1, 2. Kubayini uJehova afulathela uSawula? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

IKOSI USAWULA yathoma kuhle kangangani ukubusa, ithobekile inesithunzi. (1 Sam. 9:1, 2, 21; 10:20-24) Kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, yathoma yenza izinto enganamvumo yokuzenza. Nako umphorofidi uSamyela azakuriyada ukufika eGiligali, uSawula wagcina selaphela nehliziyo. Ngale, ipi yamaFilisti ihlonyiwe, ngapha ama-Israyeli adla phasi atjhiya uSawula emrarweni. Kungenzeka bekazitjela ukuthi ‘nakuligadango lona kufuze ngilithathe, begodu kufuze ngilithathe msinya.’ Nguye loya selanikela umhlabelo kuZimu anganamvumo yokuwunikela. Yamsilinga khulu uJehova into leyo.—1 Sam. 13:5-9.

² Nokho uSamyela wafika begodu wamkhalima uSawula. Kunokuthi azithobe, waqinisa ihloko, wenza izaba alinga ukuphosa abanye abantu ngomlandwakhe. (1 Sam. 13:10-14) Ngemva kwalokho-ke kwaba nezinto ezinengi ezehlela uSawula zilandelana. Zamenza walahlekelwa bukhosi bakhe, noJehova wamfulathela. (1 Sam. 15:22, 23) Ngitjho nanyana athoma kuhle kangaka, kodwana ekungcineni koke lokho kwaba lilize.—1 Sam. 31:1-6.

3. (a) Abantu abanengi bathini ngokuthobeka? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo ekufuze iphendulwe?

 ³ Ephasini esiphila kilo namhlanjesi abantu bathanda ukuphalisana, baze bathi nawufuna ukuphumelela kufuze ubaphale abanye abantu. Lokho-ke kwenza ukuthi bangasathobeki. Akhesenze isibonelo, umlingisi wamamuvi owaba ngusopolotiki kamva, wathi, “Nakukuthobeka khona kimi akusebenzi nakancani, abe angiboni nokuthi ngizakhe ngibe nakho.” Alo kubayini thina sithi ukuthobeka kusaqakathekile? Sisuke sikhuluma ngani nasikhuluma ngokuthobeka, begodu khuyini ekungasikho? Begodu singahlala njani sithobekile ngitjho nanyana abanye basigandelela? Esihlokwenesi sizokuphendula imibuzo emibili yokuthoma. Bese kuthi wesithathu wona siwuphendule esihlokweni esilandelako.

4. Mumuntu onjani owalazelela izinto okungakafaneli ukuthi azenze?

⁴ IBhayibheli lithi ukuthobeka nokuzikhakhazisa mamanzi ne-oli. (Funda IzAga 11:2.) UDavida bekahlakaniphile, kubayini sitjho njalo? Kungombana wabawa uJehova wathi: “Khandela incwekwakho [ingawalazeleli izinto enganalungelo lokuzenza].” (Rhu. 19:13, NW) Yeke umuntu nakawalazelela izinto anganamvumo yokuzenza, usuke angakathobeki. Ngebanga lokuthi sinesono, soke ngasikhathi siyazenza izinto esinganamvumo yokuzenza. Yeke nathi nange singazifundisa ukwenza izinto ngekani, isikhathi nasilokho sikhamba sizozifaka emrarweni noZimu njengeKosi uSawula. IRhubo 119:21 lithi uJehova: “uyabakhalimela [abantu abawalazelela izinto okungakafuzi bazenze, NW].” Yini eyenza uJehova abakhalime?

5. Kubayini ukwenza izinto okungakafaneli sizenze kuyingozi kangaka?

⁵ Ukwenza izinto okungakafaneli uzenze kuhluke khulu nokwenza imitjhapho. Kokuthoma nje, nasenza izinto okungafaneli sizenze kufanele sazi ukuthi asimdumisi uJehova begodu asitjengisi ukuthi ukufanele ukuBusa. Kwesibili, nange senza izinto ezikude nathi nesinganamalungelo wokuzenza, nalapho kufanele sazi ukuthi siyozilwisa nabantu. (IzA. 13:10) Kwesithathu-ke kukuthi nasenza izinto okungakafaneli sizenze, siyozihlazisa nase kuvela ukuthi singene iindaba ezingasifuni. (Luk. 14:8, 9) Ukwenza imisebenzi okungakafaneli siyenze kuletha imiphumela ebuhlungu. Kungakho iBhayibheli lithi ukuthobeka kuhlala kukuhlakanipha.

6, 7. Mumuntu onjani othobekileko, begodu ukwazi ukuthi amandlethu aphelelaphi kuhlobana njani nokuthobeka?

⁶ Ukwazi ukuthi amandlethu aphelela kuphi kuhlobana eduze khulu nokuthobeka. IBhayibheli lithi umuntu othobekileko mumuntu ongaziboni angcono kunabanye abantu namkha ongazikhakhazisiko. (Flp. 2:3) Umuntu othobekileko uyazi ukuthi amandlakhe aphelelaphi, uyazi nokuthi amakghonwakhe aphelelaphi. Nakatjhaphileko uyavuma, imibono yabantu uyayithatha afunde nezinto ezitjha. UJehova umthanda khulu umuntu othobekileko.

⁷ IBhayibheli lithi umuntu othobekileko akazithatheli phezulu uyazi ukuthi ngiziphi izinto ezimbhalelako. Lokho kumsiza khulu umuntu ukuthi aphathe abanye abantu ngehlonipho.

8. Ngiziphi izinto ezingasitjengisa ukuthi ukuthobeka asisanakho?

⁸ Alo kunini la kufuze sithome khona ukuthobeka? Akhesikhulume ngananzi izinto ezingatjengisa ukuthi sesithoma ukulahlekelwa kuthobeka. Singazibona sigcono namkha sibone imisebenzethu esiyenzela uJehova iqakatheke khulu. (Rom. 12:16) Godu singahlala sifuna ukunakwa. (1 Thim. 2:9, 10) Namkha ufumane sesilawula nabantu sifune  benze izinto ezithandwa ngithi. (1 Kor. 4:6) Begodu kanengi umuntu nakenza ngendlela le, akaziboni nokuzibona ukuthi nakukuthobeka khona akasanakho.

9. Yini eyenza inengi lathoma ukuzikhakhazisa? Iza neembonelo eziseBhayibhelini.

⁹ Yeke nasinomkhuba wokuvumela ukubuswa ziimfiso zenyama, kufuze sazi ukuthi sizifaka engozini yokulahlekelwa kuthobeka. Ukuba marhamaru, ukuba nomona nokuba nelaka kwenze inengi lalahlekelwa kuthobeka. Abanye babantwabo babantu beBhayibhelini, wokuthoma ngu-Absalomu, u-Uziya noNebukadinetsari. Bavumela “imisebenzi yenyama” yababusa, begodu lokho kwenza ukuthi uJehova abathobise akhalimele ukuzikhakhazisa kwabo.—2 Sam. 15:1-6; 18:9-17; 2 Kron. 26:16-21; Dan. 5:18-21.

10. Kubayini kungakafuzi sahlulele abanye abantu? Iza nesinelo esiseBhayibhelini.

¹⁰ Kunamanye amabanga enza abantu bazikhakhazise. Akhucabange nganasi esinye isibonelo esiseBhayibhelini esikuGenesisi 20:2-7 nakuMatewu 26:31-35. Alo inga-kghani u-Abimeleki noPitrosi benziwa kukuba nesono ukuthi bazikhakhazise? Namkha benziwa kungazi woke amaqiniso begodu babanjwa sisono? Njengombana singeze safunda iinhliziyo zabantu, yeke sizabe sihlakaniphile begodu sinethando nasingalisa ukwahlulela abantu besifinyelele neemphetho ezimbi ngabo.—Funda uJakopo 4:12.

11. Ukuthobeka kuhlobana njani nokuthabela indawo uZimu asibeke kiyo ehlelweni lakhe?

¹¹ Nasifuna ukuthobeka kufuze sithome ngokuthanda indawo uZimu asibeke kiyo ehlelweni lakhe. Njengombana anguZimu ohlelekileko, unikele ngamunye wethu indawo emfaneleko endlinakhe. Omunye nomunye ebandleni udlala indima ehlukileko, kungakho soke siqakathekile. UJehova ngomusakhe soke usiphe izipho, amakghono, amatalende nezinye izinto. Yeke singazisebenzisa izintwezo ukuze simdumise ngazo besisize nabanye abantu. (Rom. 12:4-8) UJehova imisebenzi asiphathise yona le kufuze simdumise ngayo besisize nabanye abantu.—Funda yoku-1 Pitrosi 4:10.

12, 13. Kubayini kungakafuzi kusithuse ukuthi imisebenzi esiyenzela uZimu izokunande itjhuguluka?

¹² Nanyana kunjalo uZimu nakasibeke endaweni ethileko akutjho ukuthi siyokuhlala kiyo unomphela. Isikhathi nasikhambako singatjhidiswa lapho. Akhesenze isibonelo ngoJesu, ekuthomeni bekazisebenzela noJehova kungibo bobabili. (IzA. 8:22) Isikhathi sakhamba njalo, kwafuze ayokusiza uZimu ukudala iindalwa zezulwini, nezinto ezisephasini bese kwathi emaswapheleni wadala abantu. (Kol. 1:16) Ngemva kwesikhathi esithileko, wathoma umsebenzi omutjha wephasini. Wathoma amntwana wakhula njalo bewaba muntu omkhulu. (Flp. 2:7) Akhenge kuphelele lapho, wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe wahlongakala, kwathi kamva wavuswa wabuyela ezulwini waba sidalwa sommoya bona ayokuba yiKosi yomBuso kaZimu ngo-1914. (Heb. 2:9) Begodu lokho akutjho ukuthi uZimu angeze asamtjhentjha godu amnikele omunye umsebenzi. Phela kuzokuthi nakuphela imiNyaka eyiKulungwana yokuBusa kwakhe, abuyisele umBuso kuJehova ukuthi “abe ngongaphezu kwakho koke.”—1 Kor. 15:28.

¹³ Yeke ngebanga leenqunto esizithathako, kufuze sihlale sikulindile ukuthi umsebenzi uZimu asiphathise wona uzokunande utjhuguluka. Ngokwesibonelo akhesithi bewungakatjhadi kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waqunta ukutjhada, namkha sekunabantwana ekufuze ubakhulise. Esikhathini esidlulileko wakhe walinga na ukuphungula iindleko zakho ukuze usebenzele uZimu isikhathi esithe tjha? Yeke zoke iinqunto  ozithethekwezo zize namalungelo nemisebenzi ethileko. Njengombana ubujamo bethu bukhamba butjhuguluka, kufuze sikulindele ukuthi kungenzeka sibe nesikhathi esinengi namkha esincani sokusebenzela uZimu. UJehova uhlala azi ukuthi ngamunye wethu kukuphi la angamsebenzisa khona, ngokwesibonelo abanye bethu basesebatjha kukulapho abanye iminyaka seyikhambile nokho, abanye abanapilo kuhle kukulapho abanye baphile tswe. Kodwana okufuze singakulibali kukuthi akakalindeli ukuthi senze izinto ezingaphezu kwamandlethu, ukuthabela khulu lokho esimenzela khona.—Heb. 6:10.

14. Ukuthobeka kungasisiza njani ukuthi saneliseke besikuthabele ukwenza nanyana ngiwuphi umsebenzi uZimu asiphe wona?

¹⁴ Asihlaleni sikhumbula ukuthi uJesu bekawenza athabile umsebenzi kaZimu. Lokho kuzokwenza ukuthi nathi sikuthabele ukwenza imisebenzi kaZimu. (IzA. 8:30, 31) Umuntu othobekileko akathi nakaqala umsebenzi awenza ebandleni awubone ungasililitho namkha ungakaqakatheki. Begodu akabi nomona uZimu nakanikela abanye abantu imisebenzi engeziweko. Kunokuthi enze njalo, ulwela ukwenza umsebenzakhe kuhle begodu awuthabele. Ngombana uyazi ukuthi koke lokho kuvela kuJehova. Ngesikhathi esifanako, uyakuhlonipha ukuthi uJehova uthethe abanye wabanikela imisebenzi ethileko. Umuntu othobekileko uyabahlonipha abanye abantu begodu uyakuthabela nokubasekela.—Rom. 12:10.

15. Yini esingayifunda ekuthobekeni kwakaGidiyoni?

¹⁵ UGidiyoni usibekela isibonelo esihle  sokuthobeka. Ngelinye ilanga ingilozi kaJehova yafika kuye izomupha umsebenzi, uGidiyoni wazithoba wathi uvela ekorweni ephasi wakhumbula nobuthakathaka bakhe. (Khok. 6:15) Nokho wavuma ukuwenza umsebenzi awuphiwe nguJehova loyo, kodwana kokuthoma walinga ukuthola ukuthi umsebenzi loyo uzokutlhogani. Bese wathembela kuJehova bona awenze. (Khok. 6:36-40) Phela uGidiyoni bekanesibindi, kodwana wahlakanipha wenza nangokutjhejisisa. (Khok. 6:11, 27) Akhenge afune ukuthatha umsebenzi lo ngebanga lokuthi ufuna ukubonwa babantu. Ngombana wathi nakaqeda ukwenza umsebenzi uZimu ebekamuphe wona, wabuyela kwakhe.—Khok. 8:22, 23, 29.

16, 17. Umuntu othobekileko yini acabanga ngayo ngaphambi kokuthi athathe omunye umsebenzi?

¹⁶ Nasithi umuntu uthobekile asitjho ukuthi kufuze angasafisa ukwenza eminye imisebenzi kaZimu namkha nakanikelwa imisebenzi ayithokoze. ImiTlolo ithi soke kufuze silwele ukuthuthuka. (1 Thim. 4:13-15) Inga-kghani lokhu kutjho ukuthi sizokuhlala sitjhentjhwa emisebenzini esiyenzela uZimu? Awa. UJehova angasisiza sithuthuke emsebenzini esiwenzako. Begodu singaragela phambili sithuthukisa nobuntu bethu namakghono uZimu asiphe wona la.

¹⁷ Umuntu othobekileko ngaphambi kokuthi avume ukuthatha umsebenzi omutjha, uthoma acabangisise ukuthi umsebenzi lo uzokutlhogani. Bese alinge ukubona ukuthi yena uzokukghona ukukwenza lokho na. Umbuzo kukuthi ukuthatha kwakhe umsebenzi omunye lo angekhe kumenze anyefise kwezinye izinto eziqakathekileko? Kghani kufuze alise umsebenzi awenzako ukuze athathe omutjha? Nange angaphendula omunye wemibuzo le ngo-awa, kutjho khona ukuthi kufuze unikelwe omunye umuntu osebujamweni obugcono ngesikhatheso. Yeke nasingacabangisisa kuhle besithandaze, singakugegeda ukuthatha umsebenzi ozosibhalela. Begodu nasithobekileko singakghona ukuyithokoza eminye yemisebenzi.

18. (a) Nasithobekileko, yini esingeze salibala ukuyenza nasifumana umsebenzi omutjha? (b) Umtlolo webeRoma 12:3 uthini ngomuntu othobekileko?

¹⁸ Nasifumana umsebenzi omutjha, asilingiseni uGidiyoni. Sazi ukuthi angeze saphumelela ngaphandle kokubusiswa nokunqotjhiswa nguJehova. Kungebangelo iBhayibheli lithi kufuze sikhambe “[noZimethu] ngokutjhejisisa.” (Mik. 6:8) Yeke qobe nasifumana umsebenzi omutjha, kufuze sikulalele koke uJehova athi sikwenze eliZwini lakhe nehlanganwenakhe besithandaze nangakho. Senze koke esingakwenza ukuze koke esikwenzako kuvumelane noJehova. Singalibali ukuthi ‘ukuqina kwethu idolo’ kwenziwa kuthobeka kwakaJehova akusimakghonwethu. (Rhu. 18:36, [18:35, NW]) Nasikhetha ukukhamba noZimu angeze sazibona singcono kwabanye abantu begodu ngeze sazinyaza.—Funda yebeRoma 12:3.

19. Kubayini kufuze sithobeke?

¹⁹ Umuntu othobekileko udumisa uJehova, ngombana unguMdalethu begodu mBusi wePhasi loke. Ukuthobeka kuyasisiza nokuthi sanaliseke besikhuthale emsebenzini esiwuphiwe nguZimu. (IsA. 4:11) Kusenza nokuthi sibalekele ihlazo, begodu kuthuthukisa nokuthula ebantwini bakaJehova. Ukuthobeka kubuye kusisize ekutheni sibeke abanye phambili, sibe babantu abatjhejako bekusisize nokuthi singenzi imitjhapho emikhulu. Soke siyabona ukuthi nakukuthobeka khona, kusaqakatheke khulu ebantwini bakaZimu. Begodu uJehova ubathanda khulu abantu abathobekileko. Alo kuthiwani nange sigandelelwa? Isihloko esilandelako sizokudemba indaba yokuthi singahlala njani sithobekile lokha nasilingwako.