1. Yiluphi ugibe olucashile abantu abanesono abawela kalula kulo?

 “UMUNTU onamandla uhlale engaphansi kogibe.” La mazwi embongi yekhulu lika-19 asiqaphelisa ingozi ecashile: ukusebenzisa kabi amandla. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi abantu abanesono bawela kalula kulolu gibe. Ngempela, kuwo wonke umlando ‘umuntu uye wabusa omunye umuntu kwaba ukulimala kwakhe.’ (UmShumayeli 8:9) Ukusebenzisa amandla ngaphandle kothando kuye kwaphumela ekuhluphekeni okukhulu kwabantu.

2, 3. (a) Yini emangalisayo ngendlela uJehova asebenzisa ngayo amandla? (b) Amandla ethu angahlanganisani, futhi kufanele siwasebenzise kanjani wonke lawo mandla?

² Kodwa akumangalisi yini ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu, onamandla angenamkhawulo, akalokothi awasebenzise kabi lawo mandla? Njengoba sibonile ezahlukweni ezidlule, njalo nje amandla akhe​—kungaba awokudala, awokubhubhisa, awokuvikela, noma awokubuyisela—​uwasebenzisa ngokuvumelana nezinjongo zakhe zothando. Lapho sicabanga ngendlela asebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe, sifuna ukusondela kuye. Lokho nakho kusenza sibe “ngabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu” endleleni esisebenzisa ngayo amandla. (Efesu 5:1) Kodwa yimaphi amandla esinawo thina bantu abangelutho?

³ Khumbula ukuthi umuntu wadalwa “ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu” futhi umfuzile. (Genesise 1:26, 27) Ngakho-ke nathi sinawo amandla​—okungenani ngezinga elithile. Amandla ethu angahlanganisa ukukwazi ukwenza izinto, ukusebenza; ukulawula abanye noma ukuba negunya kubo; ikhono lokuthonya abanye, ikakhulu labo abasithandayo; izikhwepha; noma ukuba nezinto ezibonakalayo. Umhubi wathi  ngoJehova: “Ungumthombo wokuphila.” (IHubo 36:9) Ngakho-ke, uNkulunkulu unguMthombo wanoma imaphi amandla afanelekile esingase sibe nawo. Ngakho sifuna ukuwasebenzisa ngezindlela ezimjabulisayo. Singakwenza kanjani lokho?

4, 5. (a) Yini edingekayo ukuze sisebenzise amandla ngendlela efanele, futhi isibonelo sikaNkulunkulu sikubonisa kanjani lokhu? (b) Uthando luzosisiza kanjani ukuba sisebenzise amandla ethu ngendlela efanele?

⁴ Ukuze sisebenzise amandla ngendlela efanele kumele sibe nothando. Isibonelo sikaNkulunkulu asikubonisi yini lokhu? Khumbula ingxoxo yezimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezine eziyinhloko​—amandla, ubulungisa, ukuhlakanipha, nothando—​eSahlukweni 1. Kulezi zimfanelo ezine, iyiphi evelele? Uthando. “UNkulunkulu uluthando,” kusho eyoku-1 Johane 4:8. Yebo, uJehova uluthando uqobo lwalo; lubusa konke akwenzayo. Ngakho, isisusa sazo zonke izenzo zamandla akhe kusuke kuluthando, futhi ekugcineni zizuzisa labo abamthandayo.

⁵ Uthando luzosisiza ukuba nathi sisebenzise amandla ethu ngendlela efanele. Angithi iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uthando “lunomusa,” futhi “aluzifuneli izinzuzo zalo.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 5) Ngakho, uthando ngeke lusivumele ukuba sibaphathe ngokhahlo noma ngonya labo esinegunya phezu kwabo. Kunalokho, siyobaphatha ngenhlonipho abanye, sibeke izidingo nemizwa yabo ngaphambi kweyethu.​—Filipi 2:3, 4.

6, 7. (a) Kuyini ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, futhi kungani le mfanelo iyosisiza sigweme ukuwasebenzisa kabi amandla? (b) Nikeza isibonelo sokuhlobana okukhona phakathi kokwesaba ukudumaza uNkulunkulu nokumthanda.

⁶ Uthando luhlobene nenye imfanelo engasisiza sigweme ukusebenzisa kabi amandla: ukwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ibaluleke ngani le mfanelo? IzAga 16:6 zithi: “Ngokwesaba uJehova umuntu uyakufulathela okubi.” Ukusebenzisa kabi amandla kuphakathi kwezindlela ezimbi umuntu okufanele azifulathele ngempela. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuzosenza singabaphathi  kabi labo esinamandla phezu kwabo. Kungani? Phakathi kokunye, kungoba siyazi ukuthi siyolandisa kuNkulunkulu ngendlela esiphatha ngayo abanye. (Nehemiya 5:1-7, 15) Kodwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuhilela okungaphezu kwalokho. Amagama olimi lokuqala ahunyushwe ngokuthi “ukwesaba” ngokuvamile abhekisela enhloniphweni ejulile ngoNkulunkulu. Ngakho, iBhayibheli lihlobanisa ukwesaba nothando ngoNkulunkulu. (Duteronomi 10:12, 13) Lokhu kwesaba okunenhlonipho kusho ukwesaba ukudumaza uNkulunkulu​—hhayi ngoba nje sesaba imiphumela kodwa ngenxa yokuthi simthanda ngempela.

⁷ Ngokwesibonelo: Cabanga ngobuhlobo obuhle phakathi komfana omncane noyise. Umfana uyakuzwa ukukhathalela okunothando kukayise. Kodwa uyazazi nezinto uyise azifunayo kuye, uyazi nokuthi uyise uzomjezisa uma eganga. Akahlali edangele esaba uyise. Kunalokho, umkhonzile uyise. Le ngane iyathanda ukwenza izinto ezijabulisa uyise. Kunjalo nangokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda uJehova, uBaba wethu wasezulwini, siyesaba ukwenza noma yini engamzwisa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni. (Genesise 6:6) Kunalokho, silangazelela ukujabulisa inhliziyo yakhe. (IzAga 27:11) Yingakho sifuna ukuwasebenzisa kahle amandla ethu. Ake sihlole ukuthi singakwenza kanjani lokho.

8. (a) Amadoda analiphi igunya ekhaya, futhi kufanele alisebenzise kanjani? (b) Indoda ingabonisa kanjani ukuthi iyamazisa umkayo?

⁸ Cabanga ngokuphila kwasekhaya kuqala. Eyabase-Efesu 5:23 ithi: “Indoda iyinhloko yomkayo.” Indoda kufanele ilisebenzise kanjani leli gunya elinikwe uNkulunkulu? IBhayibheli litshela amadoda ukuba ahlale nomkabo “ngokolwazi” futhi ‘abazise njengesitsha esibuthakathaka kakhudlwana.’ (1 Petru 3:7) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ukwazisa” lisho “ukufaneleka, ukubaluleka, inhlonipho.” Leli gama lihunyushwa nangokuthi “izipho” nokuthi “yigugu.” (IzEnzo 28:10; 1 Petru 2:7) Indoda eyazisa umkayo ayisoze yamshaya;  futhi ayisoze yamhlaza noma imgxeke, imenze azizwe engelutho. Kunalokho, iyakubona ukubaluleka kwakhe, imphathe ngenhlonipho. Ibonisa ngamazwi nangezenzo​—ngasese nasemphakathini—​ukuthi umkayo uyigugu kuyo. (IzAga 31:28) Indoda enjalo ayigcini ngokuzuza uthando nenhlonipho yomkayo kuphela, kodwa okubaluleke nakakhulu, izuza umusa kaNkulunkulu.

9. (a) Yimaphi amandla amakhosikazi anawo ekhaya? (b) Yini engasiza inkosikazi ukuba isebenzise amakhono ayo ekusekeleni umyeni wayo, futhi ungaba yini umphumela?

⁹ Amakhosikazi nawo anesilinganiso esithile samandla ekhaya. IBhayibheli lisitshela ngabesifazane abesaba uNkulunkulu, okwathi ngaphansi kwemingcele yobunhloko, bathatha isinyathelo sokuba yithonya elihle kubayeni babo, noma babasiza bagwema ukwenza amaphutha ekwahluleleni. (Genesise 21:9-12; 27:46–28:2) Inkosikazi ingase ihlakaniphe kunomyeni wayo, noma ingase ibe namanye amakhono umyeni angenawo. Noma kunjalo, kufanele ‘imhloniphe ngokujulile’ umyeni wayo futhi izithobe kuye ‘njengokungathi izithoba eNkosini.’ (Efesu 5:22, 33) Ukuba nomgomo wokujabulisa uNkulunkulu kungasiza inkosikazi ukuba isebenzise amakhono ayo ekusekeleni umyeni wayo, kunokuba imehlise isithunzi noma izame ukumqinela. “Owesifazane ohlakaniphe” kanjalo ubambisana eduze nomyeni wakhe ukuze bakhe umndeni. Ngokwenza kanjalo ugcina ukuthula noNkulunkulu.​—IzAga 14:1.

10. (a) UNkulunkulu ubanikeze liphi igunya abazali? (b) Lisho ukuthini igama elithi “isiyalo,” futhi kufanele sinikezwe kanjani? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹⁰ Abazali nabo banegunya abalinikwe uNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli liyayala: “Bobaba, ningabacasuli abantwana benu, kodwa qhubekani nibakhulisa ngokubaqeqesha nangesiyalo sikaJehova.” (Efesu 6:4) Igama elithi “isiyalo” eBhayibhelini lingasho “ukukhulisa, ukuqeqesha, ukufundisa.” Izingane ziyasidinga isiyalo; zenza kahle ngaphansi kweziqondiso nemingcele ecacile. IBhayibheli lisihlobanisa nothando isiyalo esinjalo noma ukufundisa. (IzAga 13:24) Ngakho-ke, “induku yesiyalo”  akufanele neze ihlukumeze​—kungaba ngokomzwelo noma emzimbeni. a (IzAga 22:15; 29:15) Isiyalo esiqinile noma esinesihluku nesingenaluthando sibonisa ukusebenzisa kabi igunya lobuzali futhi singawuphula umoya wengane. (Kolose 3:21) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isiyalo esinokulinganisela esinikezwa kahle sitshela izingane ukuthi abazali bazo bayazithanda futhi bayalukhathalela uhlobo lwabantu eziba yilo.

11. Izingane zingawasebenzisa kanjani amandla azo ngendlela efanele?

¹¹ Izingane zona? Zingawasebenzisa kanjani amandla azo ngendlela efanele? IzAga 20:29 zithi: “Udumo lwezinsizwa ngamandla azo.” Ngokuqinisekile ayikho indlela engcono yokuba intsha isebenzise amandla nobungqabavu bayo ukwedlula ukukhonza “uMdali [wethu] Omkhulu.” (UmShumayeli 12:1) Kuhle izingane zikhumbule ukuthi izenzo zazo zingayithinta imizwa yabazali bazo. (IzAga 23:24, 25) Uma izingane zilalela abazali bazo abesaba uNkulunkulu, zinamathela endleleni elungile, zijabulisa izinhliziyo zabazali bazo. (Efesu 6:1) Ukuziphatha okunjalo “kuyajabulisa kakhulu eNkosini.”​—Kolose 3:20.

12, 13. (a) Abadala kufanele balibheke kanjani igunya labo ebandleni? (b) Fanekisa ukuthi kungani abadala kufanele baphathe umhlambi ngothando.

¹² UJehova umise ababonisi ukuba bahole ebandleni lobuKristu. (Hebheru 13:17) La madoda afanelekayo kufanele asebenzise igunya alinikwe uNkulunkulu ukuze anikeze umhlambi usizo oludingayo futhi abe nesandla enhlalakahleni yawo. Ingabe isikhundla sabo siyabagunyaza abadala ukuba babe izingqongqo phezu kwamanye amakholwa? Lutho! Abadala kudingeka babe nombono olinganiselayo nobonisa  ukuthobeka ngendima yabo ebandleni. (1 Petru 5:2, 3) IBhayibheli lithi kubabonisi: “[Yalusani] ibandla likaNkulunkulu, alithenga ngegazi leNdodana yakhe.” (IzEnzo 20:28) Yileso isizathu esinamandla sokuphatha ilungu ngalinye lomhlambi ngothando.

¹³ Singase sikufanekise kanje. Umngani wakho omkhulu ukucela ukuba unakekele impahla ethile eyigugu. Uyazi ukuthi umngani wakho uyikhokhele imali eshisiwe le mpahla. Ubungeke yini uyiphathe ngokucophelela, uqikelele? Ngokufanayo, uNkulunkulu uphathise abadala umthwalo wokunakekela impahla eyigugu ngempela: ibandla, elinamalungu afaniswa nezimvu. (Johane 21:16, 17) UJehova uyazithanda izimvu zakhe​—eqinisweni uzithanda kangangokuba waze wazithenga ngegazi eliyigugu leNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, uJesu Kristu. Alikho inani elidlula leli uJehova ayengalikhokha ngenxa yezimvu zakhe. Abadala abathobekile bayakukhumbula lokho, baphathe izimvu zikaJehova ngendlela efanele.

14. Ulimi lunamandla okwenzani?

¹⁴ IBhayibheli lithi: “Ukufa nokuphila kusemandleni olimi.” (IzAga 18:21) Ngempela, mkhulu umonakalo ongenziwa ulimi. Ubani kithi ongakaze abuzwe ubuhlungu bamazwi angacatshangisisiwe noma ahlabayo? Ulimi lunawo namandla okulungisa. IzAga 12:18 zithi: “Ulimi lwabahlakaniphile luyaphilisa.” Yebo, amazwi akhayo namnandi angafana nomuthi odambisa izinhlungu nothoba inhliziyo. Cabanga ngezibonelo ezithile.

15, 16. Singalusebenzisa ngaziphi izindlela ulimi ukuze sikhuthaze abanye?

¹⁵ Eyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:14 iyanxusa: ‘Duduzani abacindezelekile.’ Yebo, ngisho nezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova ngezinye izikhathi zingahlushwa ukucindezeleka. Singazisiza kanjani izinceku ezinjalo? Ukuze uzisize zibone ukuthi zibalulekile kuJehova, zincome ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Xoxa nazo ngamazwi anamandla eBhayibheli abonisa ukuthi uJehova ubakhathalela ngempela futhi uyabathanda ‘abaphukile  enhliziyweni nabadangele.’ (IHubo 34:18) Uma sisebenzisa amandla olimi lwethu ukuze siduduze abanye, sibonisa ukuthi silingisa uNkulunkulu wethu onesihawu, “oduduza abacindezelekile.”​—2 Korinte 7:6, New American Standard Bible.

¹⁶ Singawasebenzisa namandla olimi ukuze sikhuthaze abanye abasidinga kakhulu isikhuthazo. Ukhona yini esikholwa naye oshonelwe umuntu amthandayo? Amazwi ozwela abonisa ukukhathalela angayiduduza inhliziyo edabukile. Ingabe kunomzalwane noma udade osekhulile ozizwa engaselutho? Ulimi lomuntu ocabangayo lungaqinisekisa asebekhulile ukuthi bayigugu futhi bayaziswa. Ukhona yini ohlushwa ukugula okungamahlalakhona? Ukukhuluma nogulayo ngomusa ocingweni, ngokumbhalela noma ubuso nobuso kungamsiza kakhulu, kumenze azizwe engcono. Yeka indlela okumele ukuba uMdali wethu ujabula ngayo lapho sisebenzisa amandla okukhuluma sisho ‘amazwi akhayo’!​—Efesu 4:29.

17. Singalusebenzisa ngayiphi indlela ebalulekile ulimi lwethu ukuze kuzuze abanye, futhi kungani kufanele senze kanjalo?

¹⁷ Ayikho indlela yokusebenzisa amandla olimi ebaluleke  ngaphezu kokuxoxela abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. IzAga 3:27 zithi: “Ungabagodleli okuhle labo okufanele ubanike kona uma kusemandleni akho ukusiza.” Sinesibopho sokuxoxela abanye izindaba ezinhle ezisindisa ukuphila. Ngeke kube yinto enhle ukuwugodla lo myalezo ophuthumayo uJehova asinike wona ngomusa ongaka. (1 Korinte 9:16, 22) Kodwa uJehova ulindele ukuba sihlanganyele ngezinga elingakanani kulo msebenzi?

18. Yini uJehova ayilindele kithi?

¹⁸ Uthando lwethu ngoJehova lusenza sihlanganyele ngokugcwele enkonzweni yobuKristu. Yini uJehova ayilindele kithina  kule nkonzo? Yinto sonke esingase sikwazi ukumnika yona, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinjani isimo sethu ekuphileni: “Noma yini eniyenzayo, yenzeni ngomphefumulo wonke njengokungathi nenzela uJehova, hhayi abantu.” (Kolose 3:23) Lapho esho umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke, uJesu wathi: “Kumele uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Marku 12:30) Yebo, uJehova ulindele ukuba ngamunye kithi amthande futhi amkhonze ngomphefumulo wonke.

19, 20. (a) Njengoba umphefumulo uhlanganisa inhliziyo, ingqondo, namandla, zibalelweni lezi zinto kuMarku 12:30? (b) Kusho ukuthini ukukhonza uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke?

¹⁹ Kusho ukuthini ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo wonke? Elithi umphefumulo lisho umuntu ewonke, nawo wonke amakhono akhe omzimba nawengqondo. Njengoba umphefumulo uhlanganisa inhliziyo, ingqondo, namandla, zibalelweni pho lezi zici kuMarku 12:30? Cabanga ngalo mfanekiso. Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli, umuntu wayengase azithengisele (umphefumulo wakhe) ebugqilini. Kodwa isigqila sasingase singayikhonzi inkosi yaso ngenhliziyo yonke; sasingase singawasebenzisi wonke amandla aso noma amakhono aso engqondo ukuze sithuthukise izinto ezifunwa inkosi yaso. (Kolose 3:22) Ngokusobala yingakho uJesu azibala nalezi zinto ukuze agcizelele ukuthi kumele singagodli lutho enkonzweni yethu kuNkulunkulu. Ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo wonke kusho ukuzinikela, sisebenzise amandla ethu ngokugcwele ngangokunokwenzeka enkonzweni yakhe.

²⁰ Ingabe ukukhonza ngomphefumulo wonke kusho ukuthi sonke kumele sisebenzise isikhathi namandla alinganayo enkonzweni? Akunakwenzeka lokho, ngoba izimo zabantu namakhono abo ayashiyashiyana. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu osemusha onempilo enhle nonamandla angase akwazi ukushumayela isikhathi eside kunomuntu obuthaka ngenxa yokukhula ngeminyaka. Umuntu ongashadile ongenazo  izibopho zomndeni angase akwazi ukwenza okuningi kunomuntu okudingeka anakekele umndeni. Uma sinamandla nezimo ezisenza sikwazi ukwenza okuningi enkonzweni, kumele sibonge sinconcoze! Akufanele neze sibe nomoya wokugxeka, siziqhathanise nabanye kulokhu. (Roma 14:10-12) Kunalokho, sifuna ukusebenzisa amandla ethu ukuze sikhuthaze abanye.

21. Iyiphi indlela engcono kakhulu nebaluleke kunazo zonke esingasebenzisa ngayo amandla ethu?

²¹ UJehova usibekele isibonelo esiphelele sokusebenzisa amandla ngendlela efanele. Sifuna ukumlingisa ngokusemandleni ethu onke njengabantu abanesono. Amandla ethu singawasebenzisa ngendlela efanele ngokubaphatha ngenhlonipho labo esinegunya phezu kwabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sifuna ukuwenza ngomphefumulo wonke umsebenzi wokushumayela osindisa ukuphila uJehova asinikeze wona. (Roma 10:13, 14) Khumbula, uJehova uyajabula uma umnikeza okungcono kakhulu ongamnika kona​—umphefumulo wakho. Inhliziyo yakho ayikwenzi yini ufune ukwenza konke okusemandleni ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu oqondayo nonothando kanje? Ayikho indlela engcono noma ebaluleke ukwedlula lena, ongasebenzisa ngayo amandla akho.