1. Abantu abalesono bawela kuwuphi umjibila oyingozi?

“AKULAMUNTU osemandleni ongekho engozini yokubanjwa ngumjibila wokusebenzisa kubi amandla.” Amazwi la embongi eyaphila ngekhulu lesi-19 enza sinanzelele ingozi ebuya ngesinyenyela yokusebenzisa kubi amandla. Okudanisayo yikuthi kulula ngabantu abalesono ukuthi babanjwe ngumjibila lo. Imbali itshengisa ukuthi “umuntu ubuse umuntu kwaba yikulimala kwakhe.” (UmTshumayeli 8:9, NW) Ukusetshenziswa kwamandla okungatshengisi uthando kwenze abantu bahlupheka kakhulu.

2, 3. (a) Kuyini okumangalisayo endleleni uJehova asebenzisa ngayo amandla? (b) Amandla ethu angagoqelani, futhi kumele siwasebenzise njani?

² Kodwa kakumangalisi yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu olamandla angapheliyo, kakaze awasebenzise kubi amandla lawo? Njengoba sibonile ezahlukweni ezidlulileyo, uJehova uhlala esebenzisa amandla akhe ngokuvumelana lezinjongo zakhe zothando. Kungaba ngamandla okudala, awokubhubhisa, awokuvikela, kumbe awokubuyisela. Nxa sicabanga ngendlela asebenzisa ngayo amandla, sizizwa sifuna ukusondela kuye. Lokho kungasenza sibe “ngabalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu” endleleni esisebenzisa ngayo amandla. (Kwabase-Efesu 5:1) Kodwa njengoba thina sibancane kangaka, yiwaphi amandla esilawo?

³ Khumbula ukuthi umuntu wadalwa “ngesimo sikaNkulunkulu” langomfuziselo wakhe. (UGenesisi 1:26, 27) Ngakho lathi silamandla athile. Amandla ethu angagoqela ukwenelisa ukufeza izinto ezithile ezinjengokusebenza, ukukhokhela abanye abantu loba ukwenza abanye benze okuthile ikakhulu labo abasithandayo. Amandla lawo angagoqela lokuqina emzimbeni  kumbe ukuba lenotho. Ekhuluma ngoJehova, umhubi wathi: “Ngoba kuwe kulomthombo wokuphila.” (IHubo 36:9) Ngakho-ke, ngandlela thile, uNkulunkulu ungumthombo wamandla wonke esingaba lawo. Yikho sifuna ukuwasebenzisa ngendlela emthokozisayo. Singakwenza njani lokhu?

4, 5. (a) Kuyini okuqakatheke kakhulu okungenza umuntu asebenzise kuhle amandla, futhi isibonelo sikaNkulunkulu sikutshengisa njani lokhu? (b) Uthando lungasinceda njani ukuthi sisebenzise kuhle amandla ethu?

⁴ Uthando yilo oluqakatheke kakhulu ekusebenziseni kuhle amandla. UNkulunkulu uyisibonelo esihle salokho. Khumbula izimpawu zobuntu bukaNkulunkulu eziqakatheke ukwedlula zonke esaxoxa ngazo eSahlukweni 1, amandla, ukwahlulela okuhle, inhlakanipho, kanye lothando. Phakathi kwezimpawu lezi, yiluphi olwedlula zonke? Luthando. U-1 Johane 4:8, uthi: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” UJehova yena ngokwakhe uluthando, futhi yonke imisebenzi yakhe ngeyothando. Ngakho uthando yilo olumenza asebenzise amandla akhe futhi uwasebenzisa ukunceda labo abamthandayo.

⁵ Uthando lungasinceda lokuthi sisebenzise kuhle amandla ethu, ngoba vele iBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi uthando “lulomusa” futhi “kaluzifuneli okwalo.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 13:4, 5) Ngakho, nxa silothando kasisoze sihlukuluze loba sihluphe labo esibakhokhelayo. Kulokuthi senze njalo, sizabahlonipha abanye futhi siqakathekise izidingo zabo lemizwa yabo kuleyethu.​—KwabaseFiliphi 2:3, 4.

6, 7. (a) Kuyini ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, futhi kungani uphawu lobuntu lolu lungasinceda ukuthi singasebenzisi kubi amandla? (b) Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuhambelana okukhona phakathi kokuthanda uNkulunkulu lokwesaba ukumdanisa.

⁶ Uthando luhambelana lolunye uphawu lobuntu olungasinceda ukuthi singasebenzisi kubi amandla. Uphawu lolo yikwesaba uNkulunkulu. Uphawu lolu luqakatheke ngani? IZaga 16:6 zithi: “Ngokwesaba uJehova umuntu uyaphepha ebubini.” Ukusebenzisa kubi amandla kuphakathi kwezinto ezimbi  okumele sizitshiye. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuzasenza singabaphathi kubi labo esilamandla phezu kwabo. Ngani? Ngoba sizalandisa kuNkulunkulu ngendlela esiphatha ngayo labo esilamandla phezu kwabo. (UNehemiya 5:1-7, 15) Kodwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kakugoqeli lokho kuphela. Amabala olimi lwakuqala asetshenziselwa ibala elithi ‘ukwesaba,’ izikhathi ezinengi atsho ukuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngendlela ejulileyo. Ngakho iBhayibhili likhuluma ngokwesaba njengokuhambisana lokuthanda uNkulunkulu. (UDutheronomi 10:12, 13) Inhlonipho enjalo ejulileyo igoqela ukwesaba ukudanisa uNkulunkulu, hatshi ngenxa yokuthi sesaba impumela engaba khona kodwa ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda ngeqiniso.

⁷ Nanku umzekeliso: Cabanga ngobuhlobo obuhle phakathi komntwana omncane ongumfana loyise. Umfana lo uyananzelela ukuthi uyise umkhathalela ngomusa langothando. Kodwa umfana lo uyakwazi lalokho uyise afuna akwenze, futhi uyakwazi ukuthi uyise angamjezisa nxa engaphambanisa. Umfana lo kaphonguhlala nje esesaba uyise. Kulokuthi enze njalo uyamthanda uyise. Umntwana lo uyakuthanda ukwenza izinto ezithokozisa uyise. Lokhu kuyafanana lokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda uJehova, uBaba wethu osezulwini, kasifuni ukwenza loba yini engenza ‘inhliziyo yakhe igcwale ubuhlungu.’ (UGenesisi 6:6) Kodwa siyafisa ukwenza inhliziyo yakhe ithokoze. (IZaga 27:11) Yikho sifuna ukusebenzisa kuhle amandla ethu. Kasihloleni ukuthi singakwenza njani lokhu.

8. (a) Amadoda alawaphi amandla emulini futhi kumele awasebenzise njani? (b) Indoda ingatshengisa njani ukuthi iyamhlonipha umkayo?

⁸ Okokuqala, cabanga ngemuli. Incwadi yabase-Efesu 5:23 ithi: “Indoda iyinhloko yomfazi.” Indoda kumele iwasebenzise njani amandla la ewaphiwe nguNkulunkulu? IBhayibhili litshela amadoda ukuthi ahlale labomkawo ‘ngozwelo, babaphathe ngenhlonipho njengababuthakathaka.’ (1 UPhetro 3:7) Ibala lesiGiriki elithi ‘inhlonipho’ litsho “ukuqakatheka, . . . inhlonipho.” Ibala leli lihunyutshwa langokuthi ‘izipho’ lokuthi  ‘igugu.’ (ImiSebenzi 28:10; 1 UPhetro 2:7) Indoda ehlonipha umkayo ngeke imtshaye, futhi ngeke imehlise isithunzi kumbe imeyise imenza azizwe engasimuntu walutho. Kulokuthi yenze njalo, iyananzelela ukuqakatheka kwakhe futhi imphathe ngenhlonipho. Itshengisa ngamazwi langezenzo ukuthi umkayo uligugu kuyo, kungelandaba lokuthi baphakathi kwabantu kumbe babodwa. (IZaga 31:28) Indoda enjalo iyathandwa futhi iyahlonitshwa ngumkayo, kodwa okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi ithandwa nguNkulunkulu.

9. (a) Abesifazana balawaphi amandla emulini? (b) Kuyini okunganceda owesifazana ukuthi asebenzise amakhono akhe ekusekeleni umkakhe, futhi lokhu kuba lawuphi umpumela?

⁹ Abesifazana labo balamandla athile emulini. IBhayibhili lisitshela ngabesifazana ababekhonza uNkulunkulu, abathatha amanyathelo okucebisa omkabo kumbe ukubanceda ukuthi bangenzi amaphutha athile. Kodwa lokhu bakwenza ngokuthobeka. (UGenesisi 21:9-12; 27:46–28:2) Owesifazana angabe ekhaliphile ukwedlula umkakhe, kumbe angaba lamanye amakhono umkakhe angelawo. Lanxa kunjalo, kumele “ahloniphe” umkakhe futhi ‘azehlisele phansi’ komkakhe “njengaseNkosini.” (Kwabase-Efesu 5:22, 33) Ukucabanga ngokuthokozisa uNkulunkulu kunganceda owesifazana ukuthi asebenzise amakhono akhe ekusekeleni umkakhe kulokuthi ameyise kumbe azame ukumbusa. “Umfazi ohlakaniphileyo” onjalo uyabambisana lomkakhe kukho konke ukuze bakhe imuli. Lokhu kumenza ahlale elokuthula loNkulunkulu.​—IZaga 14:1.

10. (a) UJehova unike abazali amandla okwenzani? (b) Litshoni ibala elithi ‘ukulaya,’ futhi kumele kwenziwe njani lokhu? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

¹⁰ Abazali labo balamandla abawaphiwe nguNkulunkulu. IBhayibhili liyaxwayisa: “Boyise, lingabathukuthelisi abantwana benu, kodwa bondleni ngokufundisa langokulaya kweNkosi.” (Kwabase-Efesu 6:4) EBhayibhilini, ibala elithi ‘ukulaya’ lingatsho “ukondla, ukuqeqetsha, lokuqondisa.” Abantwana kumele balaywe ngoba bakhula kuhle nxa bephiwa iziqondiso ezicacileyo futhi bebekelwa lemingcele ecacileyo. IBhayibhili likhuluma ngokulaya kumbe ngokuqondisa lokhu njengokuhambisana  lothando. (IZaga 13:24) Ngakho, “uswazi lokuqondisa” akumelanga lube ngoluhlukuluza umntwana emoyeni loba emzimbeni. * (IZaga 22:15; 29:15) Ukulaya okukhahlamezayo okungatshengisi uthando kuyikusebenzisa kubi amandla okuba ngumzali futhi kungenza umntwana adabuke enhliziyweni. (KwabaseKholose 3:21) Kodwa ukulaya okwenziwa ngendlela efaneleyo kutshengisa abantwana ukuthi abazali babo bayabathanda futhi balendaba lokuthi bazakuba ngabantu abanjani kwelakusasa.

11. Abantwana bangawasebenzisa njani amandla abo ngendlela enhle?

¹¹ Kuthiwani ngabantwana? Bangawasebenzisa njani amandla abo ngendlela enhle? IZaga 20:29 zithi: “Udumo lwamajaha lusemandleni awo.” Akula enye indlela engcono ukwedlula eyokuthi abasakhulayo basebenzise amandla abo lobutsha babo ekukhonzeni ‘uMdali’ wethu Omkhulu. (UmTshumayeli 12:1) Abasakhulayo benza kuhle nxa bekhumbula ukuthi abakwenzayo kungathokozisa abazali babo kumbe kubadanise. (IZaga 23:24, 25) Nxa abantwana belalela abazali babo abakhonza uNkulunkulu futhi behlala endleleni eqondileyo, benza abazali babo bathokoze. (Kwabase-Efesu 6:1) Ukuziphatha okunjalo “kuyayithokozisa iNkosi.”​—KwabaseKholose 3:20.

12, 13. (a) Abadala kumele babe lawuphi umbono ngobukhokheli babo ebandleni? (b) Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi kungani kumele abadala bawuphathe kuhle umhlambi.

¹² UJehova ubeke ababonisi ukuthi bakhokhele ebandleni lobuKhristu. (KumaHebheru 13:17) Kumele amadoda la afaneleyo asebenzise amandla awo awaphiwe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi ancede futhi anakekele inhlalakahle yomhlambi. Isikhundla sabo sibanika ilungelo lokubusa abakhonza labo yini? Hatshi!  Abadala kumele babe lombono omuhle ngomsebenzi abawenzayo ebandleni. (1 UPhetro 5:2, 3) IBhayibhili litshela ababonisi ukuthi: “Yelusani ibandla likaNkulunkulu, alithenga ngegazi leNdodana yakhe.” (ImiSebenzi 20:28, NW) Leso yiso isizathu okumele senze ukuthi ilunga ngalinye lebandla liphathwe ngomusa.

¹³ Singafaka umzekeliso onjengalo olandelayo. Umngane wakho oseduze ukucela ukuthi unakekele impahla ethile eligugu. Uyakwazi ukuthi umngane wakho uthenge impahla leyo ngemali enkulu. Ngeke yini uyiphathe njengeqanda? Ngendlela efananayo, uNkulunkulu unike abadala umsebenzi wokunakekela impahla eqakatheke kakhulu. Impahla leyo libandla, futhi amalunga alo afananiswa lezimvu. (UJohane 21:16, 17) Izimvu zikaJehova ziligugu kuye, okokuthi wazithenga ngegazi eliligugu leNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa, uJesu Khristu. UJehova wathenga izimvu zakhe ngenani elikhulu eledlula elanoma yini. Abadala abathobekileyo bahlala bekukhumbula lokho futhi baphatha izimvu zikaJehova ngendlela efaneleyo.

14. Ulimi lulamandla okwenzani?

¹⁴ IBhayibhili lithi: “Ulimi lulamandla okuphila lokufa.” (IZaga 18:21) Kuliqiniso ukuthi ulimi lungalimaza kakhulu. Ngubani kithi ongakaze azwe ubuhlungu bamazwi aphongukhulunywa ngumuntu engacabanganga kumbe amazwi eyisayo? Kodwa ulimi luphinda lube lamandla okwelapha. IZaga 12:18 zithi: “Ulimi lohlakaniphileyo luyelapha.” Amazwi akhayo futhi amahle angafanana lamafutha apholisa inhliziyo. Cabanga ngezinye izibonelo.

15, 16. Singalusebenzisa njani ulimi lwethu ekukhuthazeni abanye?

¹⁵ U-1 Thesalonika 5:14 usikhuthaza ukuthi ‘siqinise abadanileyo.’ (The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo ngezinye izikhathi lazo zingakhathazwa yikudana. Singabanceda njani abantu abanjalo? Bancome ngezinto abazenzileyo ukuze ubancede babone ukuthi baqakathekile kuJehova. Batshele amazwi aseBhayibhilini atshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabakhathalela futhi uyabathanda labo “abalezinhliziyo  ezephukileyo” futhi “abadabukileyo emoyeni.” (IHubo 34:18) Nxa sisebenzisa amandla olimi lwethu ukuze siduduze abanye, sitshengisa ukuthi silingisela uNkulunkulu wethu olesihawu, “oduduza abadanileyo.”​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:6.

¹⁶ Singasebenzisa amandla olimi lwethu ukuthi sikhuthaze abanye nxa kudingakala. Ukhona yini okhonza laye ofelwe ngumuntu amthandayo? Amazwi atshengisa ukuthi siyabakhathalela abanye angaduduza inhliziyo edanileyo. Ukhona yini udadewethu loba umfowethu osegugile ozizwa angani kaselancedo? Amazwi aduduzayo angenza abagugileyo babe leqiniso lokuthi bayaqakathekiswa futhi bayathandwa. Ukhona yini othile olomkhuhlane ongelaphekiyo? Ukutshayela umuntu onjalo ucingo kumbe ukumvakatshela umtshele amazwi aduduzayo kungayintshintsha indlela azizwa ngayo. Kumele ukuthi uMdali wethu uyathokoza kakhulu nxa esibona sisebenzisa amandla olimi ukuthi sikhulume “okusizayo ekwakheni abanye”!​—Kwabase-Efesu 4:29.

17. Yiphi indlela eqakathekileyo esingasebenzisa ngayo ulimi lwethu ekuncedeni abanye, futhi kungani kumele senze njalo?

¹⁷ Indlela eqakatheke ukwedlula zonke esingasebenzisa ngayo  ulimi lwethu yikutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. IZaga 3:27 zithi: “Ungaze wala ukusiza labo abadinga uncedo, wena ulakho ongabasiza ngakho.” Silomlandu wokutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle zensindiso. Kungaba yinto embi ukuthi singatsheli abanye umlayezo uJehova asinike wona ngesihle. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 9:16, 22) Kodwa uJehova ufuna siwenze ngokwesilinganiso esingakanani umsebenzi lo wokutshumayela?

18. UJehova ukhangeleleni kithi?

¹⁸ Ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kusenza sihlanganyele ngokugcweleyo enkonzweni yobuKhristu. UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi senzeni endabeni le? Ukhangelele ukuthi senze konke esingenelisa  ukukwenza kungelani lokuthi sikusiphi isimo: “Langabe kuyini elikwenzayo kusebenzeni ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, njengokusebenzela iNkosi, hatshi abantu.” (KwabaseKholose 3:23) Lapho ekhuluma ngomlayo omkhulu ukwedlula yonke, uJesu wathi: “Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke langamandla akho wonke.” (UMakho 12:30) Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova ukhangelele ukuthi ngamunye wethu amthande futhi amkhonze ngomphefumulo wonke.

19, 20. (a) Njengoba umphefumulo ugoqela inhliziyo, ingqondo, kanye lamandla, kungani lokhu okunye kuphinde kwaqanjwa kuMakho 12:30? (b) Kutshoni ukukhonza uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke?

¹⁹ Kutshoni ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo wonke? Umphefumulo utsho konke umuntu ayikho, okugoqela amakhono alawo kanye lokukhalipha kwengqondo. Njengoba umphefumulo wenza inhliziyo, ingqondo, lamandla kusebenze, kungani lokhu kuphinde kwaqanjwa kuMakho 12:30? Cabanga ngomzekeliso olandelayo. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili, umuntu wayengazithengisa (okutsho umphefumulo wakhe) ebugqilini. Kodwa kungenzakala ukuthi isigqili singakhonzi inkosi yaso ngenhliziyo yonke; kungenzakala singasebenzisi amandla wonke kumbe ukukhalipha kwaso konke ukuze senze lokho okufunwa yinkosi yaso. (KwabaseKholose 3:22) Yikho-ke, kuyacaca ukuthi uJesu waqamba konke lokhu ukuze agcizelele ukuthi kakumelanga sekele ukwenza lokho okumele sikwenze enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo wonke kutsho ukuzinikela kanye lokusebenzisa amandla ngendlela esingenelisa ukuwasebenzisa ngayo enkonzweni yakhe.

²⁰ Ukukhonza ngomphefumulo wonke kutsho yini ukuthi sonke kumele sisebenzise isikhathi kanye lamandla ethu enkonzweni ngendlela efananayo? Lokho kungeke kwenzakale, ngenxa yokuthi izimo lamakhono abantu kuyatshiyana. Ngokwesibonelo, osakhulayo olempilakahle kanye lamandla angenelisa ukuba lesikhathi esinengi ekutshumayeleni ukwedlula umuntu osekhulile oselamandla amalutshwana. Umuntu  ongatshadanga ongelamsebenzi wokunakekela imuli angenelisa ukuba lesikhathi esinengi ekutshumayeleni kulomuntu olomsebenzi wokunakekela imuli. Kumele sibonge kakhulu nxa silamandla kanye lezimo ezisenza senelise ukwenza okunengi enkonzweni! Kodwa kasifuni ukweyisa abanye, lokuzilinganisa labanye endabeni le. (KwabaseRoma 14:10-12) Kulokuthi senze njalo, sifuna ukusebenzisa amandla ethu ekukhuthazeni abanye.

21. Yiphi indlela engcono futhi eqakatheke kakhulu esingasebenzisa ngayo amandla ethu?

²¹ UJehova ubeke isibonelo esihle ekusebenziseni amandla akhe ngendlela enhle. Sifuna ukumlingisela ngendlela engcono ukwedlula zonke njengoba singabantu abalesono. Singasebenzisa kuhle amandla ethu ngokuphatha ngenhlonipho labo esilamandla athile phezu kwabo. Okunye futhi yikuthi sifuna ukuwufeza ngenhliziyo yonke umsebenzi osindisa ukuphila esiwunikwe nguJehova. (KwabaseRoma 10:13, 14) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova uyathokoza kakhulu nxa umnika umphefumulo wakho, okuyinto engcono kakhulu. Inhliziyo yakho kayikwenzi yini ufune ukwenza konke ongakwenza ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu ozwisisayo futhi olothando kangaka? Le yindlela engcono kumbe eqakatheke kakhulu ongasebenzisa ngayo amandla akho.