1, 2. Kubayini uZimu athi uDanyela ‘mumuntu othandwa khulu’? Thina-ke singalalela njani njengoDanyela?

NGESIKHATHI amaJuda asiwa eBhabheli, afika afumana abantu balapho balotjha iinthombe nemmoya emimbi. Kodwana nanyana kunjalo bekunamaJuda athembekileko anjengoDanyela nabangani bakhe abathathu. Bona-ke akhenge bavume ukubunjwa babantu beBhabheli. (Danyela 1:6, 8, 12; 3:16-18) UDanyela nabangani bakhe bavumela uJehova uMbumbabo bona ababumbe begodu baragela phambili nokumlotjha. Ngitjho nanyana uDanyela akhulela endaweni ekhohlakeleko, ingilozi kaZimu yathi, ‘mumuntu othandwa khulu.’—Danyela 10:11, 19.

² Ngeenkhathi zeBhayibheli umuntu bekangase abumbe nanyana yini ayithandako. Namhlanjesi abakhulekeli beqiniso bayazi ukuthi uJehova uMbusi wephaseli loke nje, begodu bayavuma nokuthi unelungelo lokubumba boke abantu. (Funda uJoromiya 18:6.) Yeke nathi uZimu unelungelo lokusibumba. Kodwana akakateleli muntu bona atjhuguluke. Kunokwenza njalo ufuna bona umuntu  azikhethele yena ukubunjwa nguye. Isihlokwesi sizosifundisa ngokuthi singaba njani mdaka othambileko esandleni sakaZimu. Sizokhe sicoce nganasi imibuzo emithathu: (1) Singakubalekela njani ukuba nemikghwa engasenza sibe mdaka oqinileko, sidelele isiyalo sakaZimu? (2) Singabakha njani ubuntu obuzosisiza silalele uZimu sibe mdaka othambileko? (3) Ababelethi abamaKrestu bangabambisana njani noZimu nakabumba abantwababo?

3. Ngimiphi imikghwa engasibangela bona sibe nehliziyo eqinileko? Akhuhlathulule.

³ IzAga 4:23 zithi, “Kikho koke okulondako, yelusa khulu ihliziywakho, ngombana imuthombo wokuphila.” Nawuzakubalekela ukuba nehliziyo eqinileko kufuze ungabi mumuntu ohlala azindla ngezinto ezimbi ezinjengokuzikhukhumeza, ukuragela phambili wenza isono, nokungabi nokukholwa. Nasingakatjheji, lokho kungasibangela bona singalaleli, sigcine ngokuhlubuka iqiniso. (Danyela 5:1, 20; Hebheru 3:13, 18, 19) Ngilokho okwenzeka ngeKosi yakwaJuda u-Uziya. (Funda 2 IinKronike 26:3-5, 16-21.) Ekuthomeni, u-Uziya bekamumuntu olalelako atjhidelene noZimu, yeke uZimu bekamupha amandla. Kodwana “ukudlondlobala kwakhe kwamenza wazikhukhumeza.” Wazikhukhumeza kangangobana wafuna ukutjhisa ipepho ethempelini nanyana bekazi kuhle bona baphristi kwaphela ebebavunyelwe ukwenza njalo. Abaphristi nabamkhalimako, wasilingeka wazala indlu! UJehova wamthobisa ngokuthi ambethe ngekhwekhwe, waphila nalo bewayokufa.—IzAga 16:18.

4, 5. Yini engenzeka kithi nange singabalekeli ukuzikhakhazisa? Yenza isibonelo salokho.

⁴ Nasingalwisani nokuzikhakhazisa singagqina sele sizithatha njengabangcono kunabanye begodu singasasithatheli ehloko neseluleko esivela eBhayibhelini. (IzAga 29:1; Roma 12:3) Kwenzeka-ke lokho kuJim ongumdala. Waphikisana nabanye abadala ebandleni ngendaba ethileko. Nakahlathululako uthi, “Ngabatjela abadala abanyaba ukuthi abanalo ithando, ngabatjhiya banjalo.” Ngemva kweenyanga ezisithandathu, wafudukela kwelinye ibandla, nakafika lapho akhenge enziwe umdala. Kwamdanisa khulu lokho. Engqondwenakhe bekazitjela bona udlelwa amabele esiphaleni yeke walisa ukulotjha uJehova iminyaka eyi-10 yoke. Nakahlathulula uthi batjho besele azikhakhazisa yeke wathoma ukusola uJehova ngegade kwenzeka. Kwadlula iminyaka abazalwana basolo bamvakatjhela balinga ukumrhelebha kodwana uJim gade angafuni nokubezwa.

⁵ UJim uthi, “Bengingakghoni ukususa umkhumbulwami ekutheni abadala abanyaba bebasephosweni kangangani.” Isibonelo sakhe sisifundisa ukuthi ukuzikhakhazisa kungasenza sivikele imitjhaphwethu. Nasele senza njalo asisabi mdaka othambileko. (Joromiya 17:9) Wakhe walinyazwa mzalwana namkha ngudade okunye naye? Wakhe wadana na ngebanga lokuthi ulahlekelwe lilungelo lekonzo ogade unalo? Wenzani? Inga-kghani wazikhakhazisa, namkha walemuka bona okuqakatheke khulu kuthula nabazalwana nokuthembeka kuJehova?—Funda iRhubo 119:165; Kolose 3:13.

6. Kungenzekani kithi nasisolo senza isono?

⁶ Umuntu nakenza isono bese uyafihla  kungaba budisi bona amukele isiyalo. Yeke kungaba bulula bona asole abuyelela isonweso. Omunye umzalwana uthi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ukwenza kwakhe isono gade sele kungasamtshwenya nakancani. (UMtjhumayeli 8:11) Omunye umzalwana ogade athanda ukubukela iinthombe zabantu ababulanzi yena uthi, “Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi abadala besele bangisilinga kwemhlolo.” Umukghwakhe lo wona ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova. Kwathi abanye nabalemuka bona bekabukela iinthombezi, wafumana irhelebho kubadala. Iqiniso kukuthi soke sinesono. Kodwana nasithoma senza izaba ngemitjhaphwethu kunokuthi sibawe bona uZimu asilibalele nokuthi asisize, singagqina sele sineenhliziyo eziqinileko.

7, 8. (a) Ama-Israyeli wekadeni ayitjengisa njani imiphumela yokungabi nokukholwa? (b) Thina-ke sifundani kilokhu?

⁷ Ngesikhathi uJehova atjhaphulula ama-Israyeli eGibhide, ambona enza iimangaliso ezikulu. Nanyana kunjalo kwathi nasele atjhidele eNarheni yesiThembiso iinhliziyo zawo zathoma zaqina. Kubayini kwaba njalo? Bewangakholelwa kuZimu. Kunokobana athembe uJehova asaba asolo anghonghoyila ngoMosi. Kazi besele afuna ukubuyela emva eGibhide, lapho ebekaziingqila khona! Lokho kwamzwisa ubuhlungu khulu uJehova wabe wathi, “Kuzabe kube nini abantwaba bangidelela na?” (Numeri 14:1-4, 11; IRhubo 78:40, 41) Ama-Israyeli la afela emangweni ngebanga leenhliziyo zawo eziqinileko nokungabi nokukholwa.

⁸ Namhlanjesi, sitjhidele khulu ephasini elitjha begodu nokukholwa kwethu kuyazizinywa. Yeke kuzokuba kuhlakanipha bona sinande sihlola ukukholwa kwethu. Singaqiniseka njani bona ukukholwa kwethu kuzinzile? Kuzosirhelebha ukufunda amezwi kaJesu akuMatewu 6:33. Nokuzibuza nasi imibuzo, ‘Inga-kghani iinqunto nemigomo engiyenzako iyatjengisa na ukuthi ngiyawathemba amezwi kaJesu? Ngingaphuthelwa kukuya esimini nesifundweni ngebanga lokuthi ngifuna ukwenza imali engeziweko? Ngizokubona ngenzeni nangabe ngifuneka isikhathi esingeziweko emsebenzini? Ngizolivumela na iphaseli bona lingibumbe mhlamunye belingilisise ukulotjha uJehova?’

9. Kubayini kufuze sinande ‘sihlolisisa’ ukukholwa kwethu begodu singakwenza njani lokho?

⁹ Naseqisela amehlo lokho iBhayibheli ekutjhoko ngabangani abambi, abantu abasusiweko nokuzilibazisa ngezinto ezingakalungi singagqina sele sineenhliziyo eziqinileko. Wena-ke uzokwenzani lokho nakwenzeka kuwe? Kuqakathekile ukuthi uhlole ihliziywakho ngokurhabako! IBhayibheli ithi, “Zihlolisiseni bona nisaphila ekukholweni na. Zizizinyeni.” (2 Korinte 13:5) Kufuze uthembeke kuwe, uberegise iliZwi lakaZimu ukulungisa indlela ocabanga ngayo.

10. Yini engasirhelebha sibe mdaka othambileko ezandleni zakaJehova?

¹⁰ UZimu usinikele iliZwi lakhe, wasenzela ilungiselelo lokuya emihlanganweni nokuya esimini ukwenzela bona sihlale simdaka othambileko. Nasifunda besizindle ngeBhayibheli qobe langa, lokho kuzosirhelebha sibe mdaka othambileko ezandleni zakaJehova begodu simvumele asibumbe. UJehova wayala amakhosi wakwa-Israyeli bona atlole umThetho wakhe begodu awufunde qobe. (Duteronomi 17:18, 19) Nabapostoli bebazi ukuthi ukufunda nokuzindla ngemiTlolo bekuqakatheke kangangani ekukhonzeni kwabo uZimu. Bebasebenzisa imiTlolo yesiHebheru iinkhathi ezinengi nabatlolako, nalokha nabatjhumayeza abantu bebabakhuthaze bona nabo bayiberegise imiTlolo. (IzEnzo 17:11) Nanamhlanjesi kusafana, kusaqakathekile ukufunda nokuzindla ngeliZwi lakaZimu qobe langa. (1 Thimothi 4:15) Kusirhelebha sibe babantu abathobekileko bese uJehova akghone ukusibumba.

11, 12. UJehova ulisebenzisa njani ibandla bona asibumbe ngokuya ngokwezinto esizitlhogako? Akhuhlathulule.

¹¹ UJehova uyazi bona sitlhogani, yeke uberegisa ibandla bona asibumbe. UJim ekhesacoca ngaye wathoma ukutjhugulula indlela acabanga ngayo ngesikhathi umdala abanekareko kuye. Nakahlathululako uthi, “Akhenge nakanye angisole ngobujamo bami. Kunokobana enze njalo wangitjengisa ukuthi ufisa ukungirhelebha.” Ngemva pheze kweenyanga ezintathu  umdala lo wamema uJim esifundweni. UJim uthi nakafika esifundweni bamamukela ngokufudumeleko, indlela abamthanda ngayo yamenza watjhugulula ukucabanga kwakhe. Wathoma nokulemuka bona imizwakhe bekungasi yinto eqakatheke ukudlula koke. Abadala bebandleni lakhe nomkakhe bamkhuthaza, kancanikancani wabuya ehlanganweni walotjha uJehova. Kwamrhelebha nokufunda iinhloko ezithi, “uJehova Akumelwe Asolwe” nesithi, “Khonza UJehova Ngokuthembeka,” ezifumaneka eNqabeniyokulinda ka Novemba 15, 1992.

¹² Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJim waba ngumdala ebandleni godu. Kusukela kwalokho, sele arhelebhe nabanye abazalwana abanekinga efana neyakhe bona bazinzise ukukholwa kwabo. Uthi bekazitjela ukuthi utjhidelene noJehova, kanti awa bekungasi njalo. Uzisola khulu ngokuthi wavumela ukuzikhakhazisa kwamenza wandzimelela emitjhaphweni yabantu wangasabona izinto eziqakathekileko.—1 Korinte 10:12.

13. Ngibuphi ubuntu ukutjhumayela okusirhelebha bona sibe nabo, thina-ke sizuzani kilokho?

¹³ Ukutjhumayela nakho kungasibumba sibe babantu abangcono. Sikutjho ngaliphi lokho? Nasitjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi kufuze sibe nobuntu obuhle obunjengokuzithoba kuhlanganise neenthelo ezihlukahlukeneko zomoya kaZimu. (Galatiya 5:22, 23) Akhucabange ngobuntu ukutjhumayela okukurhelebhe wakghona ukuba nabo. Nasilingisa uKrestu, umlayezwethu uyabakara abantu begodu bangase batjhugulule nendlela abasithatha ngayo. Sinesibonelo saboFakazi ababili be-Australia abalinga ukutjhumayeza umma othileko kwakhe, kodwana umma loyo wabasilingekela kumbi. Nanyana kunjalo aboFakazaba bamlalela begodu bamhlonipha. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi umma lo wazisola ngendlela enza ngayo, yeke watlola incwadi wayisa e-ofisini legatja. Wabawa ukulitjalelwa ngokuthi abe hlaza nakakhuluma nabo. Wathi, “Ngibe sidlhadlha ngokuthi ngibe hlaza ebantwini ababilaba ebebatjhumayela ngeliZwi lakaZimu.” Ngobujamo aboFakazaba abahlangabezana nabo sibona ukuqakatheka kokuba nomoya ophasi nasitjhumayelako. Kuliqiniso ukuthi nasitjhumayelako sirhelebha abantu kodwana ngesikhathi esifanako nathi siyarhelebheka ekuthuthukiseni ubuntu bethu.

14. Yini ababelethi ekufuze bayenze nabafuna ukubumba abantwana babo?

¹⁴ Abantwana abancani kanengi bayazithoba begodu bazimisele ukufunda. (Matewu 18:1-4) Yeke ababelethi bazabe bahlakaniphile nababafundisa iqiniso basesebancani njalo, babafundise nokulithanda. (2 Thimothi 3:14, 15) Ifihlo yokobana baphumelele, kukuthi bona ngokwabo balithande iqiniso begodu benze ngokuvumelana nalokho iBhayibheli  ekutjhoko. Nabenza njalo kuba bulula ngabantwana babo bona balithande iqiniso. Begodu nalokha nababakhalimako bazokwazi bona ababelethi babo bayabathanda noJehova naye uyabathanda.

15, 16. Ababelethi kufuze batjengise njani ukuthi bathembele kuZimu nakwenzeka umntwanabo asuswe ekuhlanganyeleni?

¹⁵ Ngezinye iinkhathi ngitjho nanyana ababelethi bangabafundisa abantwana babo iqiniso, abantwana khebasukele uJehova nofana basuswe ekuhlanganyeleni. Nakhe kwenzeka lokho emndenini, kuba buhlungu khulu. Omunye udade eSewula Afrika uthi, “Ngesikhathi umfowethu asusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni kwaba buhlungu ngasuthi bekahlongakele!” Yini ebeyilindeleke kudade lo nababelethi bakhe? Balandela lokho iBhayibheli ekutjhoko. (Funda 1 Korinte 5:11, 13.) Ababelethi bakhe bebazi bona ukulalela uZimu kuzokuzuzisa woke umuntu. Begodu bebazi bona ilungiselelo lokususwa ekuhlanganyeleni lisiyalo esenziwa nguJehova ngethando. Yeke bebakhulumisana nendodanabo kwaphela nakutlhogekako.

¹⁶ Indodanabo le yona yazizwa njani? Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi yathi, “Bengazi bona umndenami uyangithanda, kodwana bewulalela umyalo kaJehova nehlanganwakhe.” Wabuye wathi, “Nawusebujamweni obukukatelela bona uncenge uJehova ukuthi akurhelebhe begodu akulibalele kula ubona khona ukuthi umtlhoga kangangani.” Akhucabange bona wathaba njani umndeni lo isokaneli nalibuyela kuJehova. Nasilalela uZimu ngaso soke isikhathi sizokuthaba begodu sizokuphumelela.—IzAga 3:5, 6; 28:26.

17. Kubayini kufuze silalele uJehova, begodu lokho kuzosizuzisa ngani thina?

¹⁷ Umphorofidi u-Isaya waphorofida ukuthi amaJuda weBhabheli azokuphenduka athi, ‘Nokho [Jehova], unguBabethu. Thina simdaka, wena uMbumbi wethu simsebenzi wezandla zakho soke nje.’ Godu bebazokuncenga uJehova bathi, “Ungakhumbuli icala lethu mlibe. Yewusitjheje, siyakuncenga! Kazi sibabantu bakho soke nje.” (Isaya 64:8, 9) Nasibabantu abathobekileko begodu sihlala silalela uJehova uzosithanda khulu njengoDanyela. Uzokuragela phambili nokusibumba ngeliZwi, ngomoyakhe nangehlanganwakhe, bese-ke ngengomuso sibe “bantwana bakaZimu.”—Roma 8:21.