1, 2. (a) Yini abanye ababelethi abatshwenyeka ngayo? (b) Abantwana bangafundani ebutjheni babo?

EZINYE zeenkhathi ezithabisa umbelethi kulokha umntwanakhe nakabhajadiswako. Abantwana bakaBerenice abane, babhajadiswa boke ngaphambi kokuthi babe neminyaka eyi-14 ubudala. UBerinice uthi: “gade kusikhathi esithabisa khulu kithi soke. Bekuthabisa ukuthi abantwana bethu bafuna ukulotjha uJehova. Kodwana besazi nokuthi njengabantwabatjha bazokuqalana neentjhijilo ezinengi.” Nawe lokho kungakutshwenya nangabe unomntwana osele akhulele ebutjheni.

² Isazi esisebenza ngemikhumbulo yabantwana sithi iminyaka yobutjha ingaba budisi ebantwaneni nebabelethini, kodwana sibuye sithi, ababelethi akukafuzi bacabange ukuthi abantwana babo bahlangene iinhloko. Kodwana kunalokho, abantu abatjha bathanda ukwenza izinto ezihlukahlukeneko, banemizwa begodu bathanda ukuba nabangani babo. Yeke njengombana basesebatjha, bangakghona ukutjhidelana noJehova, ngendlela uJesu enza ngayo. (Funda uLukasi 2:52.) Bangathuthukisa namakghonwabo wokutjhumayela,  bebabe nerhuluphelo yokwenza okungeziweko ekulotjheni kwabo uZimu. Bangazenzela iinqunto zabo, njengokuthi banikele ukuphila kwabo kuJehova begodu bamlalele. Kodwana wena njengombelethi ungambandula njani umntwanakho bona alotjhe uJehova? Ungafunda endleleni uJesu abandula ngayo abafundi bakhe, wababandula ngethando, ukuthobeka nangokuzwisisa.

3. Abapostoli bebazi njani ukuthi uJesu bekamnganabo?

³ UJesu bekangasi yiKosi nje kwaphela ebapostolini bakhe, kodwana bekamnganabo. (Funda uJwanisi 15:15.) Eenkhathini zekadeni, ikosi beyingekhe ikhulume nesisebenzi sayo ngalokho ekucabangako nendlela ezizwa ngayo. Kodwana uJesu akhenge aphathe abapostoli bakhe njengeensebenzi zakhe. Bekabathanda azipha nesikhathi sabo. Bekakuthabela ukubatjela indlela azizwa ngayo nalokho akucabangako, begodu bekabalalelisisa kuhle nabaveza lokho abakucabangako nendlela abazizwa ngayo. (Markosi 6:30-32) Itjhebiswano lakaJesu nabapostoli bakhe labenza baba bangani abatjhideleneko begodu wabalungiselela umsebenzi ebebazowenza esikhathini esizako.

4. Babelethi, yini eningayenza bona nibe bangani babantwana benu? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁴ Siyavuma unegunya ebantwaneni bakho, kodwana ungaba mnganabo. Khumbula bona abangani babanesikhathi baboke. Yeke nawe ukuze ube nesikhathi nabantwana bakho, mhlamunye unganciphisa isikhathi kwezinye izinto njengemberegwenakho. Kufuze ucabangisise ngendaba le begodu uthandaze ngayo. Abangani bathanda izinto ezifanako. Yeke zinikele isikhathi sokufumana okuthandwa mntwanakho, njengehlobo lomvumo alithandako, amabhayisikobho nezemidlalo. Bese ulinga ukuthanda lokho akuthandako. U-Ilaria ohlala e-Italy uthi: “Ababelethi bami bebawuthanda umvumo ebengiwulalela. Ubabami bekamnganami omkhulu, bengizizwa ngitjhaphulukile ukukhuluma naye ngitjho nangeendaba ezingabonakala ziphathisa iinhloni.” Ngokuba mngani wabantwabakho nokubasiza babe bangani bakaJehova, akutjho ukuthi ulahlekelwa sithunzi njengombelethi. (IRhubo 25:14) Esikhundleni salokho bazokubona ukuthi uyabathanda begodu uyabahlonipha, kuzokuba bulula bona bakhulume nawe ngananyana yini.

5. Yini ebeyizokuthabisa abafundi bakaJesu nabenza umsebenzi kaJehova?

⁵ UJesu bekazi bona nange abafundi bakhe bangenza koke okusemandlenabo balotjhe uJehova bebakhuthalele nokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi, lokho bekuzobathabisa. Yeke, wabakhuthaza bona baberege budisi emsebenzini wokutjhumayela, wabuye wabathembisa ukuthi uzobarhelebha.—Matewu 28:19, 20.

6, 7. Ukufundisa kwakho abantwana bona bakwenze umukghwa ukulotjha uJehova, kutjengisa njani bona uyabathanda abantwabakho?

⁶ Ufuna abantwana bakho batjhidele kuJehova angithi. Yeke uJehova ufuna wena ubabandule bewubayale. Umsebenzi lo uwunikele wena njengombelethi. (Efesu 6:4) Ngebangelo, kufuze uqiniseke bona abantwabakho ubabandula qobe. Akhesucabange nganaku: Wenza koke ongakwenza ukuqiniseka ukuthi abantwabakho baya esikolweni ngombana uyazi ukuthi ifundo iqakathekile begodu ufuna bakuthabele ukufunda izinto ezitjha. Ngendlela efanako, kufuze uqiniseke ukuthi bayaya  esifundweni, emihlanganweni bebabe khona nekukhulekeleni komndeni. Ekhabo lakhona, ifundo abayifumana kuJehova ingasindisa ukuphila kwabo. Basize bakuthande ukufunda ngoJehova nabo babone ukuthi uJehova angabafundisa, bahlakaniphe. (IzAga 24:14) Bandula abantwana bakho bona baphume isimu qobe. Lingisa uJesu ngokubasiza bathande ukufunda nabanye iliZwi lakaZimu.

⁷ Imikghwa yokukhonza uJehova qobe, nokuhlala sifunda, siya emihlanganweni, nesimini, kubasiza njani abantwana? U-Erin ohlala eSewula Afrika, uthi, “Njengabantu abatjha sijayele ukunghonghoyila nakuziwa eendabeni zokufunda iBhayibheli, zokuya esifundweni, nezokuya yesimini. Ngezinye iinkhathi besenza ngamabomu ukuphazamisa ukukhulekela komndeni. Kodwana ababelethi bethu bebangakuvumeli lokho bona kubaphazamise.” Ubathokoza kwamambala ababelethi bakhe ngombana bamsiza walemuka ukuqakatheka kwamahlelo la. Nje u-Erin, nangabe uzokuphundwa mihlangano namkha angekhe akghona ukuyokutjhumayela, wenza koke angakwenza bona ubujamo nabuvumako, abuyele esigeni sangamalanga.

8. (a) UJesu wakutjengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile? (b) Ukuthobeka kwakaJesu kwabasiza njani abafundi bakhe?

⁸ Nanyana uJesu bekaphelele, bekathobekile, watjela nabafundi bakhe ukuthi naye uyalitlhoga irhelebho lakaJehova. (Funda uJwanisi 5:19.) Inga-kghani lokho kwenza abafundi bakhe bona bangamhloniphi? Awa. Nabambona ukuthi uthembele kuJehova, kulapho-ke bamthemba khona khulu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, balingisa isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka.—IzEnzo 3:12, 13, 16.

9. Nawuvuma imitjhapho yakho ubawe nokulitjalelwa, lokho kungabasiza njani abantwana bakho?

⁹ Ngokuhlukileko kuJesu, thina sinesono begodu siyatjhapha. Yeke kufuze sithobeke. Khumbula ukuthi zinengi izinto ongekhe wakghona ukuzenza, vuma nemitjhapho yakho. (1 Jwanisi 1:8) Ngalokho umntwanakho osebutjheni uzokufunda ukuvuma ukuthi naye uneyakhe imitjhapho, begodu uzokuhlonipha. Kuhlekuhle ngubani omhlonipha khulu? Kghani uzokuhlonipha umqatjhakho ovumako ukuthi uyayenza imitjhapho namkha uzokuhlonipha loyo ongabawi ukulitjalelwa nakenze imitjhapho? URosemary, onabantwana abathathu, uthi yena nobabakwakhe bebayivuma imitjhaphwabo. Uyahlathulula: “Lokho kwenza abantwana bethu batjhaphuluke, basitjele nabanemiraro.” Uyanaba, uthi: “Sabafundisa ukuthi bangazifumana kuphi iinsombululo ezingcono zemirarwabo. Lokha nabatlhoga isizo, besibatjengisa lokho okuseencwadini zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, begodu besithandaza nabo.”

10. UJesu bekathobeke ngayiphi indlela lokha nakatjela abafundi bakhe bona benzeni?

¹⁰ UJesu bekanegunya lokutjela abafundi bakhe bona khuyini ekufanele bayenze.  Kodwana ngebanga lokobana bekathobekile, bekabahlathululela ukuthi kubayini kufuze benze njalo. Ngokwesibonelo, akhenge abatjele bona bafune umBuso nokulunga kwakaZimu kwaphela; kodwana wanaba wathi: “Nje-ke koke lokhu nakho nizakuphiwa khona.” Godu nakabatjela bona balise ukugwebana, nalapho khenge abatjhiye balenga wabahlathululela wathi: “Nakungasinjalo nani nizokugwetjwa ngombana indlela enigweba ngayo abanye nani nizokugwetjwa ngayo.”—Matewu 6:31–7:2.

11. Ukuhlathululela umntwanakho ukuthi kubayini wenze isiqunto namkha umthetho othileko, kungamsiza njani?

¹¹ Linda bekubekulapho isikhathi sinivumela khona, bese uhlathululela umntwanakho bona kubayini uthethe isiqunto esithileko namkha ubeke umthetho othileko. Nakafumana ukuthi kubayini, kungenzeka azithobe alalele. UBarry ukhulise abantwana abane uthi: “Nawukhulumisana nabantwana bakho nawenza izinto, ubenza bakuthembe.” Bazokubona ukuthi akhenge uthathe isiqunto esithileko ngombana unegunya, kodwana bazokuzwisisa ukuthi usenze ngombana unebanga elizwakalako. Khumbula godu ukuthi abantu abatjha abasese bantwana abancani. Bafunda ukuzicabangela, begodu nabo bafuna ukuzithathela zabo iinqunto. (Roma 12:1) UBarry nakayihlathululako indaba le uthi: “Abantu abatjha kufuze bafunde ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko ingasi ezisekelwe emazizwenabo.” (IRhubo 119:34) Yeke thobeka uhlathululele umuntu omutjha, ukuthi kubayini wenze isiqunto esithileko. Ngaleyo ndlela uzokufunda ukuzenzela zakhe iinqunto, begodu uzokwazi ukuthi uyamhlonipha nokuthi uyalemuka ukuthi ukhulile.

12. Njengombana uJesu bekanelwazi, wamsiza njani uPitrosi?

¹² UJesu bekanelwazi begodu bekakuzwisisa okutlhogwa bafundi bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, lokha nakatjela abafundi bakhe ukuthi uzokubulawa, uPitrosi watjela uJesu bona abe nomusa kuye. UJesu bekazi ukuthi uPitrosi uyamthanda, bekazi kuhle nokuthi umbono kaPitrosi ngobujamobo bewungakalungi. UJesu wamsiza njani uPitrosi nabafundabanyaba? Wathoma ngokulungisa uPitrosi. Wabuye wahlathulula ukuthi bekuzokwenzekani kilabo abangayenzi intando kaJehova, khulukhulu lokha nabaqalene nobujamo obubudisi. UJesu wabe wathi uJehova uzobanikela umvuzo labo abazidelako. (Matewu 16:21-27) Lokho kwenza uPitrosi wafumana isifundo.—1 Pitrosi 2:20, 21.

13, 14. (a) Yini engatjengisa ukuthi umntwanakho utlhoga ukuqinisa ikholo lakhe? (b) Ungafumana njani ukuthi ngiliphi isizo abantwabakho abalitlhogako?

¹³ Bawa ilwazi kuJehova ngomthandazo elizokwenza ufumane indlela yokusiza umntwanakho osebutjheni. (IRhubo 32:8) Mhlamunye uyalemuka bona akakathabi njengekuthomeni namkha akakhulumi kuhle ngabazalwana. Kungenzeka usola ngasuthi kunento akufihlela yona. Ungaphethi msinyana ngokuthi umntwanakho wenza into embi ngemsithelweni. * (Qala ikwekwezi engenzasi.) Kodwana ungaweqiseli amehlo umraro loyo namkha ucabange ukuthi uzozirarulula. Mhlamunye kutlhogeka umsize aqinise ikholo lakhe.

¹⁴ Ukufumana indlela ongasiza ngayo  umntwanakho, mbuze ngomusa nangehlonipho. Lokho singakufanisa nokukha amanzi epetsini. Nawungalidosa msinyana ithunga okha ngalo amanzi, ngeze wafumana amanzi amanengi. Kuyafana-ke nawuphelelwa sineke uhlabe umntwanakho ngemibuzo, umkatelele bona akhulume nawe, angekhe akutjele indlela azizwa ngayo. (Funda IzAga 20:5.) U-Ilaria uthi lokha nakasese mumuntu omutjha, bekasolo afuna ukuba nesikhathi esinengi nabantu afunda nabo isikolo, nanyana bekazi ukuthi lokho bekungakafaneli. Ababelethi bakhe balemuka ukuthi kunento ethileko emtshwenyako. U-Ilaria uthi: “Ngobunye ubusuku, ababelethi bangibona ukuthi ngitshwenyekile, bangibuza ukuthi ngitshwenywa yini. Ngakhihla isililo, ngabahlathululela ubujamo engangikibo, ngabawa bona bangisize. Bangigona, bangitjela ukuthi bayazwisisa, bangithembisa ukungisiza.” Msinyana, ababelethi baka-Ilaria bathoma ukumsiza bona abe nabangani abahle ebandleni.

15. Ngiyiphi enye indlela etjengisa ukuthi uJesu bekanelemuko?

¹⁵ UJesu bekanelwazi nakabona ubuntu obuhle ebafundini bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, lokha uNathaniyeli nezwa bona uJesu ngeweNazaretha, wathi, “Kukhona okulungileko okungavela eNazaretha na?” (Jwanisi 1:46) Kube bewulapho, bewungacabanga ukuthi uNathaniyeli uyabandlulula namkha bekanganalo ikholo? Akusinjalo, uJesu bekangacabangi njalo. Kunalokho, bekanelwazi bekazi nokuthi uNathaniyeli bekathembekile, yeke wathi: “Nangu umIsrayeli wamambala, onganamanga.” (Jwanisi 1:47) UJesu bekakwazi ukufunda iinhliziyo, begodu wasebenzisa ikghono lakhelo ukubona abantu abanobuntu obuhle.

16. Ungamkhuthaza njani umntwanakho bona athuthuke?

¹⁶ Nanyana ungekhe wafunda iinhliziyo zabantu njengoJesu, ungaba nelwazi. UJehova angakusiza ubone ubuntu obuhle emntwanenakho. Ngitjho nanyana  umntwanakho angakudanisa, ungathomi uphethe ngokuthi umumuntu okhohlakeleko namkha ihlongandlebe. Esikhundleni salokho, mtjele ukuthi uyakubona okuhle akwenzako, begodu uyazi ukuthi ufuna ukwenza izinto ezilungileko. Nakenza kuhle mbuke. Msize enze izinto ezilungileko ngokuthi nakukghonekako umnikele imisebenzi yekhaya bewumthembe. UJesu wakwenza lokho ngabafundi bakhe. Esikhathini esingangomnyaka nesiqunto ngemva kokuhlangana noNathaniyeli (owaziwa godu nangokuthi nguBharitholomeyusi), UJesu wamnikela umsebenzi oqakatheke khulu. Wamenza umpostoli, uNathaniyeli wawenza ngokuthembeka umsebenzi uJesu amnikela wona. (Lukasi 6:13, 14; IzEnzo 1:13, 14) Yeke, kunokobana wenze umntwana azizwe ngasuthi yoke into ayenzako ayikakafaneli, mbuke bewumkhuthaze. Menze azi ukuthi angakghona ukuthabisa uJehova akuthabise nawe nokuthi angasebenzisa amakghonwakhe alotjhe uJehova.

17, 18. Nawungapheli amandla ekubanduleni umntwanakho bona akhonze uJehova, uzokuba yini umphumela?

¹⁷ Ungazizwa njengompostoli uPowula. Bekatshwenyeka khulu ngalabo abanjengabantwana kuye. Labo abasiza bafunda ngoJehova, begodu bekabathanda khulu. Yeke bekumzwisa ubuhlungu ukucabanga ukuthi abanye bangabe balise ukukhonza uJehova. (1 Korinte 4:15; 2 Korinte 2:4) UVictor owakhulisa abantwana abathathu, uthi: “iminyaka yobutjha beyingasibulula. Kodwana iinkhathi ezimnandi bezidlula iinkhathi ezibudisi esaqalana nazo. UJehova wasisiza satjhidelana nabantwana bethu.”

¹⁸ Babelethi, nisebenza budisi ukubandula abantwabenu ngombana nibathanda khulu. Ningalahli itewu. Akhe nicabange bona nizokuthaba kangangani abantwana benu nabakhetha ukulotjha uZimu ngokwethembeka.—3 Jwanisi 4.