1-3. (a) IBhayibhili likhuluma ngaliphi iqiniso esingeke silibalekele? (b) Singabakhetha njani abangane abazasinceda senze okuhle?

ABANTU banjengesipontshi; bandise ukumunya loba yini eseduze kwabo. Ngenye indlela, kulula kakhulu ukuthi sibe lemicabango, izimiso lobuntu babangane bethu lanxa singajonganga ukwenza njalo.

² IBhayibhili likhuluma ngeqiniso esingeke silibalekele nxa lisithi: ‘Ohamba lezihlakaniphi uzahlakanipha, kodwa othandana leziwula uwela engozini.’ (IZaga 13:20) Isaga lesi kasikhulumi ngobudlelwane obuncane nje. Ibala elithi “ohamba” litsho ubudlelwane obuqhubekayo. * Lapho ikhuluma ngevesi le enye inguqulo yeBhayibhili ithi: “Ukuhamba lomuntu kutshengisa uthando lokuthembeka.” Kawuvumi yini ukuthi sandise ukulingisela abantu esibathandayo? Lokhu kuliqiniso ngoba siyanamathela ebantwini esibathandayo njalo abantu labo bangasintshintsha sicine sesisenza okuhle kumbe okubi.

³ Ukuze sihlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu kuqakathekile ukuthi sidinge abangane abazasinceda senze okuhle. Singakwenza njani lokho? Kalula nje, singenza njalo ngokuthanda labo abathandwa nguNkulunkulu, senze abangane bakhe babe ngabethu. Cabanga ngalokho. Labo abalobuntu obufunwa nguJehova kubangane bakhe yibo abangaba  ngabangane bethu abahle kakhulu. Okwakhathesi kasihloleni ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthanda abantu abanjani. Silombono kaJehova engqondweni, sizenelisa ukukhetha abangane abazasinceda senze okuhle.

4. Kungani uJehova elelungelo lokukhetha labo afuna babe ngabangane bakhe, njalo kungani uJehova wabiza u-Abhrahama ngokuthi “umngane wami”?

⁴ UJehova ukhetha ngonanzelelo labo afuna babe ngabangane bakhe. Kalalo yini ilungelo lokuthi enze njalo? Phela uyiNkosi yeNdawo Yonke, njalo ukuba ngabangane bakhe yisibusiso esikhulu ukudlula zonke. Ukhetha obani-ke ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe? UJehova usondela kulabo abamethembayo njalo abakholwa kuye ngenhliziyo yonke. Ngokwesibonelo cabanga ngo-Abhrahama, indoda eyayilokholo ukwedlula bonke abantu. Akula kulingwa phansi kwelanga okungalinganiswa lokuthi ubaba ongumuntu acelwe ukuthi anikele indodana yakhe ibe ngumhlatshelo. * Kodwa u-Abhrahama “wayeseseduze ukuba anikele indodana yakhe,” ekholwa ngenhliziyo yonke ukuthi ‘uNkulunkulu wayezayivusa kwabafileyo.’ (KumaHebheru 11:17-19) Ngenxa yokuthi u-Abhrahama wabonisa ukholo kanye lokulalela, uJehova wambiza ngendlela elothando ngokuthi “umngane wami.”​—U-Isaya 41:8; UJakhobe 2:21-23.

5. UJehova ubabona njani labo abamlalela ngenhliziyo yonke?

⁵ UJehova uyakuqakathekisa kakhulu ukulalela ngokuthembeka. Uthanda labo abazimiseleyo ukuthi bathembeke ngaphezu kwezinto zonke. (Bala u-2 Samuyeli 22:26.) Njengoba sabona eSahlukweni sakuqala sebhuku leli, uJehova uyathokoza kakhulu ngabantu abakhetha ukumlalela  ngoba bemthanda. UZaga 3:32 uthi, “Oqotho umbeka ekhwapheni lakhe.” Labo abenza intando kaNkulunkulu bamukela isimemo sothando esivela kuJehova: Bangahlala “endlini” yakhe okutsho ukuthi bangavunyelwa ukumkhonza lokukhuleka kuye ngaloma yisiphi isikhathi.​—IHubo 15:1-5.

6. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda uJesu, njalo uJehova uzizwa njani ngalabo abathanda iNdodana yakhe?

⁶ UJehova uyabathanda labo abathanda iNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa, uJesu. UJesu wathi: “Nxa ekhona ongithandayo uzalalela imfundiso yami. UBaba uzamthanda, njalo sizakuza kuye sakhe umuzi wethu kanye laye.” (UJohane 14:23) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda uJesu? Singatshengisa ngokulalela imilayo yakhe, egoqela umlayo wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle lowokwenza abafundi. (UMathewu 28:19, 20; UJohane 14:15, 21) Sitshengisa njalo ukuthi siyamthanda uJesu lapho ‘silandela amanyathelo akhe,’ sikwenza lokhu ngamazwi langezenzo ngendlela esingenelisa ngayo njengabantu abalesono. (1 UPhetro 2:21) Inhliziyo kaJehova ithokoza kakhulu lapho ebona imizamo yalabo abathanda iNdodana yakhe okokuthi sebephila ngendlela uKhristu aphila ngayo.

7. Kungani kuyikuhlakanipha ukuba ngabangane balabo abangabangane bakaJehova?

⁷ Obunye ubuntu uJehova afuna abangane bakhe babelabo lukholo, ukuthembeka, ukulalela lokuthanda uJesu lezindlela zakhe. Kumele sizibuze ukuthi ‘Ubuntu obuhle kangaka buyatholakala yini kulabo engithi ngabangane bami? Abangane bakaJehova ngibenze abangane bami yini?’ Yikuhlakanipha ukwenza njalo. Abantu abasebenza nzima ukuthi babe lobuntu obuthandwa nguNkulunkulu njalo betshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngentshiseko bangasinceda kakhulu ukuthi siqhubeke sizimisele ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu.​—Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Umngane Omuhle Ngonjani?”.

8. Kuyini okuthandayo ngobungane (a) bukaNawomi loRuthe? (b) bamaHebheru amathathu asakhulayo? (c) bukaPhawuli loThimothi?

⁸ IMibhalo ilezibonelo ezinengi zalabo abancedwa yikukhetha abangane abahle. Ungabala ngobungane bukaNawomi lomalokazana wakhe uRuthe, abasakhulayo abathathu abangamaHebheru abaqhubeka bengabangane eBhabhiloni, njalo lobungane bukaPhawuli loThimothi. (URuthe 1:16; UDanyeli 3:17, 18; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 4:17; KwabaseFiliphi 2:20-22) Kodwa ake sixoxe ngesinye isibonelo sobungane obumangalisayo obabuphakathi kukaDavida loJonathani.

9, 10. Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uDavida loJonathani babe ngabangane?

⁹ IBhayibhili lithi ngemva kokuba uDavida elahle phansi uGoliyathi, “uJonathani waba moya munye loDavida, wamthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe.” (1 USamuyeli 18:1) Ngakho-ke, baqalisa ukuba ngamathe lolimi kwaze kwaba yilapho uJonathani esifa empini, kungelani lokuthi iminyaka yabo yayitshiyene kakhulu. * (2 USamuyeli 1:26) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi bobabili babe lobungane obuqine kangaka?

¹⁰ Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu lesifiso esiqinileyo sokuhlala bethembekile kuye yikho okwenza uDavida loJonathani baba lobudlelwane obuhle. Ngamunye wabo wayelobuntu obukhanga omunye. Babehlanganiswa yikuthanda kwabo uNkulunkulu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJonathani wayethokoziswa yikuba yindoda emadodeni kwejaha leli lokuba kwalo lentshiseko yokuvikela ibizo likaJehova ngesibindi. UDavida wayeyihlonipha indoda le eyayindala kulaye eyayisekela  ngokuthembeka indlela uJehova ayehlele ngayo izinto njalo yayikhathalela izidingo zikaDavida. Ngokwesibonelo, ake sixoxe ngokwenzakala lapho uDavida edane kakhulu, ephila njengesiphepheli egangeni ebalekela iNkosi uSawuli, ubaba kaJonathani. UJonathani watshengisa ukuthi wayethembeke kakhulu ngokuqala yena ‘ukuya kuDavida ukuze amsize ukuba athole amandla kuNkulunkulu.’ (1 USamuyeli 23:16)  Cabanga ukuthi uDavida wezwa njani lapho umngane wakhe ayemthanda kakhulu ezomsekela lokuzomkhuthaza. *

11. Kuyini okufunda esibonelweni sikaDavida loJonathani okuphathelane lobungane?

¹¹ Sifundani esibonelweni sikaDavida loJonathani? Isifundo esikhulu esisitholayo yikuthi ukuze abantu babengabangane kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi ngamunye abelobuhlobo obuqinileyo loNkulunkulu. Lapho sisondela eduze lalabo  abakholwa lokho esikukholwayo, abaziphatha ngendlela esiziphatha ngayo labalesifiso sokuqhubeka bethembekile kuNkulunkulu njengathi, singabelana imiqondo eyakhayo, imizwelo, lezenzakalo ezingasakha futhi zisikhuthaze. (Bala uRoma 1:11, 12.) Abangane abathanda izinto ezingokomoya njalo abafuna ukuba lobuhlobo obuqinileyo loJehova sibathola phakathi kwabantu esikhonza labo. Lokhu kutsho yini ukuthi bonke abantu ababuya emihlanganweni yebandla eWolu loMbuso ngabangane abahle? Hatshi.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kumele sikhethe kuhle abangane laphakathi kwamaKhristu esikhonza lawo? (b) Amabandla ekhulu lokuqala aba laluphi uhlupho, okwenza uPhawuli wapha siphi isixwayiso esiqinileyo?

¹² Lasebandleni kumele sikhethe abangane ukuze abangane bethu kube yilabo abazasinceda ukuthi ubuhlobo bethu loNkulunkulu buqine. Lokhu kumele kusimangalise yini? Hatshi. Amanye amaKhristu kungawathatha isikhathi eside kulamanye ukuthi ubuhlobo bawo loJehova buqine, njengoba nje ezinye izithelo esihlahleni zingathatha isikhathi eside kulezinye ukuthi zivuthwe. Ngakho-ke, kuwo wonke amabandla indlela amaKhristu akhule ngayo ngokomoya itshiyene. (KumaHebheru 5:12–6:3) Kodwa siyababekezelela njalo siyabathanda abatsha lababuthakathaka ngoba sifuna ukubanceda ukuthi ubuhlobo babo loNkulunkulu buqine.​—KwabaseRoma 14:1; 15:1.

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi kungaba lesimo ebandleni esingenza kudingeke ukuthi siqaphele ukuthi ngobani abangane bethu. Abanye bangabe beziphatha ngendlela engalunganga. Abanye bangaba lomkhuba wokusola loba wokukhonona. Amabandla ekhulu lokuqala C.E. ayelohlupho olufananayo. Lanxa amaKhristu amanengi ayethembekile, kwakulamanye ayengaziphathi kuhle. Ngenxa yokuthi abanye ebandleni laseKhorinte babengazilandeli ezinye izimfundiso zesiKhristu, umphostoli uPhawuli walixwayisa lelo bandla wathi: “Lingedukiswa: abangane ababi bayasona isimilo esihle.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte  15:12, 33) UPhawuli waxwayisa uThimothi ukuthi laphakathi kwamaKhristu kungaba labanye abangaziphathi kuhle. UThimothi watshelwa ukuthi ahlukane ngokupheleleyo labantu abanjalo, angabenzi abangane bakhe abaseduze.​—Bala u-2 Thimothi 2:20-22.

14. Singazisebenzisa njani izixwayiso zikaPhawuli eziphathelane labangane?

¹⁴ Singazisebenzisa njani izixwayiso zikaPhawuli? Singakwenza ngokungabi labangane ebandleni kumbe phandle kwebandla abangasiyengela ezintweni ezimbi. (2 KwabaseThesalonika 3:6, 7, 14) Kumele sivikele ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. Khumbula ukuthi njengesipontshi, simunya ukucabanga lokwenza kwabangane bethu abaseduze. Njengoba nje singeke sifake isipontshi emanzini angcolileyo besesilindela ukuthi simunye amanzi ahlanzekileyo, ngeke sibe labangane abenza izinto ezingalunganga besesilindela ukuthi simunye izinto ezilusizo.​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 5:6.

15. Ungenzani ukuze uthole abangane abalobuhlobo obuqinileyo loNkulunkulu ebandleni?

¹⁵ Okuhle yikuthi singabathola abangane abahle kulabo esikhonza labo. (IHubo 133:1) Ungabathola njani abangane abasebenza nzima ukuthi bahlale belobuhlobo obuhle loJehova ebandleni? Njengoba uzama ukuba lobuntu obuthandwa nguNkulunkulu njalo uzama ukwenza okumthokozisayo, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abanye abazama ukwenza okufananayo bazasondela kuwe. Ngesikhathi esifananayo, kumele uthathe amanyathelo athile ukuze ube labangane abatsha. (Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Indlela Esathola Ngayo Abangane Abahle.”) Dinga labo abalobuntu ofuna ukuba labo. Okunye okumele AmaKhristu akwenze yikukhumbula iseluleko seBhayibhili sokuthi sithandane. Sifuna ukuba labangane abanengi kungelani lokuthi umfowethu ngumhlobo bani, uvela kuliphi ilizwe kumbe ulamasiko anjani. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:13; bala u-1 Phetro 2:17.) Ungadingi abangane abalingana lawe kuphela. Khumbula ukuthi uJonathani wayemdala kakhulu kuloDavida. Abanengi abadala kulathi bangenza  ubungane bube ngobuncedayo kakhulu ngolwazi abalalo empilweni kugoqele lokuhlakanipha abalakho.

16, 17. Kungani kungamelanga sizehlukanise lebandla nxa esikhonza laye esizwise ubuhlungu?

¹⁶ Ukungazwanani kungaba khona ngezinye izikhathi ngenxa yokuthi kulabantu abalobuntu obutshiyeneyo ebandleni njalo abakhuliswe ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo. Omunye esikhonza laye angatsho kumbe enze into esizwisa ubuhlungu. (IZaga 12:18) Kwezinye izikhathi izinhlupho zingabangelwa yibuntu obutshiyeneyo, ukungazwanani kumbe ukutshiyana kwemibono. Sizakhubeka yini ngezinhlupho ezifanana lalezi njalo sizehlukanise lebandla? Kasisoze senzenjalo nxa simthanda ngeqiniso uJehova kanye labathandekayo bakhe.

¹⁷ UJehova kumele simthande njalo simkhonze ngenhliziyo yonke ngoba unguMdali wethu njalo usekela ukuphila  kwethu. (ISambulo 4:11) Ngaphezu kwalokhu, ibandla alisebenzisayo kumele silisekele ngokuthembeka. (KumaHebheru 13:17) Ngakho nxa umKhristu esikhonza laye esizwisa ubuhlungu kumbe esidanisa ngendlela ethile, kasisoze sizehlukanise lebandla ngoba sifuna ukutshengisa ukuthi okwenzakeleyo kusicaphulile. Singakwenzelani lokho? UJehova kayisuye oyabe esicaphulile. Ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kakusoze kusivumele ukuthi simtshiye yena labantu bakhe!​—Bala iHubo 119:165.

18. (a) Singenzani ukuze kube lokuthula ebandleni? (b) Ukukhetha ukuthethelela nxa kulesizathu esihle sokwenza njalo kunceda ngani?

¹⁸ Ukuthanda labo esikhonza labo kusenza sisebenzele ukuthi kube lokuthula ebandleni. UJehova akalindelanga ukuthi labo abamkhonzayo babe ngabapheleleyo njalo lathi akumelanga senze njalo. Uthando lusinceda ukuthi singakhangeli amaphutha amancane njalo sikhumbule ukuthi sonke silesono futhi siyaphambanisa. (IZaga 17:9; 1 UPhetro 4:8) Uthando lusinceda ukuthi siqhubeke ‘sithethelelana’ ngenhliziyo yonke. (KwabaseKholose 3:13) Akulula ukusebenzisa iseluleko lesi zikhathi zonke. Nxa singavumela imizwa ebuhlungu ukuthi isibuse, singacina sesihlala sicaphukile mhlawumbe sicabanga ukuthi ukuzonda kwethu kumzwisa ubuhlungu osiphambanisileyo. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi ukuhlala sicaphukile kulimaza thina. Ukukhetha ukuthethelela nxa kulesizathu esihle sokuthi senze njalo kuyanceda kakhulu. (ULukha 17:3, 4) Kusenza sibe lokuthula engqondweni lasenhliziyweni, kwenza ibandla lihlale lilokuthula njalo okuqakatheke ukudlula konke yikuthi kulondoloza ubuhlobo bethu loJehova.​—UMathewu 6:14, 15; KwabaseRoma 14:19.

19. Yiziphi izimo ezingabakhona ezenza kudingeke ukuthi singasahlanganyeli lomuntu othile?

¹⁹ Ngezinye izikhathi singacelwa ukuthi singasahlanganyeli lothile obeyilunga lebandla. Lokhu kungenzakala lapho othile eqhubeka esephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu engaphenduki  kumbe ephika ukholo ngokufundisa imfundiso yamanga kumbe ezehlukanisa lebandla. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ngokucacileyo ukuthi ‘singahlanganyeli’ labantu abanjalo. * (Bala u-1 Khorinte 5:11-13; 2 UJohane 9-11) Kungaba nzima kakhulu ukungasakhulumisani lomuntu obengumngane wethu kumbe isihlobo sethu. Sizakuma siqinile yini, sitshengisa ukuthi ukuthembeka kuJehova lasemithethweni yakhe elungileyo yikho esikuqakathekisa ukudlula konke? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova uqakathekisa kakhulu ukuthembeka lokulalela.

20, 21. (a) Kungani uhlelo lokwehlukanisa umuntu lebandla lutshengisa uthando? (b) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sikhethe kuhle abangane bethu?

²⁰ Ukwehlukanisa umuntu lebandla luhlelo oluhle oluvela kuJehova. Kungani kunjalo? Ukuxotsha isoni esingaphendukiyo kutshengisa ukuthanda ibizo likaJehova elingcwele, izimiso zakhe kanye loJehova ngokwakhe. (1 UPhetro 1:15, 16) Uhlelo lokwehlukanisa umuntu lebandla lwenza ibandla lihlale livikelekile. Amalunga athembekileyo ayavikelwa ekuyengweni ngabantu abona ngabomo njalo angaqhubeka ngokukhonza kwawo esazi ukuthi ibandla yindawo evikelekileyo emhlabeni lo omubi. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 5:7; KumaHebheru 12:15, 16) Ukulaywa lokho okuqinileyo kutshengisa uthando ngalowo onileyo. Kungaba yinto abeyidinga ukuze antshintshe izindlela zakhe athathe amanyathelo adingekayo ukuze abuyele kuJehova.​—KumaHebheru 12:11.

²¹ Kuliqiniso ukuthi abangane bethu abaseduze bangasenza sintshintshe indlela esiyiyo yona. Ngakho-ke, kuqakathekile ukuthi sikhethe kuhle abangane. Nxa singenza abangane bakaJehova babe ngabethu, sithande labo abathandwa nguNkulunkulu, sizaba labangane abahle kakhulu. Esikumunya kubo kuzasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sizimisele ukuthokozisa uJehova.