1. Kubayini sithi isikhathi esiphilakiswesi sihlukile?

SIPHILA esikhathini esihluke khulu. Njengombana iBhayibheli latjho ukuthi uJehova ubuthelela “isiqubuthu esikhulu sivela kizo zoke iintjhaba, iinkoro, abantu namalimi.” Isiqubuthweso ‘sisisizwe esinamandla’ esibabantu abathabileko abangaphezu kweengidi ezibunane ‘sinikela kuye umsebenzi ocwengileko ubusuku nemini.’ (IsAm. 7:9, 15; Isa. 60:22) Akhenge khekube nabantu abanengi kangaka abathanda uZimu nabathandanako.

2. Ngiziphi izinto ezithandwa babantu abangamaziko uZimu? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

² IimTlolo yabikezela ukuthi emalangeni la abantu bazokuthanda izinto ekungakafuzi bazithande. Abantu abangamthandiko uZimu bazokuba marhamaru. UPowula watlola wathi: “Emihleni yokuphela . . . abantu bazakuba ngabazithandako, abathanda imali, . . . abathanda ukuzithabisa kunokuthanda uZimu.” (2 Thim. 3:1-4) AmaKrestu akukafuzi athande izintwezi, kufuze athande uZimu. Ngombana umuntu nakathanda izinto okungakafuzi azithande, uphetha ngokungalifumani ithabo alilindeleko.  Kungebangelo izinto ezimbi ezenzeka ephasineli ‘kubudisi ukuqalana nazo.’

3. Yini esizoyihlolisisa esihlokwenesi, begodu kubayini?

³ UPowula bekazi ukuthi abantu abanengi bebazokuba marhamaru okuyinto ebeyizokuba yingozi emaKrestwini. Kungebangelo wasiyelelisa ukuthi ‘sibafulathele’ abantu abanjalo. (2 Thim. 3:5) Nanyana kunjalo, angeze sakghona ukukubalekela ngokupheleleko ukusebenzelana nabo. Yeke singakubalekela njani ukuziphatha okumbi kwephaseli, silwele ukuthabisa uJehova uZimethu olithando? Akhesimadanise ithando uZimu afuna simthande ngalo, nalokho okutjhiwo ngu-2 Thimothi 3:2-4. Ukwenza njalo kuzosisiza sihlolisise besifumane nethando lamambala, eliletha ithabo nokwaneliseka.

4. Kubayini kungasi yinto embi ukuzithanda ngokulingeneko?

⁴ Omunye umpostoli wathi: “Abantu bazakuba ngabazithandako.” Kumbi na ukuzithanda? Awa akusinjalo, ekhabolakhona vele umuntu kufuze azithande. UJehova usibumbe njalo. UJesu wathi: ‘Kufuze uthande umakhelwanakho njengombana uzithanda wena.’ (Mar. 12:31) Nasingazithandi thina angekhe sabathanda abomakhelwana bethu. NemiTlolo ibuye ithi: “Amadoda kufuze athande abafazi bawo njengemizimbawo. Indoda ethanda umkayo izithanda yona, ngombana akakho umuntu owakhe wazonda umzimbakhe, kunalokho uyawondla begodu awuthande.” (Efe. 5:28, 29) Yeke ukuzithanda ngokusesilinganisweni kuhle.

5. Ungabahlathulula njani abantu abazithanda khulu?

⁵ Ukuzithanda ekukhulunywa ngakho keyesi-2 Thimothi 3:2, akusiyo indlela okufuze sizithande ngayo. Kukukuba marhamaru. Abantu abazithanda khulu vane bazibone baqakatheke khulu kunabanye. (Funda beRoma 12:3.) Kibo okuqakatheke khulu ngilokho okufunwa ngibo. Izinto nazingabakhambeli kuhle basola abanye kunokuvuma imitjhaphwabo. Abantu abanjalo abakathabi.

6. Ngimiphi imiphumela efunyanwa babantu abathanda uZimu?

⁶ Kubayini uPowula nakakhuluma ngemikghwa emimbi athoma ngokuzithanda khulu? Izazi zeBhayibheli zithi kungebanga lokuthi ukuzithanda khulu kuveza neminye imikghwa emimbi bese kwenza umuntu angathandeki. Bese kuthi ithando uJehova afuna sibe nalo ngilelo eliletha ubuntu obuhle. Ubuntobo mumusa, ithabo, ubumnene, ukubekezela, ukukholwa, ubuhle, ukuba nommoya ophasi nokuzibamba. (Gal. 5:22, 23) IBhayibheli lithi: “Babusisiwe abantu uZimabo onguSomnini.” (Rhu. 144:15) UJehova nguZimu othabileko begodu nabantu bakhe nabo bababantu abathabileko. Abafani nabantu abazithanda khulu, abathanda ukwamukela kwaphela kodwana bangaphi. Iinkhonzi zakaJehova zithanda ukupha ukuzidela nokusiza abanye.—IzE. 20:35.

7. Ngimiphi imibuzo ezosisiza sihlolisise bona simthanda kangangani uZimethu?

⁷ Singabona ngani nase sizithanda khulu kunokuthanda uZimu? Akhesicabange nganasi isiyeleliso esisifumana kuFilipi 2:3, 4 esithi: “Ningenzi litho ngombango namkha ngokuzikhakhazisa, kodwana ngokuzithoba, nithathe abanye njengabakhulu kunani, njengombana ningatshwenyeki ngehlalakuhle yenu kwaphela kodwana nitshwenyeka nangehlalakuhle yabanye.” Mhlamunye singazibuza: ‘Inga-kghani ngenza ngokwesiyeleliswesi? Inga-kghani ngikufuna  kwamambala na ukwenza intando kaZimu? Ngiyabasiza na abanye abantu, kungaba sesimini namkha ebandleni?’ Ngezinye iinkhathi ukuzidela akusilula. Kufuze sizame begodu sizikhandle. Kodwana yini engasithabisa kwamambala ukudlula ukwazi ukuthi uMdali wephasi nezulu uyasamukela.

8. Yini u-Ericka ayenzileko ngebanga lokuthanda uZimu?

⁸ Abanye ngebanga lokuthi bathanda uZimu khulu badela ngitjho nemisebenzi ebhadelako ukwenzela bona basebenzise isikhathi sabo esinengi emsebenzini kaZimu. Isibonelo salokho ngu-Ericka ohlala e-United States. U-Ericka ungudorhodere, yeke, kunokuthi afune iinkhundla eziphezulu emnyangweni wezokwelapha wakhetha ukungenela ubuphayona besikhathi esizeleko. Sikhuluma nje sebele atjhumayele eenarheni ezinengi nobabakwakhe. Uthi: “Kwaba mnandi khulu ngesikhathi sitjhumayela ngamalimi ekungasingawethu, sathabela nokuba nabangani abatjha. Umsebenzami wobudorhodere ngisawenza, kodwana isikhathi sami namandlami amanengi ngiwasebenzisela ekusizeni abantu bona bazi uZimu nokwenza imisebenzi yebandla. Lokho kungithabisa kwamanikelela.”

9. Kubayini abantu abathanda imali bangakathabi?

⁹ UPowula watlola bona emihleni yokuphela kuzakuba nabantu “abathanda imali.” Eminyakeni eyadlulako iphayona elithileko lesihlengeleni latjela enye indoda ngoZimu. Indoda leyo yavula iwaladayo, yakhipha imali yephepha, yathi: “Mina uzimami nangu!” Eqinisweni banengi abantu abathanda imali ngalendlela, kodwana akusibo boke abangakutjho lokho. IBhayibheli liyasiyelelisa, lithi: “Othanda imali akaneliseki ngayo nothanda umnono akaneliseki ngomvuzo.” (UMtj. 5:10) Kungebangelo ngitjho nanyana umuntu angaba nemali engangani akaneliseki, udela koke bona afumane engeziweko. Ngokwenza njalo bazibangela “ubuhlungu obunengi.”—1 Thim. 6:9, 10.

10. U-Aguri, umsa kaJakhe wathini ngokunjinga nokuchaka?

¹⁰ Iye khona siyayitlhoga imali. Begodu ngezinga elithileko iyasivikela. (UMtj. 7:12) Umbuzo kukuthi umuntu angathaba na nakanalokho akutlhogako bona aphile? Iye! (Funda uMtjhumayeli 5:12.) U-Aguri, umsa kaJakhe wathi: “Ungangiphi ubuchaka namkha ubunjinga, kodwana ngipha kwaphela okwaneleko.” Kuyazwisiseka ukuthi kubayini iKosi yathi ayifuni ukutlhaga khulu. Kazi ukutlhaga khulu bekungayilinga bona yebe, lokho bekuzakuhlazisa uZimu. Alo, ukunjinga khona yakwalelani? Yathi: ‘Nangingasutha khulu ngizakukhohlwa ngithi: “Konje phana ngubani uSomnini loyo?”’ (IzA. 30:8, 9) Kungenzeka nawe kunabantu obakhumbulako abathemba imalabo khulu kunokuthemba uZimu.

11. UJesu wasiluleka wathini ngendaba yemali?

¹¹ Abantu abathanda imali angeze bavuka bamthabisile uZimu. Kungebangelo uJesu athi: “Akakho ongaba sigqila samakhosi amabili; ngombana uzokuzonda enye athande enye, namkha uzokunamathela kwenye adelele enye. Angekhe naba ziingqila zakaZimu nezobuGwili.” Wabuye wathi: “Ningazibekeli umnotho ephasini lapho ungadliwa ziingogwana nokukghora, nalapho amasela angena khona ebe. Kunalokho, zibekeleni umnotho ezulwini lapho iingogwana nokukghora kungadli khona, nalapho amasela angangeni khona ebe.”—Mat. 6:19, 20, 24.

12. Ngisiphi isibonelo esitjengisa ukuthi ukuphila ipilo enganandleko ezinengi kuzokunikela isikhathi sokusebenzela uJehova?

 ¹² Inengi lilemukile bona ukuphila ipilo enganandleko ezinengi akhenge kubenze bathabe nje kwaphela, kodwana kubaphe nesikhathi esinengi sokusebenzela uJehova. UJack ohlala e-United States usibonelo salokho, wathengisa indlwakhe ekulu nebhizinisakhe, lokho kwenza bona aphayone nomkakhe. Uyasihlathululela, uthi: “Iye khona akhenge kube lula ukudela indlwethu ehle ebeyisemaplasini. Kodwana yoke iminyaka le qobe nangibuya emsebenzini, bengibuya ngidiniwe begodu ngigandelelekile ngebanga lemiraro eyenzeke emsebenzini. Ngesikhatheso umkami yena bekaphayona, bekahlala athabile. Bekahlala athi: ‘Mina nginomqatjhi ongithanda tle!’ Nje-ke nami sengiyaphayona, sobabili nomkami sisebenzela uJehova.”

13. Yini engasisiza sizihlole bona siyithanda kangangani imali?

¹³ Nawufuna ukuzihlola bona imali uyithanda kangangani, akhe uthembeke uphendule imibuzo nasi: ‘Ngiyakukholelwa na lokho iBhayibheli elikutjhoko ngemali, begodu indlela engiphila ngayo iyakutjengisa na lokho? Inga-kghani ngiphilela ukwenza imali? Inga-kghani izinto eziphuma phambili ziqakatheke khulu kimi kunoJehova nabantu? Ngiyamthemba na uJehova bona uzangitlhogomela?’ Kufuze sazi bona uJehova angeze wabadanisa abantu abamthembako.—Mat. 6:33.

14. Kufuze sikuqale njani ukuzithabisa?

¹⁴ IBhayibheli lathi imihla yokuphela izokubonakala ngabantu “abathanda ukuzithabisa.” Ukuzithabisa akusikumbi, kodwana akukafuzi kuze qangi ekuphileni kwethu. Lokho akutjho bona uJehova akafuni sizithabise. Kungebangelo iBhayibheli lithi: “Khamba ufese ugome ukudla kwakho ngethabo, bewusele newayini lakho ngokwenama kwehliziywakho.”—UMtj. 9:7.

15. Ngiliphi ihlobo lokuzithabisa okukhulunywa ngalo ku-2 Thimothi 3:4?

¹⁵ U-2 Thimothi 3:4 ukhuluma ngabantu  abazithabisako, bese bakhohlwe noZimu. Tjheja ukuthi iveseli alithi abantu bazokuthanda zokuzithabisa ukudlula uZimu okutjho bona kungenzeka bamthande. Kodwana lithi esikhundleni ‘sokuthanda uZimu’ bazokuthanda zokuzithabisa. Esinye isazi sathi: “Iveseli alitjho bona abantu bazakuthanda uZimu ngokusesilinganisweni esithileko. Litjho ukuthi angeze bamthanda.” Lesi siyeleliso esinamandla esinqotjhiswe kilabo abathanda zokuzithabisa khulu. IBhayibheli lithi “abathanda ukuzithabisa” ‘baminyaniswe . . . bumnandi bepilo.’—Luk. 8:14.

16, 17. UJesu wasibekela siphi isibonelo endabeni yokuzithabisa?

¹⁶ UJesu bekanombono olinganiselako nakuziwa kezokuzithabisa. Waya ‘ebukhazini’ kunye ‘nembedleni yesidlo.’ (Jwa. 2:1-10; Luk. 5:29) Njengombana iwayini besele liphelile uJesu watjhugulula amanzi emtjhadweni wawenza iwayini. Abantu nabamnyefula ngokudla nokusela nabanye abantu, wabatjela ukuthi akunanto embi ngalokho.—Luk. 7:33-36.

¹⁷ Nokho uJesu akhenge aphilele ukuzithabisa. Wabeka uJehova qangi ekuphileni kwakhe, wasebenzisa nesikhathi sakhe ekusizeni abantu. Kazi wahlongakala kabuhlungu, kodwana wabekezela ukwenzela bona asindise abantu. Kungebangelo atjela abalandeli bakhe, wathi: “Niyathaba nabanithukako, banihlunguphaze bebanirhwayele amanga ahlaza ngebanga lami. Thabani nijekezele, ngombana umvuzo wenu mkhulu ezulwini, nabaphorofidi abangaphambi kwenu babahlunguphaza ngendlela efanako.”—Mat. 5:11, 12.

18. Ngimiphi imibuzo engasisiza sizihlolisise bona sizithanda kangangani zokuzithabisa?

¹⁸ Yini engasisiza sibone ukuthi sizithanda kangangani zokuzithabisa? Imibuzo nasi ingasisiza: ‘Inga-kghani kimi ukuzithabisa kuqakatheke ukudlula ukuya esifundweni nesimini? Ngizimisele na ukudela koke bona ngithabise uZimu? Nangikhetha zokuzithabisa, ngiyazibuza na ukuthi uJehova uthini ngazo?’ Nasithanda uJehova sizozibalekela izinto esaziko ukuthi ngeze zimthabise, begodu sizokugegeda nalezo unembezethu asikhalima ngazo.—Funda uMatewu 22:37, 38.

19. Babantu abanjani abangeze bathaba?

¹⁹ Sekuphele iminyaka ezii-6 000 yoke iphasi lakaSathaneli ligandelela abantu, begodu seliya ekupheleni. Inengi labantu ephasini lizithanda khulu, lithanda imali begodu lithanda nokuzithabisa. Lenza koke elingakwenza bona lifumane izinto elizifunako, okukuphela kwento eqakathekileko zizinto elizithandako. Abantu abanjalo-ke, kufuze balale bakhohliwe ukuthi bazakhe bathabe ekuphileni. Kungebangelo umrhubi athi: “Ubusisiwe umuntu omsizakhe unguZimu kaJakopo, loyo ithemba lakhe likuSomnini uZimakhe.”—Rhu. 146:5.

20. Ukuthanda kwakho uJehova kukwenze njani wathaba?

²⁰ Abantu bakaJehova bamthanda khulu begodu lokho kubonakala ngokukhula kwesibalo sabo qobe mnyaka. Lokho kuyasitjela bona umBuso kaZimu uyabusa begodu esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo uzakuletha iimbusiso ezinengi khulu ebantwini. Iye, khona kuliqiniso ukuthi sizokufumana ithabo kwaphela nasenza lokho uZimu akufunako kithi, nasekwazini ukuthi esikwenzako kuyamthabisa. Abantu abathanda uJehova, bazokuthaba unomphela. Esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokucoca ngemikghwa ebangelwa kuzithanda khulu begodu sizokubona nokuthi abantu bakaJehova bahluke njani.