1. Singamlingisa njani uBabethu onethando uJehova?

UJEHOVA usithanda khulu. (Jwa. 3:16) Kungebangelo sifuna ukumlingisa uBabethu lo ngokuthi ‘sizwelane, sithandane njengamalunga womndeni, sibe nesirhawu’ khulukhulu “kilabo abahlobene nathi ekukholweni.” (1 Pit. 3:8; Gal. 6:10) Abafowethu nabodadwethu nabaqalene nobudisi sizobasiza.

2. Khuyini esizoyifunda esihlokwenesi?

² Boke abafuna ukulotjha uJehova bazokuqalana neenkhathi ezibudisi. (Mar. 10:29, 30) Kanti godu njengombana iphaseli liya ekupheleni singalindela ukuqalana neentjhijilo ezingeziweko. Alo khuyini esingayenza bona sisizane? Akhesibone ukuthi khuyini esingayifunda endabeni kaLoti, uJobho noNawomi. Sizokufunda nangemiraro abafowethu nabodadwethu abaqalana nayo namhlanjesi besibone nokuthi singabasiza njani bona baqalane nayo.

3. Ngokuya ngokomTlolo wesi-2 kaPitrosi 2:7, 8, uLoti wathatha siphi isiqunto begodu waba yini umphumela walokho?

³ ULoti wathatha isiqunto esingakahlakaniphi sokuyokuhlala nabantu beSodoma ebebaziphethe kumbi. (Funda yesi-2 kaPitrosi 2:7, 8.) Iye khona indawo leyo beyiyihle kodwana uLoti wavuna kabuhlungu ngokuthatha isiqunto sokuyokuhlala khona. (Gen. 13:8-13; 14:12) Umkakhe kungenzeka wathoma ukuthanda indawo leyo namkha abantu bakhona kangangokuthi akhenge asalalela uJehova. UmkaLoti lo wahlongakala lokha uZimu nakanisa umlilo nesibabuli. Amadodakazi  kaLoti wona-ke bewathembisene umtjhado namasokana ahlongakala eSodoma. ULoti walahlekelwa mumuzakhe, izinto egade anazo okubuhlungu khulu walahlekelwa mkakhe. (Gen. 19:12-14, 17, 26) Kghani lokho kwenza bonyana uJehova asilingekele uLoti? Awa, waba nesineke.

4. UJehova waba njani nesineke kuLoti? (Qala isithombe esingaphandle.)

⁴ ULoti nguye owakhetha ukuyokuhlala eSodoma, nanyana kunjalo uJehova wathumela iingilozi bona ziyomsindisa nomndenakhe. Zafika iingilozi zayombikela umlayezo kodwana bekasolo ‘adidizela.’ Kwafuze bona iingilozi zimdzwebule ngomkhono begodu zasiza nomndenakhe bona usinde. (Gen. 19:15, 16) Ngemva kwalokho iingilozi zamtjela ukuthi abalekele eentabeni. Kunokuthi enze njalo wabawa uJehova ukuthi ufuna ukubalekela edorobheni eliseduze. (Gen. 19:17-20) UJehova waba nesineke wamlalela uLoti begodu wamvumela ukuthi abalekele edorobhenelo. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wasaba ukuhlala endaweni leyo, yeke wakhamba wayokuhlala eentabeni uJehova ebekathe aye kizo ekuthomeni. (Gen. 19:30) Kwamambala uJehova unesineke! Alo thina singamlingisa njani?

5-6. Singamlingisa njani uZimu ngokulalela iseluleko esisemTlolweni woku-1 kwebeThesalonika 5:14?

⁵ Njengombana kwenzeka kuLoti umfowethu namkha udadwethu angathatha isiqunto esingakahlakaniphi begodu ngemva kwalokho aqalane nemiphumela ebuhlungu. Alo sizokwenzani? Kulula khulu ukuthi simtjele bona ngebanga lokuthatha isiqunto esingakahlakaniphi uvuna akutjalileko begodu sizabe simtjela iqiniso ngokutjho njalo. (Gal. 6:7) Nokho singenza okungcono kunalokho. Kufanele silingise indlela uJehova asiza ngayo uLoti. Njani?

⁶ UJehova akhenge athumele iingilozi bona ziyokuyelelisa uLoti ngehlekelele ezako kwaphela kodwana nokuthi ziyomsiza bona asinde njengombana iSodoma beyitjhatjalaliswa. Yeke nathi kungatlhogeka bona simyelelise umfowethu namkha udadwethu nange sibona ukuthi ukhasela eziko. Kanti godu kukhona esingakwenza bona simsize. Ngitjho nanyana sibona ngasuthi akakwenzi lokho iBhayibheli ekutjhoko ngemva kokuthi alulekiwe, kuzokufanele sibe nesineke silingise iingilozi ezimbili ezasiza uLoti. Kunokuthi siphele ihliziyo begodu siphume kuye asilingeni ukubona ukuthi khuyini esingamsiza ngayo. (1 Jwa. 3:18) Kungatlhogeka bona simbambe ngesandla simsikimise begodu simsize asebenzise iseluleko seBhayibheli.—Funda yoku-1 kwebeThesalonika 5:14.

7. Singamlingisa njani uJehova endleleni aphatha ngayo uLoti?

⁷ UJehova bekangakhetha ukudzimelela khulu emitjhaphweni kaLoti. Kunokwenza njalo wasebenzisa umpostoli uPitrosi bona atlole ngoLoti, wathi uyindoda elungileko. Kusithabisa khulu ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyasilibalela nasenze imitjhapho. (Rhu. 130:3) Alo nasiqala indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo uLoti singakghona na ukumlingisa? Nange sitjheja izinto ezihle ngabafowethu nabodadwethu kuzokuba lula bona sibabekezelele. Nange babona indlela esibaphatha ngayo bangavuma ukuthi sibasize.

8. Khuyini esizoyenza nange sinezwela?

⁸ Indaba kaJobho ihlukile keyakaLoti, phela uJobho akhenge aqalane nezinto ezibuhlungu ngebanga lokuthi wathatha isiqunto esingakahlakaniphi. Nanyana kunjalo waqalana nemiraro eminengi, walahlekelwa zizinto egade anazo, isikhundla agade anaso  emphakathini begodu wagula. Okubuhlungu khulu kukuthi nabantwana bakhe boke bahlongakala. Ngapha naku nabangani bakhe abathathu bazamthwesa umlandu. Khuyini eyenza abangani bakaJobho abathathu bangamzweli? Akhenge balinge ukuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi khuyini eyenzakalako. Yeke ngebanga lokungazwisisi kuhle bafikelela iimphetho ekungasizo begodu bahlulela uJobho. Alo singakubalekela njani ukwenza ubutjhapho obufana nalobu? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wazi koke ngobujamo umuntu aqalene nabo. Yeke mlalelisise umuntu osebudisini lo begodu ulinge ukuzwisisa ubuhlungu aqalene nabo. Nawenze njalo uzokukghona ukuzwela umfowenu namkha udadwenu osebudisini.

9. Khuyini engekhe siyenze nange sinezwela begodu kubayini?

⁹ Ukuba nezwela kuzosisiza bona singahlebi ngezinto ezibuhlungu abanye abaqalene nazo. Phela umuntu ohlebako akalakhi ibandla, kunalokho ulenza lihlukane phakathi. (IzA. 20:19; Rom. 14:19) Akanamusa, akabacabangeli abanye begodu nezinto azikhulumako zingabanga ukugandeleleka okukhulu emntwini oqalene nemiraro. (IzA. 12:18; Efe. 4:31, 32) Kuyatjho bona kuqakathekile ukuthi siqale izinto ezihle kabanye begodu sicabangisise ngokuthi singabasiza njani bona baqalane nokugandeleleka.

10. UmTlolo kaJobho 6:2, 3, usifundisani?

¹⁰ Funda uJobho 6:2, 3. Ngezinye iinkhathi uJobho bekakhuluma ‘ngehliziyo ebuhlungu.’ Nokho ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wazisola ngezinto ezingakalungi azitjhoko. (Job. 42:6) Yeke njengombana kwenzeka ngoJobho umuntu ogandelelekileko angatjho izinto angakazihlosi. Khuyini ekufanele siyenze nakunjalo? Kunokuthi sisolo simahlulela, asimzweleni. Phela uJehova nakasidalako bekangakahlosi  ukuthi siqalane nemiraro nokugandeleleka esiqalana nakho namhlanjesi. Kungebangelo sizokuzwisisa nange umfowethu namkha udadwethu akhuluma amagama angasimnandi ngebanga lokugandeleleka. Ngitjho nanyana atjho izinto ezingasiliqiniso ngoJehova namkha ngathi akukafaneli simphelele ihliziyo namkha simahlulele.—IzA. 19:11.

11. Abadala bangamlingisa njani u-Elihu nabaluleka umuntu?

¹¹ Ngezinye iinkhathi, umuntu oqalene nomraro omgandelelako kungenzeka atlhoge iseluleko namkha ukukhalinywa. (Gal. 6:1) Abadala bangakwenza njani lokho? Bangakwenza ngokuthi balingise isibonelo saka-Elihu, owalalelisisa uJobho ngesineke. (Job. 33:6, 7) U-Elihu weluleka uJobho ngemva kokumlalelisisa bewazwisisa indlela acabanga ngayo. Yeke abadala nabalingisa u-Elihu bazokulalelisisa bebalinge ukuzwisisa ubujamo bomuntu. Nabenza njalo iseluleko sabo sizomsiza umuntu loyo.

12. Ukuhlongakalelwa yindodakwakhe namadodanakhe amabili kwamthinta njani uNawomi?

¹² UNawomi bekamfazi othembekileko nothanda uJehova. Nokho ngemva kokuhlongakala kwendodakwakhe namadodanakhe amabili wafuna ukutjhugulula ibizo lakhe libe “nguMara” elitjho ubumunyu. (Rut. 1:3, 5, 20, 21) Umakotakhe uRute akhenge amtjhiye unosokanakhe ebudisini bakhe. URute akhenge asize uNawomi ngezinto ebekazitlhoga kwaphela kodwana wakhuluma namezwi amduduzako. Izenzo zakaRute nendlela asekela ngayo uNawomi zamtjengisa ukuthi umthanda kangangani.—Rut. 1:16, 17.

13. Kubayini abantu abahlongakalelwe balingani babo batlhoga isizo lethu?

¹³ Lokha umfowethu namkha udadwethu ahlongakalelwa mlinganakhe utlhoga isizo lethu. Abatjhakazi bangafaniswa nemithi emibili ekhule ndawonye. Nakukhamba iminyaka imirabhu yemithi leyo iyahlangana. Lokha omunye nawusitjhulwako bewufe omunye umuthi uyalimala. Kuyafana nangabantu abatjhadileko, lokha umuntu nakahlongakalelwa mlinganakhe angaba nesizi elikhulu isikhathi eside. UPaula * owahlongakalelwa ngubabakwakhe ngokungakalindeleki uthi: “Ukuphila kwami akhenge kusafana. Ngaphelelwa mamandla. Ngalahlekelwa mnganami omkhulu. Phela bengikhuluma nobabakwami ngayo yoke into. Bekathaba nami begodu angisekela nangisebudisini. Bengililela kuye. Ngazizwa ngasuthi ngihlukene phakathi.”

14-15. Singamduduza njani umuntu ohlongakalelwe mlinganakhe?

¹⁴ Singamduduza njani umuntu ohlongakalelwe mlinganakhe? Igadango lokuthoma eliqakathekileko kukhuluma naye, ngitjho nanyana ungazi bona uthini. UPaula ekukhulunywe ngaye esigabeni esidlulileko uthi: “Ngiyazwisisa ukuthi ukuhlongakalelwa kwenza abantu bangazi ukuthi bathini. Abanye basaba ukuthi bazokutjho izinto ezibuhlungu. Nokho kubuhlungu khulu lokha abantu nabathulako bangatjho litho.” Kungenzeka ukuthi ohlongakalelweko akakalindeli bona sitjho izinto ezinengi. UPaula uthi: “Bekungiduduza khulu ukuzwa abantu bathi, ‘Ngibuhlungu ngokulahlekelwa kwakho.’”

¹⁵ UWilliam owahlongakalelwa ngumamakwakhe eminyakeni eyadlulako uthi: “Kuyangithabisa ukuzwa abantu bakhuluma ngezinto ezihle abazikhumbulako ngomkami; kuyangiqinisekisa ukuthi bekathandwa begodu ahlonitjhwa. Lokhu kungiduduza khulu bekuyanganelisa ngombana umkami bekaligugu kimi.” UBianca omhlolokazi uthi:  “Kuyangiduduza lokha abanye nabathandaza nami bebangifundele umtlolo. Kuyangisiza nabakhuluma ngobabakwami nalokha nabangilalelako nangikhuluma ngaye.”

16. (a) Khuyini ekufuze siyenzele umuntu ohlongakalelweko? (b) Ngokuya ngokomTlolo kaJakopo 1:27, ngiliphi ilungelo esiphiwe lona?

¹⁶ Njengombana uRute angakhenge alahle unosokanakhe omhlolokazi uNawomi, nathi kufanele siragele phambili sisekela labo abahlongakalelweko. UPaula uraga uthi: “Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakababakwami abantu abanengi beza bazongisiza begodu bangiduduza. Nokho ngemva kwesikhathi abantu baragela phambili ngokuphila kwabo kodwana kwami kwakutjhuguluke ngokupheleleko. Kuqakatheke khulu ukutjheja bona umuntu ohlongakalelweko uzokutlhoga isizo lethu nangemva komngcwabo begodu lokho kungathatha iinyanga namkha iminyaka.” Kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu bahlukile. Abanye babujayela msinyana ubujamo babo obutjha. Nokho abanye nabenza izinto ebebazenza nomuntu ohlongakeleko zibakhumbuza ubuhlungu bokuhlongakalelwa. Indlela abantu abaqalana ngayo nokuhlongakalelwa iyahluka. Yeke asikhumbuleni ukuthi uJehova usiphe ilungelo lokutlhogomela labo abahlongakalelwe balingani babo.—Funda uJakopo 1:27.

17. Kubayini kufanele sibasekele labo abatlhalwe balingani babo?

¹⁷ Abanye abantu abatjhadileko baqalana nobunye ubuhlungu nokugandeleleka ngebanga  lokutlhalwa balingani babo. UJoyce owatlhalwa yindodakwakhe yayokutjhada omunye umma uthi: “Nangitlhalwako ngezwa ubuhlungu khulu ngathi bekungaba ngcono ukube ubabakwami bekahlongakele. Ngitjho lokho ngombana ukube bekahlongakele engozini namkha ngebanga lokugula bekuzokuba sisehlakalo esibuhlungu angakhenge akhethe ukusenza. Nokho kilokhu ubabakwami ukhethe ukungitlhala, lokho kwangiphathisa iinhloni bekwangehlisa nesithunzi.”

18. Singabasiza njani abantu abatlhaliweko?

¹⁸ Nasenzela abantu abatlhaliweko izinto ezihle sibatjengisa ukuthi sibathanda khulu. Okuqakatheke khulu abakutlhogako bangani abalungileko. (IzA. 17:17) Ungatjengisa njani ukuthi umnganabo? Ungabamema bona bazokudla kwakho. Ungabuye ubameme nawuzithabisako namkha nawuya esimini. Okhunye ongakwenza kubamema ngezinye iinkhathi bona bahlanganyele nawe ekukhulekeleni komndenakho. Nawenza njalo uzokuthabisa uJehova ngombana yena “useduze nabanehliziyo ephukileko” begodu ‘mjameli wabahlolokazi.’—Rhu. 34:19; 68:6.

19. UmTlolo woku-1 kaPitrosi 3:8, uthi kufuze senzeni?

¹⁹ Msinyana umBuso kaZimu uzokulawula iphasi loke begodu yoke ‘imiraro izokulitjalwa.’ Siqale phambili esikhathini lapho ‘izinto zaphambilini zingasakhunjulwa, namkha ziyelelwe emkhumbulweni.’ (Isa. 65:16, 17) Njengombana silinde ilangelo, asisekelaneni begodu sitjengise ngezenzo nangamezwi bona siyabathanda abafowethu nabodadwethu.—Funda yoku-1 kaPitrosi 3:8.