Kumusa bandera. * Mboni za Yahova zimbakhulupira kuti kugodamira ayai kumusa bandera, bzomwe bzimbacitika kawiri-kawiri pa nthawe ya kuimbidwa kwa hino nacional ni mwambo wakunamata omwe umbalatiza kuti boma ayai atsogoleri wace ndiwo ambapulumusa wanthu, sikuti Mulungu. (Zaiya 43:11; 1 Wakolinto 10:14; 1 Juwau 5:21) M’bodzi mwa atsogoleriwo akhali Nabukadinazori, mambo wa ku Babulo. Pakufuna kudabwisa wanthu na mphanvu zace na kulatizambo nyongo yomwe akhanayo pa nkhani yakunamata mirungu yace, mamboyo adakonzesa cifanikiso citali, ndipo adatonga wanthu wace kuti acinamatire pakuimbidwa kwa nyimbo yakundendemerana na hino nacional. Tsono, Sadraki, Mesaki na Abedinego, omwe akhali Ahebereu, adalamba kugodamira cifanikisoco napo adacenjezedwa kuti angadaphedweratu pakulamba kucita bzimwebzo.—Danyeri, kapitulo 3.

Carlton Hayes, omwe ni mnembi wa nkhani zakale, adalewa kuti: Nsiku zino, “wanthu omwe ambafuna kwene-kwene dziko lawo, ambakhulupira na kunamata bandera. Pomwe bandera linkugwata, amuna ambakhundula bzapeu bzawo, ndipo wana ambaimba hino nacional pakulilemekeza.” Ndipo iye adalewambo kuti: “Pakulatiza kuti ambafuna dziko lawo, maboma yambakhazikisa ‘nsiku za feriyado,’ ninga nsiku yakukumbukira kutambira ufulu bwa kutonga.” Ambakhazikisa pomwe nsiku za feriyado zakukumbukira wanthu winango omwe adafera ufulu bwa dzikolo, ndipo ambawalemekeza kwene-kwene ninga momwe ambalemekezera wanthu ‘wakucena mtima.’ Pa msinda munango ku dziko la Brasil, mkulu wa acikunda wa m’dzikomo adati: “Bandera limbalemekezedwa kwene-kwene na kunamatiridwa  ninga momwe timbanamatirira dziko lathu.” Ndipo bukhu linango lidati: “Bandera ndakupambulika ninga mtanda.”—The Encyclopedia Americana.

Bukhu lomwe lalewedwali, tsapanopapa lidafotokozambo kuti: “Kuimba hino nacional n’kulatiza kuti umbafuna kwene-kwene dziko lako, ndipo kawiri-kawiri kumbaphatanidza kukumbira Mulungu kuti akhotcerere na kutsogolera wanthu ayai atsogoleri wawo.” Tenepo, Mboni za Yahova zimbaphonya lini pakulewa kuti miyambo yakulatiza lufoyi na dziko lako, ninga kumusa bandera na kuimba hino nacional ni kunamata. Ndipopa, pakufotokoza thangwe lomwe limbacitisa wana wa Mboni za Yahova wa ku Estados Unidos kulamba kumusa ayai kulumbira kuti an’dzakhala wakukhulupirika kwa dziko lawo, bukhu linango lidati: “Pambuyo pa kutonga mirandu izinji, Bungwe Likulu [la ku Estados Unidos] tsapano latsimikiza kuti miyambo ninga imweyi, yomwe imbacitika nsiku na nsiku njakubverana na kunamata.”—The American Character.

Napo wanthu wa Yahova ambacita lini nawo miyambo yakusaya kubverana na Bibliya, iwo ambalemekeza bzakusankhula bza wanthu omwe ambacita bzimwebzi. Iwo ambalemekeza bandera ninga cizindikiro ca boma, ndipo ambadziwa kuti maboma yakukhazikisidwa mwa lamulo yambalewedwa m’Bibliya kukhala ‘atongi akulu-akulu’ omwe ambaphata basa ninga ‘atumiki wa Mulungu.’ (Waroma 13:1-4) Tenepo, Mboni za Yahova zimbabvera nfundo yakuti timbapembere ‘wamambo na wanthu wense wa m’mbuto zapadzulu.’ Tsono, timbacita bzimwebzi na cakulinga cakuti ‘tipitirize kukhala na moyo wa mderekho na wa mtendere, na kuti tikhalembo wakubzipereka kwa Mulungu mwakukwanira na kukhalambo wanthu wakukumbuka bwino.’—1 Timotio 2:2.

Kuvota mu nkhani za ndale. Akristau wacadidi ambalemekeza ufulu bwakuvota bomwe wanthu anabo. Iwo ambacita lini bziwonesero bzakutsutsa cisankho, ndipo ambabvera mtongi wakusankhulidwayo. Tsono, iwo ambapitira lini na pang’onopo mu nkhani za ndale za dziko liri-lense. (Mateu 22:21; 1 Pedru 3:16) Kodi Mkristau an’funika kucita ciyani penu m’dziko lomwe ambakhala wanthu ambakakamizidwa kuvota ayai ambacitiridwa bzinthu bzakuipa akasaya kuyenda kukavota? Kumbukirani kuti Sadraki, Mesaki na Abedinego adayenda ku cigwa ca Dura komwe kukhana cifanikiso ca mambo Nabukadinazori. Tenepo, Mkristau angasankhulembo kuyenda ku mbuto yomwe wanthu  ankuvotera penu cikumbu-mtima cace cinkumubvumiza kucita bzimwebzo. Tsono, iye an’dzafunika kusamala kuti aleke kucita cinthu ciri-cense comwe cingalatize kuti ankupitira mu nkhani za ndale. Iye an’funika kukumbukira nfundo zitanthatuzi:

1. Ateweri wa Jezu ‘ambacita lini mbali ya dziko.’—Juwau 15:19.

2. Akristau ambaimira Kristu na Umambo bwace.—Juwau 18:36; 2 Wakolinto 5:20.

3. Wanthu wa m’gwere lacikristau ambakhulupira bzinthu bzibodzi-bodzi, ndipo adaphatana pakuti ambafunana ninga momwe Kristu ambawafunira.—1 Wakolinto 1:10; Wakoloso 3:14.

4. Wanthu omwe ambasankhula mtongi wa dziko, ambabverana na cinthu ciri-cense comwe mtongiyo an’dzacita, cikhale cabwino ayai cakuipa.—Onani mitemo yakugumanika pa 1 Samuweri 8:5, 10-18 na 1 Timotio 5:22.

5. Pomwe Ajirayeri adafuna kukhala na munthu kuti ambawatonge, Yahova adawona bzimwebzo ninga cizindikiro cakuti iwo akhalamba Yahovayo ninga mtongi wawo.—1 Samuweri 8:7.

6. Akristau an’funika kukhala na ufulu bwakulewalewa akambapalizira bza Umambo bwa Mulungu.—Mateu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Wahebereu 10:35.

Kuphata basa lakusaya kubverana na ucikunda. M’madziko manango, boma limbatonga kuti wanthu omwe alambe kucita basa la ucikunda, ambafunikira kucita mabasa manango yakusaya kubverana na ucikundabo. Tikafunikira kusankhula cakucita pa nkhani imweyi, tin’dzafunikira kupemba kwa Yahova, ndipo pinango kucezeranambo na Mkristau wakukhwima mwauzimu bza nkhaniyi. Patsogolo pace, tingaphatise basa cikumbu-mtima cathu kuti ticite cakusankhula mwakubverana na bzomwe tin’dziwa bza nkhaniyo.—Mimwani 2:1-5; Wafiripo 4:5.

Fala la Mulungu limbatiuza kuti ‘timbabvere maboma na atongi, kuti tikhale wakukonzeka kucita basa liri-lense labwino,’ ticiwonesa kuti ndife wanthu wakukumbuka bwino. (Tito 3:1, 2) Pomwe tinkukumbukira nfundo imweyi, tingacite bwino kubzibvunza kuti: ‘Kodi kuphata basa limweri kungacitise kuti ndipitire mu nkhani za ndale ayai kucita bzinthu bzakubverana na cipembedzo cakunama?’ (Mikeya 4:3, 5; 2 Wakolinto 6:16, 17) ‘Kodi kuphata basa limweri kun’dzanditazisa kuteweza maudindo yangu ninga Mkristau?’ (Mateu 28:19, 20; Wayefezo  6:4; Wahebereu 10:24, 25) ‘Kodi basa limweri lin’dzandibvumiza kuthumizira utumiki bwangu, ayai kundipasa mpata wakucita utumiki bwa nthawe zense?’—Wahebereu 6:11, 12.

Mkristau akabvumizidwa na cikumbu-mtima cace kucita mabasayo kuti aleke kufungiridwa m’kawoko, Akristau anzace an’dzafunikira kulemekeza cakusankhula cace. (Waroma 14:10) Tsono, iye akawona kuti angacite lini basalo, Akristau anzacewo an’dzafunikirambo basi kulemekeza cakusankhula caceco.—1 Wakolinto 10:29; 2 Wakolinto 1:24.