephiwa isibusiso sokuphila phakade emhlabeni olokuthula. Bayabe bethokoza njalo bengaselasono. Abagcotshiweyo lalabo abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni yibo uJesu aphinda athi bayathokoza ngoba ‘balambele futhi bomele ukulunga.’ (Mat. 5:6) Ukulunga abakulambeleyo njalo abakomeleyo bazakuthola emhlabeni omutsha lapho uNkulunkulu eseqede bonke ububi. (2 Phet. 3:13) Lapho-ke abalungileyo bazathokoza futhi kabasoze baphinde bakhaliswe yibubi obenziwa ngabantu ababi.—Hubo. 37:17.

10. Kutshoni ukuba lesihawu?

¹⁰ Bayathokoza “abalesihawu, ngoba bazakwenzelwa isihawu.” (Mat. 5:7) Ibala lesiHebheru eliyisenzo elihunyutshwa ngokuthi isihawu litsho ‘ukuba lozwelo kanye lesisa,’ lelesiGrikhi litsho ukuzwisisa ubuhlungu omunye umuntu akubo. Kodwa ukuba lesihawu akupheleli enhliziyweni kuphela. IBhayibhili lisifundisa ukuthi ukuba lesihawu kutsho lokwenza okuthile ukuze usize omunye.

11. Sifundani emzekelisweni womSamariya olesihawu?

¹¹ Bala uLukha 10:30-37. Umzekeliso kaJesu womSamariya olesihawu uyakucacisa ukuthi kutshoni ukuba lesihawu. UmSamariya wathi esebone indoda eyayilimele wayizwela usizi futhi lokhu kwenza ukuthi ayincede. Ngemva kokulandisa umzekeliso lo uJesu wathi: “Hamba wenze njalo.” Yikho kumele lathi sizibuze imibuzo le ethi: ‘Mina ngenza njalo yini? Ngiyakwenza yini lokho okwenziwa ngumSamariya olesihawu? Ngingatshengisa njani ukuthi ngilesihawu futhi ngingabenzelani abahluphekayo ukuze kukhanye ukuthi ngiyabazwela? Ngokwesibonelo, ngingenzani ukuze ngisize abafowethu labodadewethu asebekhulile kumbe abangabafelokazi kanye labantwana abalabazali abangamkhonziyo uJehova? Ngingabaqinisa njani abahlulukelweyo?’​—1 Thes. 5:14; Jak. 1:27.

12. Ukuba lesihawu kuyiletha njani intokozo?

¹² Ukuba lesihawu kuyiletha njani intokozo? Nxa singenzela abanye isihawu  siyathokoza ngenxa yokuthi siyabe sisipha, futhi okuhle kakhulu yikuthi siyabe sithokozisa uJehova. (ImiSeb. 20:35; bala uHebheru 13:16.) INkosi uDavida yaveza ukuthi uJehova uyambusisa umuntu olesihawu, yathi: “UJehova uzamvikela alondoloze impilo yakhe; uzambusisa phakathi kwelizwe.” (Hubo. 41:1, 2) Nxa singaba lesihawu kwabanye, uJehova laye uzakuba lesihawu kithi njalo lokho kuzasenza sihlale sithokoza.—Jak. 2:13.

13, 14. Kungani “abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni” bethokoza?

¹³ UJesu wathi bayathokoza “abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni ngoba bazabona uNkulunkulu.” (Mat. 5:8) Nxa sifuna ukuba lenhliziyo ehlanzekileyo kumele imicabango yethu lezifiso zethu kuhlanzeke njalo kube msulwa. Lokhu kuqakathekile ngoba yikho okwenza ukuthi uJehova ayamukele inkonzo esimenzela yona.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 4:2; 1 Tim. 1:5.

¹⁴ Abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni bangaba lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova. ILizwi lakhe lithi: “Bayathokoza abagezisa izembatho zabo.” (Isam. 22:14, NW) Kutshoni ukuthi ‘bazigezisa izembatho zabo?’ Kwabagcotshiweyo kutsho ukuthi bahlanzekile emehlweni kaJehova futhi uzabapha isibusiso sokuhlala ezulwini bengafi. Bazathokoza kuze kube nini lanini. Labexuku elikhulu abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni ‘bayazigezisa izembatho zabo,’ okutsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabavumela ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe ngoba ubabona belungile. Khathesi ‘bagezisa izembatho zabo egazini leWundlu bazenze zibe mhlophe.’​—Isam. 7:9, 13, 14.

15, 16. Kutshoni ukuthi abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni “bazabona uNkulunkulu”?

¹⁵ Kodwa kutshoni ukuthi abahlanzekileyo enhliziyweni “bazabona uNkulunkulu” njengoba ‘engekho ongambona aphile?’ (Eks. 33:20) Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “bazabona” litsho “lokubona ngelihlo lengqondo, ukuzwisisa lokwazi.” Yikho labo ababona uNkulunkulu ‘ngamehlo ezinhliziyo’ yilabo abamazi mhlophe futhi abathanda ubuntu bakhe. (Efe. 1:18) Ubuntu bukaJesu babufanana xathu lobukaNkulunkulu, yikho wathi: “Lowo ongibonileyo usembonile uBaba.”​—Joh. 14:7-9.

¹⁶ Enye indlela esingambona ngayo uNkulunkulu yikukhangela lokho asenzela khona empilweni zethu. (Jobe. 42:5) Kanti njalo ‘amehlo ezinhliziyo zethu’ siwakhangelisa ezithembisweni ezinhle uNkulunkulu azazinika labo abazimisele ukuhlala behlanzekile futhi bemkhonza bethembekile. Abagcotshiweyo bona bazambona mathupha uJehova  nxa sebevusiwe bayaphila ezulwini.​—1 Joh. 3:2.

17. Kungani abalamulayo bethokoza?

¹⁷ UJesu waphinda wathi bayathokoza “abalamulayo.” (Mat. 5:9) Abalamulayo kumbe abenza ukuthi kube lokuthula bayathokoza kakhulu. Umfundi uJakhobe wabhala wathi: “Abalamuli abahlanyela ukuthula bathola isivuno sokulunga.” (Jak. 3:18) Nxa ekhona esingazwanani laye ebandleni loba emulini, singacela uNkulunkulu ukuthi asincedise sibhule umlilo ukuze kube lokuthula. Singenza njalo umoya ongcwele kaJehova uzasisiza ukuthi sibe lobuntu obuhle futhi sithokoze. UJesu wagcizelela ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi kube yithi esihamba siyekhulumisana lomfowethu ukuze kube lokuthula. Wathi: “Ngakho-ke uma uletha umnikelo wakho e-alithareni ubusukhumbula ukuthi umfowenu ulesikhwili lawe, tshiya khonapho isipho sakho phambi kwe-alithare. Qala uyexolisana laye umfowenu anduba ubuye uzokupha umnikelo wakho.”​—Mat. 5:23, 24.

18, 19. Kungani amaKhristu ethokoza lanxa ehlukuluzwa?

¹⁸ Liyathokoza “lina nxa abantu belithuka, belihlukumeza njalo beligcona ngobubi bonke ngenxa yami.” UJesu wayesitshoni lapha? Waqhubeka wathi: “Thokozani lijabule ngokuba mkhulu umvuzo wenu ezulwini, ngoba bahlukunyezwa ngaleyondlela abaphrofethi ababephambi kwenu.” (Mat. 5:11, 12) Ngesinye isikhathi abaphostoli batshaywa batshelwa lokuthi bangasatshumayeli kodwa “basuka eSanihedrini bethokoza.” Kayisikho ukuthi babekukholisa ukutshaywa kodwa babethokoziswa yikuthi “basebebonakalisile ukuthi babengalimela ihlazo lokulihluphekela iBizo [likaJesu].”​—ImiSeb. 5:41.

¹⁹ Lalamuhla siyabekezela ngentokozo nxa sisehlelwa yibunzima kumbe sihlutshwa ngenxa yebizo likaJesu. (Bala uJakhobe 1:2-4.) Lathi kasikholisi nxa sihlutshwa. Kodwa nxa singahlala sithembekile, uJehova uzasinika amandla okubekezelela loba yibuphi ubunzima obusehlelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-August 1944 iziphathamandla zombuso onguntandokayiphikiswa zahambisa uMfowethu uHenryk Dornik lomfowabo enkambeni yezibotshwa ukuze bayehlukuluzwa. Kodwa iziphathamandla lezi zathi: “Abantu laba kabalulahli ukholo lwabo loba ungaze wenzeni. Bazimisele ukulufela futhi kuyabathokozisa ukwenza njalo.” UMfowethu uDornik yena wathi: “Lanxa ngangingakufisi ukuba ngumfelukholo, okwakungithokozisa yikuthi ngaba lesibindi futhi ngaqhubeka ngithembekile kuJehova ngesikhathi ngihlutshwa. . . . Ukuthandaza ngenhliziyo yonke kuJehova kwangenza ngasondela kakhulu kuye futhi wangincedisa kakhulu.”

20. Kungani kusithokozisa ukukhonza ‘uNkulunkulu othokozayo’?

²⁰ UJehova ‘uNkulunkulu othokozayo’ uyajabula nxa ebona lokho esimenzela khona, yikho lathi sithokoza lanxa sihlukuluzwa, siphikiswa emulini, sigula kumbe sithwele nzima ngenxa yokuguga. (1 Tim. 1:11, NW) Okunye okusithokozisayo yikwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu “ongaqambi manga” uzazigcwalisa zonke izithembiso zakhe. (Tit. 1:2) Nxa uJehova esekwenzile lokhu, asisoze sizikhumbule zonke inhlupho esizibona lamuhla. Kasingeke sizibale siziqede izibusiso esizazithola ePharadayisi! Sizathokoza okwamagama futhi sizakholisa “ukuthula okukhulu.”​—Hubo. 37:11.