1. UPhawuli wabatshelani labo ababekhuthele ekukhonzeni uJehova?

 UMPHOSTOLI uPhawuli wayebakhumbula ababesebenza gadalala emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Wabhala wathi: “Siyawukhumbula kokuphela phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu uBaba umsebenzi wenu ongenxa yokukholwa, lokusebenza kwenu okufuqwa luthando, kanye lokubekezela kwenu okufunzelelwa yikuthemba eNkosini uJesu Khristu.” (1 Thes. 1:3) UJehova laye uyayikhumbula imisebenzi eyenziwa ngabantu bakhe abathembekileyo abafuqwa luthando, kungelani lokuthi bayenelisa ukwenza okunengi kumbe hatshi.​—Heb. 6:10.

2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

² Abafowethu labodadewethu batshiya izinto ezinengi kakhulu ukuze bakhonze uJehova enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Lasendulo abanengi babekwenza lokhu. Ake sikhangele ukuthi babekwenza njani ekhulwini lokuqala. Sizahlolisisa leminye imisebenzi etshiyeneyo eyenziwa ngabasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo lamuhla njalo sizabona lokuthi singabakhumbula njani abafowethu labodadewethu laba abazinikele ukwenza imisebenzi le eqakathekileyo.

3, 4. (a) Yiyiphi imisebenzi yenkonzo eyayisenziwa ngabanye ekhulwini lokuqala? (b) Babekuthola njani okokuziphilisa?

³ UJesu wathi esanda kubhaphathizwa wahle waqalisa umsebenzi  wokutshumayela owawuzacina ususenziwa emhlabeni wonke. (Luk. 3:21-23; 4:14, 15, 43) Ngemva kokufa kwakhe, abaphostoli yibo abasebekhokhela ukuze umsebenzi lo uqhubekele phambili njalo ufike lakwezinye izindawo. (ImiSeb. 5:42; 6:7) EPalestine amanye amaKhristu ayengabavangeli njalo amanye ayengabanali. UFiliphu wayengomunye wabo. (ImiSeb. 8:5, 40; 21:8) UPhawuli labanye bahamba bayatshumayela kwezinye izindawo ezikhatshana. (ImiSeb. 13:2-4; 14:26; 2 Khor. 1:19) Kanti njalo abanye babengabalobi futhi abanye bengomabhalane. USila, uMakho kanye loLukha ngabanye bakhona. (1 Phet. 5:12) Labodadewethu abangamaKhristu babesebenza kanye labafowethu laba abathembekileyo. (ImiSeb. 18:26; Rom. 16:1, 2) Izindaba ezimnandi eziphathelane lamaKhristu la zenza ukuthi iMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGiriki ihlabuse nxa siyibala njalo zitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyazikhumbula izinceku zakhe.

⁴ AmaKhristu ayesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo ayeyithola ngaphi imali lokunye okokuziphilisa? Kwezinye izikhathi ayemenywa ezindlini zamanye amaKhristu kumbe aphiwe okunye nje. Lanxa kunjalo ayengabambi muntu ngamandla ukuthi awancedise. (1 Khor. 9:11-15) Abanye abazalwane kanye lamabandla babezinikela ukuthi bawancede. (Bala imiSebenzi 16:14, 15; KwabaseFiliphi 4:15-18.) UPhawuli kanye layehamba labo babesenza imisebenzi ethile yokuziphilisa ukuze bazinakekele.

5. Ithini enye imuli ngokuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo?

⁵ Lalamuhla abanengi basebenza gadalala besenza imisebenzi etshiyeneyo enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcweleyo Lamuhla.”) Bathini ngomsebenzi lo abawukhethayo? Nxa ungababuza bangakutshela okuthile okungakunceda kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo omunye umfowethu waba liphayona lesikhathi sonke, waba liphayona eliqakathekileyo, waphinda waba ngumnali, wasesiyasebenza eBhetheli kwelinye ilizwe. Uthi: “Ukuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo ngikubona kuyinto enhle kulazo zonke engangingazikhetha empilweni. Ngathi ngileminyaka engu-18 kwakumele ngikhethe ukuthi ngizaya eyunivesithi yini, ngizadinga umsebenzi kumbe ngizaphayona, njalo lokhu kwakunzima. Esengihlangane lakho empilweni kungenze ngabona ukuthi uJehova kakukhohlwa ukuzidela esikwenzayo ukuze sibe senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Aluba ngakhetha ukwenza omunye umsebenzi nje, bengingasoze ngenelise ukusebenzisa iziphiwo zami ngendlela engizisebenzisa ngayo.” Umkakhe yena uthi: “Yonke imisebenzi engiyiphiwayo ingincede ukuthi ngithuthuke. Sikubonile ngawethu ukuthi uJehova uyasivikela njalo uyasiqondisa kanenginengi. Besingeke sikubone lokhu aluba asikhethanga ukwenza okunengi emsebenzini wakhe. Ngimbonga nsuku zonke uJehova ngokuthi sisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo.” Lawe uyafisa yini ukuthi impilo yakho ibe mnandi njengeyemuli le?

6. UJehova ukubona njani lokho esimenzela khona enkonzweni?

⁶ Kunzima ukuthi abanye bangene enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo ngenxa yezizathu ezitshiyeneyo. Lanxa kunjalo, kasithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyawuqakathekisa wonke umsebenzi abawenza ngenhliziyo yonke. Cabanga ngalabo uPhawuli akhuluma ngabo kuFilimoni 1-3 kanye labo bonke ababesebandleni leKholose. (Bala.) UPhawuli wayebaqakathekisa kakhulu njalo lakuJehova babeligugu. Yikho-ke kuyakhanya ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyakuqakathekisa lokho esikwenzayo enkonzweni. Kodwa ungabanceda njani labo abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo?

7, 8. Kuyini okwenziwa ngamaphayona, njalo abanye ebandleni bangawasiza njani?

⁷ Ngekhulu lokuqala abavangeli babebakhuthaza kakhulu labo ababengena labo emabandleni.  Yikho kanye okwenziwa ngamaphayona akhutheleyo lamuhla. Amanengi azimisele ukutshumayela amahola angu-70 ngenyanga. Singawasiza njani?

⁸ Omunye udadewethu oliphayona okuthiwa nguShari wathi: “Amaphayona akhanya eqine saka ngenxa yokuthi ahamba kokuphela ekutshumayeleni, kodwa lawo ayakufuna ukukhuthazwa.” (Rom. 1:11, 12) Kanti njalo omunye udadewethu owake waba liphayona okweminyaka ethile wathi amaphayona asebandleni angena kulo asebenza gadalala liphuma lize liyetshona. Waphinda wathi nxa abanye bewanxusa ukuthi azokudla labo, bewanika imali yokugada kumbe eyokuthi enze okunye nje, ayabonga kakhulu njalo ahle abone ukuthi ayakhathalelwa sibili.

9, 10. Abanye bawasiza njani amaphayona asemabandleni abo?

⁹ Uyafuna yini ukusiza amaphayona enkonzweni yawo? Elinye iphayona okuthiwa nguBobbi lathi: “Siyakudinga kakhulu ukusekelwa ikakhulu phakathi kweviki.” Omunye abaphayona bonke ebandleni akulo wangezelela wathi: “Emini kunzima kakhulu ukuthola umuntu ongahamba laye enkonzweni.” Kanti futhi omunye udadewethu osesebenza eBhetheli eseBrooklyn ukhumbula okuhle okwenzakala kuye esaphayona. Uthi: “Omunye udade owayelemota wathi, ‘Ungavele uswele umuntu wokuhamba laye enkonzweni ungifonele, sizahamba sonke.’ Wanginceda sibili ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngiphayona.” UShari uveza umcijo oqakathekileyo esithi: “Izikhathi ezinengi amaphayona angatshadanga ayabe ewodwa nxa esetshayisile enkonzweni. Yikho-ke kwezinye izikhathi lingawanxusa ukuthi abuye ekukhonzeni kwenu kwemuli. Kanti njalo ukuwabiza ukuthi lizokwenza izinto ezithile lilonke kuyawanceda ukuthi ahlale eqinile.”

¹⁰ Omunye udadewethu oseleminyaka ephose ibe ngu-50 esenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo ukhumbula esaphayona labanye odade abangatshadanga. Uthi: “Kwakungadluli izinyanga ezinengi abadala bengavakatshelanga amaphayona. Babesibuza ngempilo, ngemisebenzi yethu yokuziphilisa kanye lokuthi kukhona yini okungabe kusikhathaza. Babefuna sibili ukusinceda. Babebuya lalapho esasihlala khona ukuze babone ukuthi akula yini abangasinceda ngakho.” Ababekwenza kungakukhumbuza indoda ethile eyayihlala e-Efesu eyanceda uPhawuli lanxa yayilemuli  yayo. UPhawuli wakuqakathekisa kakhulu lokhu eyayimenzela khona.​—2 Tim. 1:18.

11. Ukuba liphayona eliqakathekileyo kugoqelani?

¹¹ Amanye amabandla alamaphayona aqakathekileyo. Inengi lamaphayona la lizimisele ukutshumayela amahola angu-130 ngenyanga. Yikho kukalutshwana ukuthi enze imisebenzi yokuziphilisa ngenxa yokuthi atshona esenkonzweni njalo ayancedisa ngemisebenzi ethile eyenziwa emabandleni akuwo. Igatsha liwanika imadlana elingeneyo nyanga zonke ukuze azinakekele njalo aqhubekele phambili ngenkonzo.

12. Abadala kanye labanye bangawanceda njani amaphayona aqakathekileyo?

¹² Singawasiza njani amaphayona aqakathekileyo? Omunye umdala osebenza egatsheni ojayele ukuxoxa lamanengi awo uthi: “Abadala kumele bakhulume lawo, bawabuze ukuthi izinto zihamba kuhle yini, njalo besebebona lokuthi bangawasiza njani. Abanye oFakazi babona angani akumelanga bancede amaphayona aqakathekileyo ngoba anikwa imadlana. Kodwa abafowethu labodadewethu abangena lawo bangawasiza ngezindlela ezinengi.” Njengamaphayona esikhathi sonke, amaphayona aqakathekileyo ayathaba kakhulu nxa ethola abantu bokuhamba labo ekutshumayeleni. Ungazinikela ukutshumayela lawo yini?

13, 14. (a) Kuyini okumele sikukhumbule ngababonisi beziqinti? (b) Ubona angani ungenzani ukuze usize ababonisi beziqinti labomkabo?

¹³ Abantu babona ababonisi beziqinti labomkabo kungabantu abalokholo oluqinileyo, abaqiniselayo lanxa besebunzimeni. Kodwa labo bayakufuna ukukhuthazwa, bayabafuna abantu bokutshumayela labo njalo bayathokoza nxa sibanxusa ukuthi sizozilibazisa nje. Singabasiza njani nxa bangagula, mhlawumbe baze balaliswe esibhedlela? Bangathokoza kakhulu nxa abafowethu labodadewethu bebasiza ngalokho okuyabe kudingeka njalo betshengisa ukuthi balendaba labo sibili. Kumele ukuthi ‘umngane othandekayo uLukha, udokotela,’ onguye owabhala ibhuku leMiSebenzi wayemkhathalela kakhulu uPhawuli kanye layehamba labo.​—Kol. 4:14; ImiSeb. 20:5–21:18.

¹⁴ Ababonisi beziqinti labomkabo bayakufuna ukuba labangane. Omunye umbonisi wesiqinti wabhala wathi: “Kuyabe kungani abangane bami bayakwazi ukuthi kunini lapho engifuna khona ukukhuthazwa. Babuza imibuzo enginceda ukuthi ngikhululeke ukukhuluma ngokungihluphayo. Ukulalelisisa kwabo kukodwa nje, kuyanginceda kakhulu.” Ababonisi beziqinti labomkabo bayathokoza kakhulu nxa abafowethu labodadewethu bebatshengisa ukuthi balendaba labo.

15, 16. Yikuphi okwenziwa ngabasebenza eBhetheli lasemaWolu eMihlangano eMikhulu, njalo singabanceda njani?

¹⁵ Emhlabeni wonke, abasebenza emaBhetheli lasemaWolu eMihlangano eMikhulu benza umsebenzi oqakathekileyo owenza ukuthi umsebenzi woMbuso ezindaweni ezikhangelwa ligatsha labo uqhubekele phambili. Nxa ebandleni okulo kumbe esiqintini senu kulabasebenza eBhetheli, ungatshengisa njani ukuthi uyabakhumbula?

¹⁶ Nxa besanda kufika eBhetheli, bangakhanuka ngekhaya, ngoba bayabe betshiye izimuli labangane. Bayabonga kakhulu nxa abanye abasebenza labo eBhetheli kumbe abasemabandleni abo besiba ngabangane babo. (Mak. 10:29, 30) Lanxa besebenza, bayasithola isikhathi sokuya emihlanganweni yebandla lesokuhamba ekutshumayeleni iviki yinye ngayinye. Kodwa lapha lalaphana, abaseBhetheli bayanikwa eminye imisebenzi ngaphandle kwabayenza nsuku zonke. Wonke umuntu uyancedakala nxa amabandla ekuzwisisa lokhu njalo etshengisa ukuthi ayawubonga umsebenzi owenziwa ngabasebenza eBhetheli.​—Bala u-1 Thesalonika 2:9.

17, 18. Abavela kwamanye amazwe benza yiphi imisebenzi?

¹⁷ Abazinikela ukuyasebenza kwamanye amazwe bangathola izinto ezehlukene kakhulu lalokho abakujayeleyo amazweni akibo, ngokwesibonelo ukudla, ulimi, amasiko lokunye nje. Kuyini okwenza bazimisele lanxa kulobunzima bezinto lezi abangazijayelanga?

¹⁸ Abanye babo ngabanali njalo bathatha isikhathi esinengi betshumayela. Balusizo kakhulu kwabanengi ngenxa yolwazi abaluthola ngesikhathi beqeqetshwa. Igatsha linika abanali indawo yokuhlala kanye lemadlana yokuthi bazinakekele. Abanye abavela kwamanye amazwe bathunyelwa egatsheni kumbe ukuyancedisa ukwakha izakhiwo zamagatsha, amaWolu eMihlangano eMikhulu, amaWolu oMbuso kumbe amawofisi okuhumutsha. Banikwa ukudla, izindawo zokuhlala kanye lokunye okutshiyeneyo. Njengabasebenza emaBhetheli, labo bayahamba emihlanganweni zikhathi zonke kanye lasekutshumayeleni. Bayasinceda kakhulu abantu laba.

19. Kuyini okumele sikukhumbule ngabasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo abavela kwamanye amazwe?

¹⁹ Singabakhumbula njani abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo abavela kwamanye amazwe? Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi bayabe bengakujayelanga ukudla esikudlayo, ikakhulu nxa besanda kufika. Kukhumbule lokhu nxa ubamema emzini wakho. Kunganceda kakhulu ukuqala ngokubabuza ukuthi yikuphi ukudla abangakuthanda kumbe abangafuna ukukuzama lanxa bengakujayelanga. Kumele ube lesineke nxa bezama ukufunda ulimi kanye lamasiko. Kungabathatha isikhathi ukuthi bazwe konke oyabe ukukhuluma kodwa zama ukuba lomusa, ubafundise ukubiza kuhle amabala. Bayafisa sibili ukufunda!

20. Singabasiza njani labo abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo kanye labazali babo?

²⁰ Kuyafika isikhathi sokuthi labasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo kanye labazali babo baguge. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi nxa abazali babo bengoFakazi bayabe befisa kakhulu ukuthi abantwababo baqhubeke besenkonzweni le. (3 Joh. 4) Abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo kabasoze bagoqe izandla nxa abazali babo belohlupho kodwa bayazama ukwenza konke okusemandleni abo njalo nxa kuvuma bayabavabakatshela kanenginengi ukuze bayebasiza. Lanxa kunjalo abahlala eduze labazali laba asebegugile bangabancedisa nxa befuna usizo. Nxa besenzenjalo bayabe bebasiza abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Ungakhohlwa phela ukuthi basebenza gadalala emsebenzini oqakatheke kakhulu kulayo yonke eyake yaba khona. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Kungaba kuhle nxa amabandla engazinikela ukuncedisa abazali babafowethu labodadewethu abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Kanti njalo lawe zibuze ukuthi ungabasiza njani.

21. Abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo bathini ngosizo langesikhuthazo abasithola kwabanye?

²¹ Abangena enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo kabahlosanga ukuthola imali kodwa bafuna ukupha uJehova lokunceda abanye. Bayabonga kakhulu nxa sisenza okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibasize. Omunye udade osenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo kwelinye ilizwe wathi: “Nxa abanye bangakubhalela okuyincwajana nje bebonga okwenzayo, kuhle kukhanye ukuthi bayakucabanga lokuthi umsebenzi owenzayo uyabathokozisa.”

22. Wena uthini ngenkonzo yesikhathi esigcweleyo?

²² Kuyisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu ukusebenzela uJehova enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Akulula sonke sikhathi kodwa kwenza ufunde okunengi njalo usuthiseke. Kanti njalo kwenza sifunde izinto ezizakwenza sithole intokozo engapheliyo elindelwe yizo zonke izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo eMbusweni wakhe. Sonke ‘kasiwukhumbule kokuphela umsebenzi ongenxa yokukholwa, lokusebenza okufuqwa luthando’ kwalaba abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo.​—1 Thes. 1:3.