1. Sisiphi isabatha esifihlakeleyo abawela kuso ngokulula abantu abangafezekanga?

 “UKUBA unegunya siya kusoloko sikho isabatha esifihlakeleyo.” Loo mazwi embongi yeminyaka yoo-1800 abonisa ingozi efihlakeleyo: ukusetyenziswa kakubi kwegunya. Ngelishwa, abantu abangafezekanga basoloko bewela ngokulula kwesi sabatha. Eneneni, ukutyhubela imbali ‘umntu uye walawula umntu yaza yaba kukwenzakala kwakhe.’ (INtshumayeli 8:9) Ukusebenzisa igunya ngokungenaluthando kubazisele iingcinezelo ezingathethekiyo abantu.

2, 3. (a) Wahluke njani uYehova kwindlela alisebenzisa ngayo igunya lakhe? (b) Lisenokuquka ntoni igunya lethu, yaye sifanele silisebenzise njani lonke elo gunya?

² UYehova uThixo wahluke kakhulu. Unegunya elingaphezu komntu wonke, kodwa akakhe alisebenzise kakubi igunya lakhe. Njengoko siphawulile kwizahluko ezingaphambili, usoloko elisebenzisa igunya lakhe ngokuvisisana neenjongo zakhe zothando—enoba ulisebenzisela ukudala, ukutshabalalisa, ukukhusela okanye ukubuyisela. Ukuhlola indlela awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe kusenza sisondele kuye. Loo nto ke ingasenza sifune ‘ukulinganisa uThixo’ kwindlela thina esilisebenzisa ngayo igunya. (Efese 5:1) Kodwa liliphi igunya thina bantu abangento esinalo?

³ Khumbula ukuba umntu wadalwa “ngokomfanekiso kaThixo” nangokufana naye. (Genesis 1:26, 27) Ngoko, nathi sinalo igunya—ubuncinane ngomlinganiselo othile. Igunya lethu lisenokuquka amandla okuphumeza okuthile, okusebenza; ukulawula abanye; ukukwazi ukuphembelela abanye, ingakumbi abo basithandayo; amandla omzimba; okanye ubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo. Ngokuphathelele uYehova, umdumisi wathi: “Ukuwe umthombo wobomi.” (INdumiso 36:9) Ngoko  ke, ngokungqalileyo okanye ngokungangqalanga, uThixo unguMthombo walo naliphi na igunya elifanelekileyo esisenokuba sinalo. Ngoko sifuna ukulisebenzisa ngendlela emvuyisayo. Sinokukwenza njani oko?

4, 5. (a) Uyintoni undoqo wokulisebenzisa ngokufanelekileyo igunya, yaye umzekelo kaThixo ukubonisa njani oku? (b) Uthando luya kusinceda njani ukuba silisebenzise ngokufanelekileyo igunya esinalo?

⁴ Oyena ndoqo wokusebenzisa igunya ngokufanelekileyo luthando. Ngaba umzekelo kaThixo uqobo awukubonisi oku? Khumbula xa bekuthethwa ngeempawu ezine ezibalaseleyo zikaThixo—amandla, ubulungisa, ubulumko nothando—kwiSahluko 1. Kwezi mpawu zine, luluphi olubalaseleyo? Luthando. Eyoku-1 kaYohane 4:8 ithi: “UThixo uluthando.” Ewe, uthando lububuntu bukaYehova; luphembelela konke akwenzayo. Ngoko ukusetyenziswa kwegunya lakhe kusoloko kuphenjelelwa luthando yaye ekugqibeleni kuba kokokulungelwa kwabo bamthandayo.

⁵ Uthando luya kusinceda nathi ukuba silisebenzise ngokufanelekileyo igunya esinalo. Ngapha koko, iBhayibhile isixelela ukuba uthando “lunobubele” yaye “aluzicingeli lona lodwa.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 5) Ngoko, uthando aluyi kusivumela ukuba sibe ngqwabalala okanye sibonise inkohlakalo kwabo sinegunya elithile phezu kwabo. Kunoko, siya kubaphatha ngesidima abanye size sibeke izinto abazidingayo neemvakalelo zabo ngaphambi kwezethu.—Filipi 2:3, 4.

6, 7. (a) Luyintoni uloyiko lobuthixo, yaye kutheni olu phawu luya kusinceda ukuba sikuphephe ukulisebenzisa kakubi igunya? (b) Zekelisa unxibelelwano olukhoyo phakathi kokoyika ukungamvuyisi uThixo nokumthanda uThixo.

⁶ Kukho enye indlela uthando olunokusinceda ngayo ukuze sisebenzise igunya esinalo ngendlela eyiyo. Uthando lunokusinceda simoyike uThixo. Loo nto inokusinceda njani? IMizekeliso 16:6 ithi: “Ngenxa yokoyika uYehova umntu uyaziyeka izinto ezimbi.” Ngokuqinisekileyo ukusebenzisa kakubi igunya  yenye into embi esifanele siyiyeke. Ukoyika uThixo kuza kusenza singabaphathi kakubi abo sinegunya phezu kwabo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba siyazi ukuba siza kuphendula kuThixo ngendlela esibaphatha ngayo abanye. (Nehemiya 5:1-7, 15) Kodwa sikho nesinye isizathu esibalulekileyo. Amagama olwimi eyayibhalwe ngalo iBhayibhile aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ukoyika” adla ngokuthetha ukumhlonipha kakhulu uThixo. Ngoko iBhayibhile isibonisa ukuba ukuze simoyike, okanye simhloniphe kakhulu uThixo kufuneka simthande. (Duteronomi 10:12, 13) Ukuba simhlonipha kakhulu uThixo, siyakulumkela ukwenza nantoni na eza kumkhathaza. Loo nto asiyenzi kuba sisoyika ukuba uza kusohlwaya, kodwa ngenxa yokuba simthanda nyhani.

⁷ Ngokomzekelo: Khawucinge ngobuhlobo obuhle obuphakathi kwenkwenkwana kunye notata wayo. Le nkwenkwe iyabona ukuba utata wayo uyithanda kakhulu futhi uyikhathalele. Kodwa le nkwenkwe iyazi ukuba utata wayo ulindele ukuba iziphathe kakuhle nokuba xa ingayenzi loo uza kuyohlwaya. Le nkwenkwe ayihlali imngcangcazelela utata wayo. Kunoko, imthanda nyhani. Iyakuvuyela ukwenza izinto ezimvuyisayo utata wayo. Kunjalo ke nangoloyiko lobuthixo. Ngenxa yokuba simthanda uYehova, uTata wethu wasemazulwini, siyoyika ukwenza nantoni na eza kuyikhathaza intliziyo yakhe. (Genesis 6:6) Kunoko, silangazelela ukuyivuyisa intliziyo yakhe. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Kungenxa yoko le nto sifuna ukulisebenzisa ngokufanelekileyo igunya lethu. Makhe sifunde okungakumbi ngendlela esinokukwenza ngayo oko.

8. (a) Liliphi igunya amadoda analo entsatsheni, yaye lifanele lisetyenziswe njani? (b) Indoda inokubonisa njani ukuba iyamhlonela umfazi wayo?

⁸ Kuqala khawucinge ngentsapho. Eyabase-Efese 5:23 ithi: “umyeni uyintloko yomfazi.” Indoda ifanele ilisebenzise njani eli gunya elinikwe nguThixo? IBhayibhile ixelela amadoda ukuba ahlale nabafazi bawo “ngokubazi” nokuba ‘babaphathe ngembeko njengezitya ezingomelelanga.’ (1 Petros 3:7) Igama  lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “imbeko” lithetha “ukuxabisa, ukuhlonela.” Eli gama linokuguqulelwa nangokuthi izipho nokuthi ‘ukuxabiseka.’ (IZenzo 28:10; 1 Petros 2:7) Indoda emhlonelayo umfazi wayo ayisayi kuze imbethe; yaye ayisayi kuze imhlazise okanye imthobe isidima, imenze azive engento yanto. Kunoko, iyakuqonda ukuxabiseka kwakhe ize imphathe ngentlonelo. Ibonisa ngamazwi nangezenzo zayo—ngasese nasesidlangalaleni—ukuba uxabisekile kuyo. (IMizekeliso 31:28) Indoda elolo hlobo, ayipheleli nje ekuthandweni nasekuhlonitshweni ngumfazi wayo, kodwa okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, uThixo uyavuyiswa yiyo.

9. (a) Ngawaphi amandla abanawo abafazi entsatsheni? (b) Yintoni enokunceda umfazi ukuba asebenzise ubuchule bakhe ekuxhaseni indoda yakhe, yaye oko kunokuba nawuphi umphumo?

⁹ Nabo abafazi banawo amandla alinganiselweyo entsatsheni. IBhayibhile isixelela ngabafazi abahlonel’ uThixo abathi, ngokuzithoba kwigunya lobuntloko, baphembelela amadoda abo ngendlela entle okanye bawanceda aphepha ukwenza izigqibo eziphosakeleyo. (Genesis 21:9-12; 27:46–28:2) Umfazi usenokuziqonda ngokukhawuleza izinto kunomyeni wakhe, okanye usenokuba nobunye ubuchule angenabo yena. Sekunjalo, ufanele ‘ayihloniphe kakhulu’ indoda yakhe yaye ‘ayithobele’ ‘ngendlela ayithobela ngayo iNkosi.’ (Efese 5:22, 33) Ukucinga ngokuvuyisa uThixo kunokumnceda umfazi ukuba asebenzise ubuchule bakhe ekuxhaseni indoda yakhe kunokuba ayithobe isidima okanye azame ukuyilawula. Umfazi “osisilumko ngokwenene” ngolo hlobo usebenzisana ngokusondeleyo nendoda yakhe ekwakheni intsapho. Ngaloo ndlela uhlala eseluxolweni noThixo.—IMizekeliso 14:1.

10. (a) Liliphi igunya uThixo alinike abazali? (b) Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi ‘uqeqesho,’ yaye abazali bafanele babaqeqeshe njani abantwana babo? (Bona kwanombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁰ Kwakhona abazali banegunya abalinikwe nguThixo. IBhayibhile ibongoza isithi: “Botata, sanukubacaphukisa abantwana benu, kodwa qhubekani nibakhulisa ngokubaqeqesha nangokubafundisa ngendlela kaYehova.” (Efese 6:4) EBhayibhileni, igama elithi ‘uqeqesho’ lisenokuthetha “ukukhulisa,  ukutreyina, ukuyalela.” Abantwana kufuneka baqeqeshwe; bayaphumelela xa benikwa ulwalathiso, imida nemiqathango engqalileyo. IBhayibhile ilunxulumanisa uqeqesho okanye imiyalelo elolo hlobo kunye nothando. (IMizekeliso 13:24) Ngoko, “intonga yengqeqesho” ayifanelanga ixhaphaze—iimvakalelo okanye ngokwasemzimbeni. a (IMizekeliso 22:15; 29:15) Uqeqesho olungqongqo nolungqwabalala olungenalo uthando lukukulisebenzisa kakubi igunya lobuzali yaye luyamtyhafisa umntwana. (Kolose 3:21) Kodwa xa abazali bebaqeqesha ngendlela ebalingeneyo nangendlela efanelekileyo abantwana babo, baza kubona ukuba abazali bayabathanda yaye balikhathalele ikamva labo.

11. Abantwana banokuwasebenzisa njani ngokufanelekileyo amandla abo?

¹¹ Kuthekani ngabantwana? Banokuwasebenzisa njani ngokufanelekileyo amandla abo? IMizekeliso 20:29 ithi: “Uzuko lwabafana ngamandla abo.” Ngokuqinisekileyo ayikho indlela elunge ngakumbi abantu abaselula abanokuwasebenzisa ngayo amandla abo kunokukhonza ‘uMdali wabo Ozukileyo.’ (INtshumayeli 12:1) Abaselula bafanele bakhumbule ukuba izenzo zabo zinokuyichaphazela indlela abazali babo abavakalelwa ngayo. (IMizekeliso 23:24, 25) Xa abantwana bebathobela abazali babo aboyika uThixo baze benze izinto ezilungileyo, bayazivuyisa iintliziyo zabazali babo. (Efese 6:1) “INkosi iyayithanda” loo nto.—Kolose 3:20.

12, 13. (a) Abadala bafanele balijonge njani igunya labo ebandleni? (b) Zekelisa isizathu sokuba abadala befanele bawuphathe ngothando nangobubele umhlambi.

¹² UYehova ulungiselele abaveleli abakhokelayo ebandleni lamaKristu. (Hebhere 13:17) La madoda afanelekileyo afanele  asebenzise igunya lawo alinikwe nguThixo ukuze axhase abazalwana noodade futhi abancede bahlale besondele kuYehova. Ngaba abadala banegunya lokuwalawula abo bakholwa nabo? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo! Abadala bafanele bathobeke baze bawuqonde umsebenzi wabo ebandleni. (1 Petros 5:2, 3) IBhayibhile ithi kubaveleli: “[Laluseni] ibandla likaThixo awalithenga ngegazi loNyana wakhe.” (IZenzo 20:28) Esi sisizathu esinamandla sokuphatha lungu ngalinye lomhlambi ngothando nangobubele.

¹³ Sinokukuzekelisa ngolu hlobo oku. Masithi umhlobo osondeleyo ukucela ukuba umgcinele into ethile exabisekileyo. Uyazi ukuba umhlobo wakho uhlawule ixabiso elikhulu ngaloo nto. Ngaba ubungayi kuyiphatha ngononophelo nangenkathalo? Ngokufanayo, uThixo uphathise abadala umsebenzi wokukhathalela into exabiseke ngokwenene: ibandla, amalungu alo afaniswa nezimvu. (Yohane 21:16, 17) UYehova uzixabisile izimvu zakhe—eneneni, uzixabise kangangokuba wazithenga ngegazi elixabisekileyo loNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu. Alikho ixabiso elingaphezu kwelo uYehova abenokulihlawulela izimvu zakhe. Abadala abathobekileyo bayakukhumbula oko baze bakubonakalise kwindlela abaziphatha ngayo izimvu zikaYehova.

14. Ulwimi lunawaphi amandla?

¹⁴ IBhayibhile ithi: “Ukufa nobomi kusemandleni olwimi.” (IMizekeliso 18:21) Eneneni, ulwimi lunokudala umonakalo omkhulu. Ngubani kuthi ongazange ahlatywe ngamazwi angacingisiswanga okanye agxekayo? Kodwa ulwimi lunawo namandla okuphilisa. IMizekeliso 12:18 ithi: “Ulwimi lwezilumko luyaphilisa.” Ewe, amazwi akhuthazayo anokuba njengesithambiso esihlaziyayo nesiphilisayo entliziyweni. Khawuqwalasele nje imizekelo embalwa.

15, 16. Sinokulusebenzisa ngaziphi iindlela ulwimi ukukhuthaza abanye?

¹⁵ Eyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 5:14 ibongoza isithi: “Nibathuthuzele  abakhathazekileyo.” Ewe, kwanabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova ngamany’ amaxesha basenokutyhafa. Sinokubanceda njani abanjalo? Bancome ngokungqalileyo nangokunyanisekileyo ukuze ubancede babone indlela abaxabiseke ngayo emehlweni kaYehova. Bakhuthaze ngamazwi aseBhayibhileni abonisa ukuba uYehova ubakhathalele nyhani yaye uyabathanda abo “baphuke intliziyo” nabo “batyumkileyo emoyeni.” (INdumiso 34:18) Xa sisebenzisa amandla olwimi lwethu ekuthuthuzeleni abanye, sibonisa ukuba silinganisa uThixo wethu onovelwano, “obathuthuzelayo abo bakhathazekileyo.”—2 Korinte 7:6.

¹⁶ Kwakhona sinokusebenzisa amandla olwimi lwethu ukukhuthaza abanye. Ngaba kukho umntu okhonza naye oswelekelwe ngumntu amthandayo? Amazwi ovelwano abonisa ukuba simkhathalele futhi siyamcingela anokuyithuthuzela intliziyo yomntu osentlungwini. Ngaba umzalwana okanye udade okhulileyo uvakalelwa kukuba akaloncedo? Amazwi akhethwe kakuhle anokubaqinisekisa abo bakhulileyo ukuba baxabisekile. Ngaba kukho umntu ophethwe sisifo esinganyangekiyo? Amazwi obubele abhaliweyo, athethwe efowunini,  okanye ubuso ngobuso anokumomeleza lowo ugulayo. Umele ukuba uvuya nyhani uMdali wethu xa sisebenzisa amandla olwimi ekuthetheni amazwi ‘akhayo’!—Efese 4:29.

17. Yiyiphi indlela ebalulekileyo esinokulusebenzisa ngayo ulwimi lwethu ukunceda abanye, yaye kutheni sifanele sikwenze oko?

¹⁷ Ayikho indlela ebaluleke ngakumbi yokusebenzisa amandla olwimi kunokwabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. IMizekeliso 3:27 ithi: “Sukwala ukubenzela izinto ezilungileyo abo bazidingayo xa unamandla okubanceda.” Asimelanga sizigcine kuthi iindaba ezilungileyo uYehova asinike zona ngobubele nezisindisa ubomi babantu. (1 Korinte 9:16, 22) Kodwa uYehova ulindele ukuba siwenze kangakanani lo msebenzi?

18. Yintoni uYehova ayilindeleyo kuthi?

¹⁸ Ukuthanda kwethu uYehova kusenza sifune ukuzixakekisa ngomsebenzi wokushumayela. Yintoni uYehova ayilindeleyo kuthi? Nokuba iimeko zethu zinjani ebomini, nantsi into esinokukwazi ukuyenza: “Nantoni na eniyenzayo, yenzeni ngomphefumlo wenu wonke, kube ngathi niyenzela uYehova.” (Kolose 3:23) Xa wayechaza owona mthetho mkhulu, uYesu wathi: “Umele umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho yonke, ngomphefumlo wakho wonke, ngengqondo yakho yonke nangamandla akho onke.” (Marko 12:30) Ewe, uYehova ulindele ukuba ngamnye wethu amthande yaye amkhonze ngomphefumlo wonke.

19, 20. (a) Ukuba umphefumlo uquka intliziyo, ingqondo namandla, kutheni uMarko 12:30 ethetha nangazo ezi zinto? (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukukhonza uYehova ngomphefumlo wonke?

¹⁹ Kuthetha ukuthini ukukhonza uThixo ngomphefumlo wonke? Umphefumlo ubhekisela emntwini, kuquka intliziyo, ingqondo, namandla akhe. Ukuba umphefumlo uquka intliziyo, ingqondo namandla, kutheni uMarko 12:30 ethetha nangazo ezi zinto? Khawucinge nje ngalo mzekeliso. Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, umntu wayenokuzithengisa yena (umphefumlo wakhe) ebukhobokeni. Kodwa, ikhoboka lalisenokungayikhonzi inkosi yalo ngentliziyo yonke; lalisenokungawasebenzisi onke amandla alo omzimba nawengqondo ekwenzeni izinto ezifunwa yinkosi yalo. (Kolose 3:22) Ngoko, kucacile ukuba uYesu wathetha ngazo ezi zinto ukuze abethelele ukuba simele simkhonze uThixo ngayo yonk’ into. Ukukhonza uThixo ngomphefumlo wonke kuthetha ukuzinikela, sisebenzise amandla ethu ngokupheleleyo enkonzweni yakhe.

²⁰ Ngaba ukukhonza ngomphefumlo wonke kuthetha ukuba sonke simele sichithe ixesha namandla alinganayo kumsebenzi wokushumayela? Akunakwenzeka oko, kuba iimeko zethu azifani. Ngokomzekelo, umntu osemtsha osempilweni entle nowomeleleyo emzimbeni usenokukwazi ukuchitha ixesha  elingakumbi ekushumayeleni kunalowo ungenamandla ngenxa yobudala. Umntu ongatshatanga ongenazo iimbopheleleko zentsapho usenokukwazi ukwenza okungakumbi kunalowo ufanele anyamekele intsapho. Ukuba amandla neemeko zethu ziyasivumela ukuba senze okungakumbi kumsebenzi wokushumayela, sifanele sibe nombulelo nyhani! Noko ke, asifanele sibagxeke abanye, sizithelekise kunye nabo. (Roma 14:10-12) Kunoko, sifanele amandla ethu siwasebenzisele ukukhuthaza abanye.

21. Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibhetele neyona ibalulekileyo yokusebenzisa amandla ethu?

²¹ UYehova ungumzekelo ogqibeleleyo ekusebenziseni amandla akhe ngokufanelekileyo. Sifuna ukumlinganisa kangangoko njengabantu abangafezekanga. Sinokuwasebenzisa ngokufanelekileyo amandla ethu ngokubaphatha ngesidima abo sinegunya elithile phezu kwabo. Ukongezelela, sifuna ukuwuphumeza ngomphefumlo wonke umsebenzi wokushumayela osindisa ubomi uYehova asinike wona ukuba siwenze. (Roma 10:13, 14) Khumbula ukuba, uyamvuyisa uYehova ngokwenza okusemandleni akho—ngomphefumlo wakho wonke. Ngaba intliziyo yakho ayikwenzi ukuba ufune ukwenza konke okusemandleni akho ekukhonzeni uThixo oqondayo nonothando ngolo hlobo? Le yeyona ndlela ibhetele okanye ebaluleke ngakumbi yokusebenzisa amandla akho.