1-3. (a) USolomon wabonakala njani ukuba unobulu mko obumangalisayo kwindlela awaligweba ngayo ityala loomama ababini? (b) Yintoni uYehova athembisa ukusinika yona, futhi yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuthetha ngayo?

 KWAKUKHO oomama ababini ababehlala kwikhaya elinye. Bazala oonyana, beshiyana nje ngeentsuku. Kodwa olunye usana lwafa. Ngoku ingulo wayesithi ungumama wolu sana luphilayo. a Akekho omny’ umntu owayebonile ukuba kwakwenzeke ntoni. Kumel’ ukuba iijaji zazama ukufumana inyani kodwa zakha phantsi. Ekugqibeleni, aba mama bacela uSolomon, ukumkani wakwaSirayeli, ukuba enze isigqibo. Ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukubona ukuba ngomphi oyena mama wolu sana luphilayo?

² Emva kokumamela aba mama bephikisana, uSolomon wathi makuziwe nekrele, wayalela ukuba lo mntwana asikwe phakathi, umama ngamnye anikwe icala. Ngoko nangoko, oyena mama wosana wacenga ukumkani ukuba umntwana wakhe amthandayo anikwe lo mama wesibini. Kodwa lo mama wesibini wema ngelithi lo mntwana makasikwe phakathi. USolomon watsho wayibhaqa eyona nyani. Wayeyazi kakuhle indlela umama anenimba ngayo ngomntwana wakhe, futhi wasebenzisa olo lwazi ukuze agwebe eli tyala. Ngaba unawo umbono wendlela awakhululeka ngayo umama womntwana xa uSolomon wamnika usana lwakhe waza wathi: “Nguye umama wakhe?”—1 Kumkani 3:16-27.

 ³ Yayibubulumko obumangalisayo obo, andithi? Bamangaliswa nyhani abantu xa beva indlela uSolomon awaligweba ngayo eli tyala, ‘kuba babona ukuba uThixo wayemnike ubulumko.’ Nyhani, uSolomon wayenobulumko abuphiwe nguThixo. UYehova wayemnike “intliziyo elumkileyo neqondayo.” (1 Kumkani 3:12, 28) Thina ke, ngaba nathi uThixo angasinika ubulumko? Ewe. Waphefumlela uSolomon ukuba athi: “NguYehova onika ubulumko.” (IMizekeliso 2:6) UYehova uthembisa ukubanika ubulumko—ubuchule bokusebenzisa kakuhle ulwazi nokuqonda—abo babufuna ngokuzimisela. Sinokubufumana njani ubulumko obuvela emazulwini? Futhi sinokubusebenzisa njani ebomini bethu?

4-7. Zeziphi iindlela ezine esinokufumana ngazo ubulumko?

⁴ Ngaba kufuneka sibe kleva kakhulu okanye sifunde kakhulu ukuze sifumane ubulumko obuvela kuThixo? Akunjalo. UYehova uyafuna ukusinika ubulumko bakhe noba singoobani futhi sinemfundo engakanani. (1 Korinte 1:26-29) Kodwa kukho izinto ekufuneka sizenze, kuba iBhayibhile isikhuthaza ukuba ‘sifune ubulumko.’ (IMizekeliso 4:7) Singabufuna njani ke?

⁵ Okokuqala, sifanele simoyike uThixo. “Ubulumko buqala ngokoyika uYehova,” itsho njalo iMizekeliso 9:10. Ukuze silumke nyhani ke, kufuneka simoyike uThixo. Ngoba? Khumbula ukuba ubulumko buthetha ukukwazi ukusebenzisa ulwazi nokuqonda ukuze wenze into entle. Ukoyika uThixo akuthethi ukutatazela ngenxa yakhe, kodwa kuthetha ukumthobela kuba simhlonipha kakhulu futhi simthemba. Oku ukoyika kulungile futhi kusenza sifune ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo. Kusenza siphile ngokuhambisana nezinto esizaziyo uThixo afuna sizenze. Le yeyona ndlela ekububulumko ukuba siphile ngayo, kuba izinto uYehova asixelela ukuba sizenze zisoloko zizezona zibhetele.

⁶ Okwesibini, kufuneka sithobeke. Asinakuba nabo ubulumko obuvela kuThixo ukuba asithobekanga. (IMizekeliso 11:2) Kutheni kunjalo? Xa sithobekile asibi nayo ingxaki ngokuvuma ukuba asazi yonke into, iimbono zethu azisoloko zichanile, nokuba  sidinga ukwazi indlela uYehova azicinga ngayo izinto. UYehova “akabathandi abantu abanekratshi,” kodwa uyakuvuyela ukubanika ubulumko abantu abathobeke nyhani.—Yakobi 4:6.

⁷ Okwesithathu, kufuneka sifundisise iLizwi likaThixo. UYehova usazise ngeLizwi lakhe izinto ezibubulumko. Ukuze sibufumane obo bulumko, kufuneka sibukhangele ngokuzimisela. (IMizekeliso 2:1-5) Into yesine efunekayo kukuthandaza. UThixo soze asivimbe tu ubulumko xa simcela. (Yakobi 1:5) Kanti soze angasiphenduli naxa sicela asincede ngomoya wakhe. Umoya wakhe unokusinceda sifumane amacebiso obulumko aseLizwini lakhe anokusinceda silungise iingxaki, siphephe ingozi, senze nezigqibo zobulumko.—Luka 11:13.

8. Xa sinabo nyhani ubulumko obuvela kuThixo, loo nto iza kubonakala njani?

⁸ Sibonile kwiSahluko 17 ukuba ubulumko bukaYehova buyasinceda. Ngoko xa sinabo nyhani ubulumko obuvela kuThixo, loo nto iza kubonakala kwindlela esizenza ngayo izinto. UYakobi wayichaza ngolu hlobo indlela abonakala ngayo umntu onobulumko obuvela kuThixo: “Ubulumko obuvela emazulwini, okokuqala bumsulwa, budala uxolo, bubhetyebhetye, bulungele ukuthobela, buhlala bunenceba ibe buvelisa iziqhamo ezihle, abukhethi buso kwaye abuhanahanisi.” (Yakobi 3:17) Ngoku makhe sithethe ngazo ezi ndlela, sithathe ibe nye ngexesha. Njengoko sisenza njalo zibuze, ‘Ngaba ndiyabusebenzisa ubulumko obuvela emazulwini ebomini bam?’

9. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba msulwa, futhi kutheni kufanelekile ukuba kube yindlela yokuqala obubonakala ngayo ubulumko?

⁹ “Okokuqala bumsulwa.” Ukuba msulwa kuthetha ukucoceka, hayi kwizinto esizenzayo kuphela, kodwa nakwizinto esizicingayo nendlela esivakalelwa ngayo. IBhayibhile ithi ubulumko “bungena” entliziyweni, kodwa uYehova akanakumnika ubulumko umntu ogcwele iingcinga neminqweno emibi, nowenza izinto ngezizathu ezingatshongo khona. (IMizekeliso 2:10; Mateyu 15:19, 20) Kodwa ke, ukuba intliziyo yethu icocekile,  ngokwendlela enokucoceka ngayo intliziyo yomntu ozelwe enesono, ‘sizokwahlukana nezinto ezimbi senze ezilungileyo.’ (INdumiso 37:27; IMizekeliso 3:7) Kucacile ukuba kutheni iBhayibhile isithi, okokuqala nje, kufuneka sicoceke ngandlela zonke ngaphambi kokuba zibonakale kuthi zonke ezinye iimpawu zokuba nobulumko bukaYehova?

10, 11. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sibe seluxolweni? (b) Xa uphawula ukuba ukhubekise umntu okhonza naye, ungalubuyisela njani uxolo? (Jonga nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁰ “Budala uxolo.” Ubulumko basezulwini busenza sizame ngamandla ukuba seluxolweni nabanye, xolo olo oluyinxalenye yesiqhamo somoya kaThixo. (Galati 5:22) Sizama konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba singaphazamisi ‘uxolo’ olumanyanisa abantu bakaYehova. (Efese 4:3) Senza konke esinako ukuze sibuyisele uxolo xa beluphazamisekile. Kutheni ibalulekile loo nto? IBhayibhile ithi: “Qhubekani . . . nihlala ngoxolo; yaye uThixo onothando nonika uxolo uza kuba nani.” (2 Korinte 13:11) Ngoko logama nje siqhubeka sihleli ngoxolo, uThixo woxolo uya kuba nathi. Ibaluleke kakhulu indlela esibaphatha ngayo abazalwana noodadewethu kuba ichaphazela ubuhlobo bethu noYehova. Singalwenza njani uxolo? Nanku umzekelo.

¹¹ Yintoni ofanele uyenze xa uphawula ukuba ukhubekise umntu okhonza naye? UYesu wathi: “Ngoko ke, ukuba uzisa isipho esibingelelweni, uthi ulapho ukhumbule ukuba umzalwana wakho ukhathazekile ngenxa yakho, sishiye eso sipho apho phambi kwesibingelelo, uhambe. Xolelana nomzalwana wakho kuqala; emva koko ubuye uze unikele isipho sakho.” (Mateyu 5:23, 24) Unokulisebenzisa elo cebiso ngokuthi uye kuthetha nomzalwana wakho. Ngeyiphi injongo? Ukuze ‘uxolelane’ naye. b Ukuze uyifeze  loo nto, kusenokufuneka umxelele ukuba uyayamkela into yokuba ekhubekile, kunokuba umxelele ukuba akanasizathu sakukhathazeka. Ukuba uthetha naye ngenjongo yokubuyisela uxolo uze uqhubeke usebenzela ukuba ifezeke loo njongo, nisenokukwazi ukulungisa nakuphi na ukungaqondani okukhoyo, nixolise, nize nixolelane. Xa uzama zonke iindlela zokwenza uxolo, wenza kucace ukuba ulawulwa bubulumko bukaThixo.

12, 13. (a) Lithetha ukuthini igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “bubhetyebhetye” kuYakobi 3:17? (b) Sinokubonakala njani ukuba sibhetyebhetye?

¹² “Bubhetyebhetye.” Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba bhetyebhetye? Abaphengululi bathi igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “bubhetyebhetye” kuYakobi 3:17  kunzima ukuliguqulela. Eli gama lisenza sicinge ngento ekuthwa kukuyekelela. Abaguquleli basebenzise amagama anjengelithi “ukuthantamisa,” “ukunyamezela,” nelithi “ukucingela.” Singabonakala njani ukuba sibhetyebhetye?

¹³ “Bonke abantu mababone ukuba nibhetyebhetye,” atsho njalo amaFilipi 4:5. Le vesi ibonisa ukuba akwanelanga ukucinga ukuba sibhetyebhetye. Into ebalulekileyo kukuba abantu basibona sibhetyebhetye na. Umntu obhetyebhetye akasoloko enyanzelisa umthetho okanye ukuba izinto zenziwe ngendlela yakhe. Kunoko, uyabamamela abanye, aze xa kufanelekile, ayekelele kwizinto abazinqwenelayo. Futhi ubaphatha ngobubele abanye, akekho ngqwabalala. Le nto ibalulekile kuwo onke amaKristu, kodwa ibaluleke kakhulu kubadala. Kuba lula ukuba abantu bathethe nabadala xa abadala bebaphatha ngobubele abanye. (1 Tesalonika 2:7, 8) Kuhle sonke sizibuze ukuba, ‘Ngaba ndidume ngokubacingela abanye, ngokubaphatha ngobubele nangokuyekelela?’

14. Sinokubonakala njani ukuba ‘sikulungele ukuthobela’?

¹⁴ “Bulungele ukuthobela.” Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “bulungele ukuthobela” lifumaneka kule vesi kuphela kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uthi eli gama lalidla ngokusetyenziswa xa kuchazwa amajoni athandayo ukuthobela xa eyalelwa. Lisenza sicinge ngomntu omamelayo nongenankani. Umntu olawulwa bubulumko bukaThixo uyakuthanda ukuthobela into ethethwa ziZibhalo. Akaziwa njengomntu onenkani, ongafuniyo ukutshintsha indlela azibona ngayo izinto. Xa enze into erongo okanye isigqibo esingesiso, uyakhawuleza ukutshintsha xa eboniswa into ecacileyo esuka eZibhalweni ethi uphazamile. Ngaba nawe yindlela owaziwa ngayo leyo?

15. Yintoni inceba, futhi kutheni kufanelekile nje ukuba ‘inceba’ ‘neziqhamo ezilungileyo’ zibalwe kunye kuYakobi 3:17?

¹⁵ “Buhlala bunenceba ibe buvelisa iziqhamo ezihle.” c Inceba luphawu olubalulekileyo lobulumko obuvela emazulwini, kuba ubulumko obunjalo kuthiwa “buhlala bunenceba.” Phawula ukuba ‘inceba’ ‘neziqhamo ezihle’ zibalwe kunye. Ifanelekile loo nto, kuba iBhayibhile idla ngokusebenzisa igama elithi inceba xa ichaza umntu othi kuba enovelwano enzele abanye izinto ezininzi ezintle. Enye incwadi ithi inceba “kukuba nosizi ngenxa yemeko embi akuyo omnye umntu nokuzama ukumnceda.” Ngoko umntu onobulumko bukaThixo akanamdla kwiinkcukacha nakulwazi nje kuphela. Endaweni yaloo nto, unomdla ebantwini futhi uyabacingela aze abe nobubele kubo. Sinokubonakala njani ukuba sihlala sinenceba?

16, 17. (a) Ngaphezu kokuthanda uThixo, yintoni enye esiqhuba ukuba sishumayele, futhi kutheni simele sishumayele? (b) Zeziphi iindlela esinokubonakala ngazo ukuba sihlala sinenceba?

¹⁶ Ngokuqinisekileyo indlela ebalulekileyo kukuxelela abanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Yintoni esiqhuba ukuba senze lo msebenzi? Eyona nto iphambili kukuthanda uThixo. Kodwa siqhutywa nayinceba, okanye ukuba novelwano ngabantu. (Mateyu 22:37-39) Abaninzi namhlanje ‘baphethwe kakubi, abahoywanga oku kweegusha ezingenamalusi.’ (Mateyu 9:36) Abefundisi baye babalahlekisa endaweni yokuba babathuthuzele ngenyaniso ekwiLizwi likaThixo. Yiloo nto abantu bengazazi iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ezinokusikhokela ebomini, bengazi neentsikelelo eziza kuziswa buBukumkani kungekudala. Xa sicinga ngendlela abantu abazidinga ngayo iindaba ezilungileyo, siye sibavele size sifune ukwenza yonke into esinokukwazi ukuyenza ukuze sibancede.

¹⁷ Zeziphi ezinye iindlela esinokubonakala ngazo ukuba sihlala  sinenceba? Khumbula umzekelo kaYesu womSamariya owabhaqa umntu elele ecaleni kwendlela, etsotsiwe futhi ebethiwe. Ngenxa yovelwano, loo mSamariya “wamenzela inceba” loo mntu wayebethiwe, wawabopha amanxeba akhe futhi wamhoya. (Luka 10:29-37, NWT ka-1999) Ngaba le nto ayenzi kucace ukuba, ukuba nenceba kuthetha ukubenzela izinto ezintle abantu abadinga uncedo? IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba “sibenzele izinto ezintle bonke abantu, ngokukodwa abo sikhonza nabo.” (Galati 6:10) Nazi ezinye izinto ezintle esinokubenzela zona. Singanceda umzalwana okanye udade osele ekhulile ngokumsa kwiintlanganiso nangokumgodusa. Okanye singanceda udade oswelekelwe ngumyeni kwinto adinga ukuyilungiselwa ekhayeni lakhe. (Yakobi 1:27) Okanye singakhuthaza umzalwana okanye udade okhathazwa ziingxaki ‘ngelizwi elilungileyo.’ (IMizekeliso 12:25) Xa sibenzela inceba ngezo ndlela abanye, senza kucace ukuba siyabusebenzisa ubulumko obuvela emazulwini.

18. Ukuba silawulwa bubulumko obuvela emazulwini, yintoni esifanele sizame ngamandla ukuyitshintsha, futhi kutheni sifanele siyitshintshe?

¹⁸ “Abukhethi buso.” Ubulumko bukaThixo businceda singacingi ukuba sibhetele kunabany’ abantu abanebala elahlukileyo kwelethu okanye abavela kwamanye amazwe. Busenza sifune ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sitshintshe indlela esicinga nesivakalelwa ngayo xa siqaphela ukuba kukho abantu esibaphatha bhetele kunabanye. (Yakobi 2:9) Asibaphathi kakuhle abanye ngenxa yokuba befundile, benemali, okanye benemisebenzi ekhethekileyo ebandleni. Akukho mzalwana okanye udade esimjongela phantsi, noba usenokubonakala ngathi akabalulekanga. Ukuba uYehova uyabathanda, sithini ke thina ukungabathandi?

19, 20. (a) Livela phi igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhanahanisi”? (b) Sinokubonakala njani ukuba ‘sibathanda nyhani abazalwana,’ futhi kutheni ibalulekile loo nto?

¹⁹ “Abuhanahanisi.” Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhanahanisi” lalinokuthetha “umdlali weqonga.”  Kudala, abadlali beqonga bamaGrike nabamaRoma babenxiba iimaski ezinkulu eqongeni. Ngenxa yoko, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhanahanisi” ethubeni laye lathetha umntu ozenza into angeyiyo okanye ozama ukuqhatha abantu. Ngoko ubulumko bukaThixo abuchaphazeli kuphela indlela esibaphatha ngayo abo sikhonza nabo kodwa buchaphazela nendlela esivakalelwa ngayo ngabo.

²⁰ Umpostile uPetros wathi ‘ukuthobela inyaniso’ kufanele kusenze ‘sibathande nyhani abazalwana.’ (1 Petros 1:22) Asenzi ngathi siyabathanda abazalwana noodadewethu kuba sifuna ukuzithandisa kubo. Kufuneka sibathande ngokusuk’ entliziyweni. Loo nto iza kwenza ukuba basithembe kuba bebona ukuba asizenzisi. Xa kunjalo, ebandleni kubakho abahlobo bokwenene size sonke sizive sikhuselekile.

21, 22. (a) Woyiswa njani uSolomon kukukhusela ubulumko? (b) Sinokubukhusela njani ubulumko, futhi kuza kusinceda njani ukwenza loo nto?

²¹ Ubulumko busisipho esivela kuYehova, esifanele sisikhusele. USolomon wathi: “Nyana wam, . . . bukhusele ubulumko namandla okucinga.” (IMizekeliso 3:21) Into ebuhlungu kukuba, yamoyisa yena uSolomon loo nto. Wayesisilumko lonke ela xesha wayethobela ngalo. Kodwa ekugqibeleni, abafazi bakhe abaninzi bezinye iintlanga bayisusa intliziyo yakhe ekukhonzeni uYehova ngendlela ecocekileyo. (1 Kumkani 11:1-8) Into eyenzekayo kuSolomon isenza sibone ukuba ulwazi alumncedi umntu xa engalusebenzisi ngendlela eyiyo.

²² Sinokubukhusela njani ubulumko? Ngokuthi sizame ngamandla ukuzenza izinto esizifunda eBhayibhileni nakwiincwadi esizilungiselelwa “likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,” singapheleli nje ekufundeni qho. (Mateyu 24:45) Sinezizathu ezininzi zokusebenzisa ubulumko bukaThixo ebomini bethu. Buza kusinceda siphile ubomi obubhetele khona ngoku. Buza kusinceda sifumane “ubomi benene,” ubomi kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. (1 Timoti 6:19) Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba, ukuzama ukusebenzisa ubulumko obuvela emazulwini kusisondeza kakhulu kuMntu onika bonke ubulumko, uYehova uThixo.