1-3. (a) Sifundani encwadini yezAga 13:20? (b) Kubayini kufuze sibakhethe kuhle abangani bethu?

WAKHE wayilemuka indlela umntwana aqalisisa ngayo ababelethi bakhe? Bewazi bona izinto azizwako nazibonako uyazibamba, ngitjho nanyana angakafundi ukukhuluma? Nakakhulako uzambona ngokulingisa ababelethi bakhe ngaphandle komraro. Banjalo-ke nabantu abadala, bayathanda ukulingisa abantu ababa nabo isikhathi esinengi.

² IzAga 13:20 zithi: “Okhambisana nabahlakaniphileko naye uyahlakanipha.” Nazithi “okhambisana,” zitjho umuntu okhetha ukuba naye isikhathi esinengi. Lokho kungaphezu kokujayelana nomuntu loyo. Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sithi ukukhamba nomuntu kukhambisana nokumthanda nokutjhidelana naye. Yeke, abantu esitjhidelene nabo khulu ngibo-ke esibalingisa khulu.

³ Abangani bethu bangaba mthelela omuhle namkha omumbi kithi. Ngikho izAga 13:20 ziraga ngokuthi: “Odlhemadlhema neendlhadlha  uyahlupheka.” NgesiHebheru, ‘ukudlhemadlhema’ nomuntu kukuba mngani womuntu loyo. (IzAga 22:24; AbaKhokheli 14:20) Abangani abathanda uZimu, bazosikhuthaza bona sithembeke kuye. Akhesicoce ngokuthi babantu abanjani uZimu athi bangani bakhe, khona sizakukhetha abangani abafaneleko.

4. Kubayini kulilungelo ukuba mngani kaZimu? Kubayini uJehova athi u-Abrahamu ‘mnganakhe’?

⁴ UJehova uMbusi weNdawo yoke, usivulele ithuba lokobana sibe bangani bakhe. Lelo-ke lilungelo elingangelungelo ngombana ubakhetha kuhle abangani bakhe. Ukhetha abantu abamthandako nabakholelwa kuye. Omunye wabo ngu-Abrahamu. Bekazimisele ukwenzela uZimu nanyana yini. Kukanengi atjengisa uZimu bona uyamlalela nokuthi uthembekile kuye. Bekazimisele nangokunikela ngendodanakhe u-Isaka. U-Abrahamu bekakholwa bona “uZimu angakghona ukumvusa kwabafileko.” (Hebheru 11:17-19; Genesisi 22:1, 2, 9-13) U-Abrahamu bekalalela athembekile kuJehova, uZimu wambiza ngokuthi ‘mnganakhe.’—Isaya 41:8; Jakopo 2:21-23.

5. UJehova uzizwa njani ngabantu abathembekileko kuye?

⁵ Abangani bakaJehova baligugu kuye. Kufuze babe babantu abatshwenyeka khulu ngokuthembeka kuye nangokumlalela ukudlula yoke into. (Funda 2 Samyela 22:26.) Lokho bakwenziswa kukuthi  bayamthanda. IBhayibheli lithi uZimu “unesikhozi nabaqotho,” okungilabo abamlalelako. (IzAga 3:32) UJehova ubenza iintatanyiswa abangani bakhe, kube ngasuthi ubamemela ‘etendeni lakhe.’ Ubamema bona bamlotjhe bebathandaze kuye ngananyana ngisiphi isikhathi.—IRhubo 15:1-5.

6. Sitjengisa njani bona siyamthanda uJesu?

⁶ UJesu wathi: “Loyo ongithandako, uzolilalela ilizwi lami, noBaba uzomthanda.” (Jwanisi 14:23) Yeke nasifuna ukuba bangani bakaZimu kufuze sithande uJesu, senze nalokho asifundise khona, njengokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi nokwenza abafundi. (Matewu 28:19, 20; Jwanisi 14:15, 21) Nasimthanda kwamambala uJesu kufuze ‘silandele umtlhalakhe eduze.’ (1 Pitrosi 2:21) UJehova uthaba khulu nakasibona silinga ukulingisa iNdodanakhe ngendlela esingakghona ngayo.

7. Kubayini kufuze siqiniseke bona abangani bethu babangani bakaJehova?

⁷ Abangani bakaJehova bathembekile kuye, bayamlalela begodu bathanda neNdodanakhe. Alo, thina-ke, inga-kghani sikhetha abantu ababangani bakaJehova? Abangani bakho nabalingisa uJesu, babe majadu ngokufundisa ngomBuso kaZimu, bangasisiza sibe babantu abangcono besithembeke kuJehova.

8. Uthandani wena ebunganini bakaRute noNawomi?

⁸ EBhayibhelini singafunda ngabantu abanengi ebebabangani, njengoRute nonosokanakhe  uNawomi. Abommaba bebavela eenarheni ezingafaniko, bakhuliswe ngendlela engafaniko, uNawomi amdala khulu kuRute. Kodwana baba bangani abakhulu. Bobabili bebamthanda uJehova. Lokha uNawomi nakazimisele ukutjhiya lakwaMowabi abuyele kwa-Israyeli, “uRute wanamathela kunosokanakhe.” Wathi kuNawomi: “Abantu bekhenu nami bazakuba ngebekhethu bese kuthi uZimakho abe nguZimami.” (Rute 1:14, 16) URute waba nomusa omkhulu kunosokanakhe. Bathi nabafika kwa-Israyeli, uRute wasebenza budisi bona unosokanakhe alale adlile. NoNawomi naye bekamthanda tle umalokazanakhe bewamnikela nesiluleko esihle. URute wamlalela, babusiseka bobabili.—Rute 3:6.

9. Wena ukarwa yini ebunganini bakaDavida noJonathani?

⁹ UDavida noJonathani bebabangani abasibonelo esihle khulu ngombana bebathembeke bobabili kuJehova. UJonathani bekadlula uDavida ozokuba yikosi ngeminyaka ema-30 yoke. (1 Samyela 17:33; 31:2; 2 Samyela 5:4) Nakezwa bona uJehova ukhethe uDavida bona abe yikosi, khenge abe yimbangi kaDavida. Kunalokho wenza koke angakwenza bona amsekele. Ngokwesibonelo, uDavida waba sengozini, uJonathani wamsiza bona “aqine amandla kuZimu.” Bewafaka nepilwakhe engozini ngebanga lakaDavida. (1 Samyela 23:16, 17) UDavida naye bekathembekile kuJonathani. Wathembisa nokobana uzowutlhogomela umndeni kaJonathani. Nangambala  wenza njalo ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJonathani.—1 Samyela 18:1; 20:15-17, 30-34; 2 Samyela 9:1-7.

10. Ufundani ebunganini bamasokana amathathu amaHebheru?

¹⁰ Kunjalo nangoTjhedreke, uMitjhaka no-Abhedinigo, abangani abamaHebheru amathathu athunjwa asesemancani. Bakude nemindeni yemakhabo, basizana bona bahlale bathembekile kuJehova. Kwathi nasele bamasokana balingwa yiKosi uNebukadinetsari, yathi abalotjhe isithombe segolide. Amasokana la alikhomba libaba, ayitjela emehlweni ikosi ukuthi: “Thina angeze salotjha abozinyana bakho besiguqele isithombesibunjwa segolide osijamisileko.” Bathembeka kuZimu bobathathu njalo nanyana balingwa.—Danyela 1:1-17; 3:12, 16-28.

11. Sazi njani bona uThimothi noPowula bebabangani abakhulu?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi umpostoli uPowula ahlangana noThimothi, wambona zisuka bona uthanda uJehova nokuthi bekalitlhogomela ibandla. Kungebangelo uThimothi ambandula bona akwazi ukusiza abanye abanakwabo eendaweni ezihlukahlukeneko. (IzEnzo 16:1-8; 17:10-14) UThimothi bekazimisele kangangombana uPowula wathi: “Wasebenza budisi nami ukurhatjha iindaba ezimnandi.” UPowula bekazi bona uThimothi ‘bekazobatlhogomela kwamambala’ abanakwabo. Njengombana bebamajadu bobabili balotjha uJehova, bagcina sebabangani abakhulu.—Filipi 2:20-22; 1 Korinte 4:17.

12, 13. (a) Kubayini kufuze sivule amehlo nasikhetha abangani ebandleni? (b) Kubayini uPowula atjho isiyeleliso esiku-1 Korinte 15:33?

¹² Zinengi izinto esingazifunda kubanakwethu ebandleni, sisizane bona sihlale sithembekile. (Funda amaRoma 1:11, 12.) Kodwana nebandlenapho, kusafuze sitjheje nasikhetha abangani. Abanakwethu ebandleni abafani begodu abakakhuliswa ngokufana. Abanye basanda ukuba boFakazi, abanye  sebalotjhe uJehova iminyaka eminengi. Kuthatha isikhathi bona isithelo sivuthwe, kunjalo nangetjhebiswano lomuntu noJehova. Yeke, kufuze sibabekezelele besibathande, kodwana sitjheje nasikhetha abangani.—Roma 14:1; 15:1; Hebheru 5:12–6:3.

¹³ Ngasikhathi kungavela ubujamo obumaphorodlha ebandleni, kulapho-ke okufuze sitjheje khona khudlwana. Kungenzeka bona umnakwethu namkha udadwethu wenza izinto iBhayibheli elithi zimbi. Namkha kunomuntu ohlala anghonghoyila kangangobana wonakalisa nebandla. Akukafaneli kusirare lokho, nebandleni lamaKrestu wokuthoma beyikhona imiraro. Eqinisweni umpostoli uPowula wayelelisa amaKrestu wangesikhatheso: “Ningakhohliswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nabantu abambi konakalisa ukuziphatha okuhle.” (1 Korinte 15:12, 33) Bewayelelisa noThimothi ukuthi avule amehlo nakakhetha abangani. Nathi kufuze senze njalo namahlanjesi.—Funda 2 Thimothi 2:20-22.

14. Abangani bethu bangabenzani ubuhlobo bethu noJehova?

¹⁴ Itjhebiswano lethu noJehova kufuze silivikele. Kuphela kwento esinayo. Yeke angekhe sathoma sakhetha abangani abangabulala ukukholwa kwethu netjhebiswano lethu noZimu. Izambana elihle angekhe lihlale lingaboli naliphakathi kwamanye abolileko, nathi angekhe sihlale nabangani abambi sicabange ukuthi kuzakuba lula ngathi ukwenza  okuhle. Ngikho kufuze sitjheje nasikhetha abangani.—1 Korinte 5:6; 2 Thesalonika 3:6, 7, 14.

15. Ubathola njani abangani abahle ebandleni?

¹⁵ Bakhona abantu abamthanda kwamambala uJehova ebandleni. Ngibo-ke okufuze sikhethe kibo. (IRhubo 133:1) Ungakhethi iintanga zakho kwaphela. Ukhumbule ukuthi uJonathani bekamdala kuDavida, uRute amncani khulu kunoNawomi. Lalela isiluleko seBhayibheli esithi: “Vulani iinhliziyo zenu.” (2 Korinte 6:13; funda 1 Pitrosi 2:17.) Nawusolo ulingisa uJehova, kulapho-ke abanye bazokufuna khona ukuba bangani bakho.

16, 17. Khuyini okungakafaneli sikwenze nasikhutjwa mumuntu ebandleni?

¹⁶ Abantu abafani, ngitjho nabantwana bomuntu abafani, ukucabanga nokwenza kwabo akufani. Kunjalo nangebandleni. Ukungafanokhu kwenza ipilo ibe mnandi, kusenze sifunde izinto ezinengi kabanye abantu. Kodwana kwesinye isikhathi kusenza singabazwisisi kuhle abanakwethu, basisilinge. Kwesinye isikhathi bayasikhuba, silimale. (IzAga 12:18) Kghani kufanele na bona sivumele into enjengale bona isihlukanise nebandla?

¹⁷ Awa. Nanyana omunye angasidanisa, akukafaneli sihlukane nebandla. Asikakhutjwa nguJehova. Nguye owasipha ukuphila nezinto ezisekela ukuphila. Kufanele simthande besithembeke kuye. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Ibandla nalo lisisipho esivela kuye esiqinisa ukukholwa kwethu. (Hebheru 13:17)  Angekhe sasala isiphwesi ngombana batjho sisilingwe mumuntu.—Funda iRhubo 119:165.

18. (a) Singasizwa yini bona sizwane nabanakwethu nabodadwethu? (b) Kubayini sikatelelekile bona silibalele abanye?

¹⁸ Siyabathanda abanakwethu nabodadwethu begodu sifuna ukuhlala sizwana nabo. UJehova akakalindeli abantu bona baphelele, nathi kufuze senze njalo. (IzAga 17:9; 1 Pitrosi 4:8) Soke siyatjhapha akusinjalo? Kodwana ithando lisenza ‘silibalelane ngokutjhaphulukileko.’ (Kolose 3:13) Ithando lisenza singathathi into encani siyenze indaba ekulu. Kuliqiniso ukuthi umuntu nakakusilingileko, kubudisi ukuhlala ungacabangi ngaye. Kulula nokumkwatela umbambele amavunda. Kodwana uzokuhlala ungakathabi, uhlale ukhunyalele. Kodwana nawumlibalelako uyatjhaphuluka, ibandla libe nobunye. Okuqakatheke khulu, uba netjhebiswano elihle noJehova.—Matewu 6:14, 15; Lukasi 17:3, 4; Roma 14:19.

19. Kunini lapha kufuze silise khona ukuzihlanganisa nomuntu ebandleni?

¹⁹ Omunye nomunye kufuze adlale indimakhe bona umndeni uhlale uthabile. Kodwana kungenzekani nakungaba nehlongandlebe linye ekhaya? Woke umuntu emndenini uzokulinga ukumsiza iinkhathi ezinengi. Kodwana kuthiwani nakangakhalimeki? Angazikhethela ukukhamba namkha aqothwe ekhabo. Nebandleni ngisweso. Umuntu nakakhetha ukwenza izinto ezisilinga uJehova  ulimaza ibandla. Umuntu onjalo akafuni ukusizwa, begodu nezenzo zakhe ziyatjho bona akasafuni ukuba lilunga lebandla. Angakhetha ukutjhiya ibandla namkha asuswe ebandleni. Nangabe kunjalo iBhayibheli lithi ‘lisani ukuzihlanganisa’ nomuntu onjalo. (Funda 1 Korinte 5:11-13; 2 Jwanisi 9-11) Lokho kungaba budisi khulukhulu nakulilunga lomndenethu. Bujamo obunjengalobu-ke lapha ukuthembeka kuJehova kufuze kudlule ukuthembeka kinanyana ngubani.—Qala isiPhetho 8.

20, 21. (a) Ukususa umuntu ebandleni kulitjengisa njani ithando? (b) Kubayini kuqakatheke kangaka bona sivule amehlo nasikhetha abangani?

²⁰ Ukususa umuntu ebandleni kulilungiselelo elihle khulu elivela kuJehova. Kuvikela ibandla ebantwini abanganandaba nemithetho kaJehova. (1 Korinte 5:7; Hebheru 12:15, 16) Kusisiza nokuthi sithande uJehova, ibizo lakhe nemithethwakhe esezingeni eliphezulu. (1 Pitrosi 1:15, 16) Nasisusa umuntu ebandleni vane simthanda. Isijeziso esinje simenza alemuke bona akwenzilekokho kumbi, kumenze afune ukutjhuguluka. Abasusiweko bagcina babuyele kuJehova, bamukelwe ngethabo ebandleni.—Hebheru 12:11.

²¹ Akunangenye indlela, abangani bethu banomthelela epilwenethu. Ngikho kuqakathekile nje bona sivule amehlo nasikhetha abangani. Nasithanda labo uJehova abathandako, sizokuphilisana nabantu abazokuthembeka kuye ngokungapheliko.