1. Kungani kungasimangalisi ukuthi abantu abasathembani?

 ABANTU emhlabeni kaSathane abasakwazi ukuthi bathembe bani. Bahlala bedaniswa ngabezokuthengiselana, abezombusazwe kanye labakhokheli benkolo. Kunzima lokuthi bathembe abangane, omakhelwane ngitsho lezihlobo. Lokhu akumelanga kusimangalise. IBhayibhili lathi: ‘Ezinsukwini zokucina abantu bazakuba ngabangathembekanga, labanyundiselayo labangabathengisi.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi abantu babezakuba njengonkulunkulu womumo lo wezinto ongeke athenjwe ngitsho lakancane.—2 Thim. 3:1-4; 2 Khor. 4:4.

2. (a) Ngubani esingamthemba ngenhliziyo yonke? (b) Kuyini abanye abazibuza khona?

² Thina amaKhristu siyamthemba uJehova ngenhliziyo zethu zonke. (Jer. 17:7, 8) Siyakwazi ukuthi uyasithanda njalo ‘kabafulatheli’ abangane bakhe. (Hubo. 9:10) Siyamthemba loKhristu uJesu ngoba wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuze kuncedwe thina. (1 Phet. 3:18) Kanti njalo sesizibonele ukuthi ukulandela lokho esikufunda eBhayibhilini kuyasinceda. (2 Thim. 3:16, 17) Singamthemba uJehova, uJesu kanye leBhayibhili. Kodwa abanye bangabe bezibuza ukuthi bangahlala bebathemba yini abafowethu labodadewethu ebandleni. Nxa kunjalo kungani kufanele sibathembe?

3. Yisiphi isibusiso esilaso? (UMakho 10:29, 30)

³ UJehova usikhethile ukuthi sibe yingxenye yemuli yakhe esemhlabeni wonke. Lesi yisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu njalo siyasinceda sibili. (Bala uMakho 10:29, 30.) Silabafowethu labodadewethu emhlabeni wonke abathanda uJehova njengathi futhi abasebenza nzima ukuze baphile belandela imithetho yakhe. Singabe sikhuluma indimi ezitshiyeneyo, silamasiko  atshiyeneyo futhi sigqoka ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo kodwa siyabathanda lanxa siyabe siqala ukuhlangana labo. Siyakukholisa ukuba ndawonye labo ukuze sidumise njalo sikhonze uBaba wethu osezulwini olothando.—Hubo. 133:1.

4. Kungani sibadinga abafowethu labodadewethu?

⁴ Khathesi yiso isikhathi sokuthi sihlale simanyene labafowethu labodadewethu. Bayasinceda nxa silenhlupho. (Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2) Bayasikhuthaza ukuthi sihlale sikhuthele emsebenzini kaJehova njalo sihlale silokholo oluqinileyo. (1 Thes. 5:11; Heb. 10:23-25) Akucabange ukuthi bekungaba nzima njani ukuzivikela kuSathane uDeveli kanye lomhlaba lo omubi aluba besingela bafowethu labodadewethu abasisekelayo. Sokuseduze ukuthi uSathane labantu bakhe bahlasele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Ngalesosikhathi sizabona ukuqakatheka kokuba labafowethu labodadewethu abasincedisayo.

5. Kuyini okungenza abanye bangabathembi abafowethu labodadewethu?

⁵ Kwabanye kunzima ukuthi bathembe abazalwane ngoba kungenzeka omunye umfowethu loba udadewethu kazange agcine imfihlo ayeyitsheliwe kumbe kenzanga lokho ayekuthembisile. Abanye bangabe bazwiswa ubuhlungu ngokwatshiwo loba kwenziwa ngomunye ebandleni. Konke lokhu kungenza kube nzima ukuthi sithembe abanye. Manje kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibathembe abafowethu labodadewethu?

6. Uthando lungasinceda njani ukuthi sibathembe abanye? (U-1 Khorinte 13:4-8)

⁶ Awungeke uthembe umuntu nxa ungamthandi. U-1 Khorinte isahluko 13 ukhuluma ngezinto ezitshiyeneyo ngothando ezingasinceda ukuthi sibathembe abanye lokuthi siphinde sibathembe nxa besidanisile. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 13:4-8.) Uvesi 4  uthi “uthando luyabekezela njalo lulomusa.” UJehova uyasibekezelela lanxa simonela. Yikho lathi kumele sibabekezelele abafowethu nxa bekhuluma loba besenza izinto ezisizwisa ubuhlungu. Uvesi 5 uthi: ‘[Uthando] alucaphuki njalo alugcini izikhwili.’ Yikho asifuni ‘ukugcina izikhwili’ sisenzela ukuthi kusasa siphinde sibathonisise abazalwane. UmTshumayeli 7:9 uthi akumelanga ‘siphangise ukuzonda.’ Okungasinceda yikulalela lokho esikutshelwa ku-Efesu 4:26 othi: “Thukuthelani kodwa lingoni, ilanga kalingatshoni lilokhu lizondile.”

7. Okutshiwo kuMathewu 7:1-5 kusinceda njani ukuthi sibathembe abanye?

⁷ Okunye okungasinceda ukuthi sibathembe abafowethu labodadewethu yikubabona ngendlela uJehova ababona ngayo. UNkulunkulu uyabathanda futhi kahlali ekhumbula izono zabo. Lathi kumele simlingisele. (Hubo. 130:3) Kulokuthi sihlale silandelela amaphutha abo kumele sizame ukunanzelela okuhle abakwenzayo kanye lokuhle abangakwenza. (Bala uMathewu 7:1-5.) Silethemba lokuthi bafisa ukwenza izinto ezinhle ngoba uthando “luthemba zonke izinto.” (1 Khor. 13:7) Amazwi la awatsho ukuthi uJehova ukhangelele ukuthi siphonguthemba wonke umuntu nje kodwa atsho ukuthi kufanele sithembe labo abatshengise ukuthi singabathemba. *

8. Kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ubathembe abazalwane?

⁸ Kungathatha isikhathi ukuthi sithembe umuntu futhi kungadingeka ukuthi enze okuthile ukuze simthembe. Kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ubathembe abazalwane? Zama ukubazi ngcono, uxoxe labo emihlanganweni yebandla futhi uhlele ukuhamba labo ekutshumayeleni. Babekezelele njalo ubanike ithuba lokuthi batshengise ukuthi ungabathemba. Nxa usaqalisa ukumazi umuntu ungakhetha ukuthi ungamtsheli imfihlo yakho yonke. Nxa lilokhu lijayelana ungazizwa usukhululekile ukumtshela indlela ozizwa ngayo. (Luk. 16:10) Kodwa kumele wenzeni nxa umfowethu engenza okuthile okwenza ungasamthembi? Ungaphangisi ukuqeda ubungane benu kodwa qala ulinde ubone ukuthi indaba yakhona izahamba njani. Kanti njalo akumelanga uvumele okwenziwa ngabanye kukwenze ucine ungasathembi bonke abazalwane. Ake sixoxeni ngezinye izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo ezake zadaniswa kodwa zaqhubeka zibathemba abanye.

9. (a) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uHana waqhubeka emthemba uJehova kungelani lokuthi ezinye izinceku zakhe zaziphambanisa? (b) Okwenzakala kuHana kukufundisani ngokuthemba indlela uJehova ahlele ngayo izinto? (Khangela umfanekiso.)

⁹ Sewake wadaniswa ngumzalwane okhokhelayo ebandleni? Nxa kunjalo, okwenziwa nguHana kungakunceda. UMphristi Omkhulu u-Eli nguye owayekhokhela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekukhonzeni ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa imuli yakhe yayingenzi kuhle ekukhonzeni. Amadodana akhe ayesebenza ethabanikeli ayesenza izinto ezenyanyekayo, efeba ethabanikeli. Kodwa uyise kazange awakhuze. UJehova kazange ahle akhiphe u-Eli esikhundleni sakhe. Kodwa uHana kazange ayekele ukulandela uhlelo lokukhonza olwalubekwe nguJehova uNkulunkulu  ethabanikeli lanxa u-Eli wayelokhu engumphristi omkhulu. Ngelinye ilanga uHana wayethandaza esebuhlungwini waze wathembisa uJehova ukuthi nxa engaba lendodana wayezayihambisa ethabanikeli. Kodwa u-Eli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe. Kulokuthi aqale abuze wamsola kakhulu umama lo owayedabukile. (1 Sam. 1:12-16) Lanxa kunjalo uHana wayezimisele ukugcina isithembiso ayesenzile lanxa lokho kwakusitsho ukuthi indodana yakhe yayizasebenza ikhokhelwa ngu-Eli. (1 Sam. 1:11) Indaba yamadodana ka-Eli yayidinga ukulungiswa yini? Ye, futhi uJehova wakwenza lokhu ngesikhathi esifaneleyo. (1 Sam. 4:17) Kanti njalo wanika uHana indodana eyaphiwa ibizo elithi Samuyeli.—1 Sam. 1:17-20.

10. Lanxa uDavida wadaniswa ngabantu ayebathemba watshengisa njani ukuthi wayelokhu ebathemba abanye?

¹⁰ Sewake walahliswa ngumngane omthandayo yini? Nxa kunjalo cabanga ngokwenzakala eNkosini uDavida. Wayelomngane okwakuthiwa ngu-Ahithofeli. Kodwa kwathi indodana yakhe u-Absalomu izama ukumthathela ubukhosi, u-Ahithofeli wahlamuka lo-Absalomu. Kumele ukuthi uDavida wezwa ubuhlungu ngokuhlamukelwa yindodana yakhe kanye lomuntu ayecabanga ukuthi ngumngane wakhe. Kodwa uDavida kazange avumele ukuthi lokhu kumenze angasabathembi abanye. Waqhubeka ethemba omunye umngane wakhe okwakuthiwa nguHushayi ongazange abambane labahlamuki. Kwakuqondile sibili ukuthi uDavida amthembe uHushayi ngoba watshengisa ukuthi ungumngane oqotho waze wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze ancede uDavida.—2 Sam. 17:1-16.

11. Inceku kaNabhali yatshengisa njani ukuthi iyabathemba abanye?

¹¹ Eyinye inceku kaNabhali layo yatshengisa ukuthi iyabathemba abanye. UDavida lamadoda ayelawo batshengisa umusa ngokuvikela izinceku zeyinye indoda engum-Israyeli okwakuthiwa nguNabhali. Ngokuya kwesikhathi uDavida wacela uNabhali owayenothile ukuthi anike yena lamadoda ayelawo ukudla. UDavida wathi esizwa ukuthi uNabhali walile ukubanika ukudla, wazonda wafuna ukuyabulala wonke amadoda ayehlala endlini  kaNabhali. Eyinye inceku eyayilapho yatshela inkosikazi kaNabhali, u-Abhigeli lokho okwakwenzakele. Njengoba layo yayihlala endlini kaNabhali yayikwazi ukuthi u-Abhigeli nguye owayengabanceda. Kulokuthi ibaleke yamthemba u-Abhigeli ukuthi uzalungisa uhlupho olwaselukhona. Yayimthemba ngoba u-Abhigeli wayesaziwa ngokuthi uhlakaniphile. Isiphetho sendaba le sitshengisa ukuthi kwakuqondile ukuthi imthembe. U-Abhigeli waba lesibindi njalo wancedisa uDavida ukuthi angenzi lokho ayesekuhlosile. (1 Sam. 25:2-35) Wayethemba ukuthi uDavida uzakwenza okuqondileyo.

12. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJesu wayebathemba abafundi bakhe lanxa babephambanisa?

¹² UJesu wayebathemba abafundi bakhe lanxa babewenza amaphutha. (Joh. 15:15, 16) Ngesikhathi uJakhobe loJohane becela izikhundla eMbusweni uJesu kazange asole inhloso zabo zokukhonza uJehova futhi baqhubeka bengabaphostoli bakhe. (Mak. 10:35-40) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abafundi bakhe bonke bamtshiya ngobusuku abotshwa ngabo. (Mat. 26:56) Kodwa uJesu waqhubeka ebathemba. Wayewazi kuhle amaphutha abo kodwa “waqhubeka ebathanda kwaze kwaba sekucineni.” (Joh. 13:1) Esevusiwe uJesu wanika abafundi bakhe abangu-11 umsebenzi omkhulu wokukhokhela emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi lowokunakekela izimvu zakhe. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Joh. 21:15-17) Kwakuqondile sibili ukuthi awathembe amadoda la ayelesono. Phela aqhubeka ethembekile kuJehova aze aqeda inkonzo yawo yasemhlabeni. Okwenziwa nguHana, uDavida, inceku kaNabhali, u-Abhigeli kanye loJesu kutshengisa ukuthi singabathemba abantu abalesono.      

13. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi sithembe abanye?

¹³ Sewake watshela umzalwane imfihlo yena waseyitshela omunye? Kubuhlungu kakhulu lokho. Omunye udade wake watshela umdala webandla indaba ethile ecabanga ukuthi kasoze atshele muntu. Ngelanga elilandelayo wamangala inkosikazi yalowomdala isimfonela imkhuthaza. Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi udadewethu angasamthembi umzalwane lo. Kodwa waya komunye umdala owamnceda ukuthi aphinde abathembe abadala.

14. Kuyini okwanceda omunye umfowethu ukuthi acine esebathemba abadala ayengasabathembi?

¹⁴ Kwasokulesikhathi eside omunye umzalwane ezondele abadala ababili ayecabanga ukuthi ngeke aphinde abathembe. Kodwa wakhumbula amazwi ayekhulunywe ngomunye umzalwane amhloniphayo. Umzalwane lo wayethe: “USathane nguye isitha sethu hatshi abafowethu.” La kwakungamazwi alula kodwa alamandla. Umfowethu lo wacabangisisa ngamazwi la futhi wathandaza ngendaba le. Lokhu kwamnceda ukuthi acine esebathemba abadala laba ababili.

15. Kungani kungathatha isikhathi ukuthi uphinde uthembe umuntu? Nika isibonelo.

¹⁵ Sewake wamiswa yini ukwenza umsebenzi othile owawuwenza enhlanganisweni? Kubuhlungu lokho. UGrete lonina babengoFakazi abathembekileyo ababehlala eGermany eyayibuswa ngamaNazi ngabo-1930. Ngalesosikhathi umsebenzi wethu wawungavunyelwa elizweni lelo. UGrete wayethayipha inqabazokulinda ezaziphiwa abafowethu labodadewethu. Abazalwane bathi sebezwe ukuthi uyise kaGrete wayengabathandi oFakazi bamcela ukuthi ayekele  ukwenza umsebenzi lo ngoba besesaba ukuthi uyise uzathengisa ibandla kuziphathamandla. Ubunzima obehlela uGrete abuzange buphelele khonapho. Ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili abafowethu babencitsha uGrete lonina omagazini futhi bengabakhulumisi nxa behlangana labo emgwaqweni. Lokhu kwakubuhlungu kakhulu okokuthi kwathatha isikhathi eside ukuthi uGrete aphinde abaxolele njalo abathembe abazalwane laba. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wananzelela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi uJehova wayesebaxolele futhi laye kwasekumele abaxolele. *

16. Kungani kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze sibathembe abafowethu labodadewethu?

¹⁶ Nxa wake wadaniswa ngabanye abazalwane zama ukuphinda ubathembe. Kungathatha isikhathi sibili kodwa awusoze uzisole ngokwenza njalo. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa wake wadla ukudla okwakugulisayo akutsho ukuthi awusaphindi udle kodwa uyaqalisa ukunanzelela okudlayo. Ngendlela efananayo nxa singaphathwa kubi ngomunye akumelanga sihle siyekele ukuthemba abazalwane bonke thina sikwazi ukuthi balesono. Nxa singaphinda sibathembe abazalwane sizathokoza njalo kuzabalula ukuthi sicabange ngokuthi singenzani ukuze sithembane ebandleni.

17. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sibathembe abanye futhi sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Ukuthembana kuyimvelakancane emhlabeni kaSathane. Kodwa oFakazi bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bayathembana ngoba balothando. Ukuthembana kwenza sithokoze njalo simanyane futhi kuzasivikela ngezikhathi ezinzima ezizayo. Nxa ulahliswe ngumuntu obumthemba ke? Zama ukubona indaba yakhona ngendlela uJehova ayibona ngayo, usebenzise izimiso eziseBhayibhilini, ufunde ukuthanda abafowethu labodadewethu njalo ulingisele izibonelo zabantu abaseBhayibhilini. Nxa ungenza njalo ungenelisa ukuthethelela labo abakuzwisa ubuhlungu futhi uphinde ubathembe. Lokhu kuzakwenza uthole abangane abanengi abazakuba “qotho kuwe ukwedlula umfowenu.” (Zaga. 18:24) Kodwa endabeni yokuthembana singathi ikhotha eyikhothayo. Yikho esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi singenzani ukuze abafowethu basithembe.