1, 2. Kungani uJehova ethokoza nxa esibona sizama ukuhlala siqotho? Nika umzekeliso.

UMAMA lomntanakhe ongumfana baphuma bonke esitolo. Besahamba, umntwana uyama ethukile. Esandleni sakhe ulethoyi encane ayithethe esitolo. Ukhohlwe ukuyibuyisela kumbe ukucela unina ukuthi amthengele yona. Ubiza unina ekhathazekile. Unina uthi angakhathazeki njalo ubuyela laye esitolo ukuze ayexolisa abesebuyisela ithoyi leyo. Njengoba esenza njalo, unina uyathokoza futhi uyaziqhenya ngaye. Kungani?

² Abazali bayathokoza kakhulu nxa bebona abantwana babo befunda ukuqakatheka kokubaqotho. Kunjalo langoBaba wethu osezulwini ‘onguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHubo 31:5) Nxa esibona sikhula ebuhlotsheni bethu laye, uyathokoza ukusibona sizama ukubaqotho. Ngenxa yokuthi sifuna ukumthokozisa kanye lokuhlala ethandweni lwakhe, sitshengisa indlela azizwa ngayo njengoba yabhalwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli: “Sifisa ukuhlala ngobuqotho ngezindlela zonke.” (KumaHebheru 13:18) Kasikhangeleni izimo ezine empilweni lapho okungaba nzima khona ukubaqotho. Ngemva kwalokho, besesihlola izibusiso ezibakhona ngokubaqotho.

3-5. (a) Kuyini iLizwi likaNkulunkulu elisixwayisa ngakho mayelana lengozi yokuzikhohlisa? (b) Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi singazikhohlisi?

³ Ubunzima bakuqala esilabo yikufunda ukungazikhohlisi. Kulula ngathi abantu abalesono ukuthi sizikhohlise. Ngokwesibonelo,  uJesu watshela abantu ababengamaKhristu eLawodekhiya ukuthi babezikhohlisa ngokucabanga ukuthi babengabantu abanothileyo, kodwa iqiniso kuyikuthi ‘babengabayanga, beyiziphofu njalo benqunu’ ngokomoya. Leso kwakuyisimo esidanisayo kakhulu. (ISambulo 3:17) Ukuzikhohlisa kwabo kwenza isimo sabo saba yingozi kakhulu.

⁴ Ungakhumbula futhi ukuthi umfundi uJakhobe waxwayisa wathi: “Uma umuntu ecabanga ukuthi uyakholwa kodwa engalubambi ulimi lwakhe okuqinileyo, uyazikhohlisa njalo lokholo lwakhe luyize.” (UJakhobe 1:26) Nxa singacabanga ukuthi singasebenzisa kubi ulimi lwethu kodwa siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova kuhle, siyabe sizikhohlisa. Ukukhonza kwethu uJehova kuyabe kuyize, kuyikudlalisa isikhathi. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi singabi sesimweni esinjalo esidanisayo?

⁵ Emavesini lawo, uJakhobe ufananisa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lesibuko. Usikhuthaza ukuthi sikhangele emthethweni kaNkulunkulu opheleleyo njalo silungise lapho okumele silungise khona. (Bala uJakhobe 1:23-25.) IBhayibhili lisinceda ukuthi singazikhohlisi lokuthi siqonde lokho okumele sikwenze ukuze sithuthuke. (IZililo 3:40; UHagayi 1:5) Singakhuleka futhi kuJehova simcele ukuthi asihlole, asincede ukuthi sibone lapho okumele silungisise khona. (IHubo 139:23, 24) Ukungabi qotho yibuthakathaka obukhulu njalo kumele sibe lombono kaBaba wethu wasezulwini ngobuqotho. IZaga 3:32 zithi: “UJehova uyamenyanya umuntu oxhwalileyo kodwa oqotho umbeka ekhwapheni lakhe.” UJehova angasinceda ukuthi sizizwe ngendlela azizwa ngayo lokuthi sizibone ngendlela yena asibona ngayo. Khumbula ukuthi uPhawuli wathi: “Sifisa ukuhlala ngobuqotho ngezindlela zonke.” Kasingeke sibe ngabapheleleyo khathesi, kodwa siyafisa ngenhliziyo yonke ukubaqotho.

6. Kungani abatshadileyo kumele babeqotho komunye lomunye njalo yiziphi izingozi abazibalekelayo ngokwenza njalo?

⁶ Ubuqotho kumele bube luphawu lwemuli yamaKhristu.  Ngakho kumele indoda lomkayo batshelane konke njalo babeqotho komunye lomunye. Umtshado wamaKhristu akumelanga ube lezinto ezilimazayo lezingcolileyo ezinjengokuthi umuntu adlale ngothando lomuntu angatshadanga laye, ekwenza ecatshile esebenzisa i-Internet loba ngokubona imifanekiso yezemacansini. AmaKhristu amanengi atshadileyo ahlanganyele ekuziphatheni okubi okunjalo, ekufihlela labo atshade lawo. Ukwenza njalo yikungabiqotho. Bona amazwi eNkosi uDavida owayethembekile athi: “Kangidlelani labantu abakhohlisayo njalo kangiwelelani labazenzisi.” (IHubo 26:4) Nxa utshadile, ungahlanganyeli ekuziphatheni okungenza ulingeke ukuthi ufihlele otshade laye lokho oyikho sibili.

7, 8. Yiziphi izibonelo eziseBhayibhilini ezinganceda abantwana ukuthi bafunde ukuqakatheka kokubaqotho?

⁷ Abazali bayabe betshengisa ukuhlakanipha ngokusebenzisa izibonelo zabantu abaseBhayibhilini nxa befundisa abantwana babo ukuqakatheka kobuqotho. Ezinye izibonelo zabantu abangazange babeqotho zihlanganisa u-Akhani, owantshontshayo njalo wazama ukukufihla lokho; uGehazi owaqamba amanga ukuze athole imali; kanye loJuda owantshontshayo, waqamba amanga esenzela uJesu ulunya ukuze amlimaze.​—UJoshuwa 6:17-19; 7:11-25; 2 AmaKhosi 5:14-16, 20-27; UMathewu 26:14, 15; UJohane 12:6.

⁸ Izibonelo ezinhle zabantu ababeqotho zihlanganisa esikaJakhobe owakhuthaza amadodana akhe ukuthi abuyisele imali ayeyithole emasakeni awo ngenxa  yokuthi wayecabanga ukuthi ifakwe lapho ngephutha; uJefitha lendodakazi yakhe, eyavumelana lesifungo sikayise lanxa yayizalahlekelwa kakhulu loJesu owabalesibindi waziveza exukwini elalilodlakela ukuze agcwalise isiphrofetho futhi avikele abangane bakhe. (UGenesisi 43:12; ABahluleli 11:30-40; UJohane 18:3-11) Izibonelo lezi ezilutshwana zingatshengisa abazali ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lilolwazi oluqakathekileyo olungabanceda ukuthi bafundise abantwana babo ukuthi bathande njalo baqakathekise ubuqotho.

9. Kuyini okungamelanga abazali bakwenze nxa befuna ukubekela abantwana babo isibonelo sobuqotho njalo kungani isibonelo sabo siqakathekile?

⁹ Imfundiso enjalo inika abazali umsebenzi oqakathekileyo. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabuza wathi: “Ngakho wena ofundisa abanye, kambe lawe awuzifundisi na? Wena otshumayela ngokungebi, uyeba na?” (KwabaseRoma 2:21) Abanye abazali benza abantwana babo bacine bengasakwazi ukuthi okuyikho yikuphi ngokubafundisa ukuthi babeqotho kodwa bona besenza izinto ezitshengisa ukuthi kabaqotho. Bangenza angani ukuntshontsha izinto ezincane kulungile ngokukhuluma amazwi anjengokuthi “abanikazi besitolo kabalandaba vele nxa abantu bangakuthatha lokhu,” kumbe bangathi “la ngamanga amancane nje.” Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi ukuntshontsha yikuntshontsha kungelani lokuthi kuntshontshwe into encane kangakanani, njalo ukuqamba amanga yikuqamba amanga kungelani lokuthi kuqanjwe amanga mayelana lani. * (Bala uLukha 16:10.) Abantwana bayaphangisa ukuthi babone nxa umuntu engenzi lokho akufundisayo njalo lokho kungabalimaza kakhulu. (Kwabase-Efesu 6:4) Kodwa lapho befunda ukubaqotho esibonelweni sabazali babo, bangakhula bedumisa uJehova emhlabeni lo ongalabuqotho.​—IZaga 22:6.

10. Kuyini okumele sihlale sikukhumbula mayelana lokubaqotho lapho sikhuluma lesikholwa labo?

¹⁰ Ukuba ngabangane lamanye amaKhristu kungasinika ithuba lokubaqotho. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 12, kumele siqaphele indlela esisebenzisa ngayo isipho sokukhuluma, ikakhulu nxa sikhuluma labafowethu labodadewethu esikholwa labo. Kulula ukuthi inkulumo yansuku zonke icine isiyikunyeya okulimazayo kumbe isiyikunyundela! Nxa singakhuluma indaba esingelaqiniso ukuthi isukele ngaphi singabe sincedisa ukumemethekisa amanga, ngakho kumele sinanzelele esikukhulumayo. (IZaga 10:19) Kwezinye izikhathi, singabe sisazi indaba ukuthi iliqiniso kodwa lokho akutsho ukuthi kumele sitshele abanye ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, indaba leyo ingabe ingelani lathi, kumbe kungabe kungatshengisi umusa ukuyikhuluma. (1 UPhetro 4:5) Abanye bathatha ukubaluhlaza njengokuthi yikubaqotho, kodwa amazwi ethu kumele ahlale elomusa.​—Bala uKholose 4:6.

11, 12. (a) Abanye abenza isono esikhulu benza indaba ibembi kakhulu ngaziphi izindlela? (b) Yiwaphi amanye amanga uSathane awakhuthazayo ngokuphathelane lesono esikhulu njalo singalwisana njani lawo? (c) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siqotho enhlanganisweni kaJehova?

¹¹ Kuqakathekile ukuthi sibeqotho kulabo abakhokhelayo ebandleni. Abanye abenza isono esikhulu benza izinto zibe  zimbi kakhulu ngokuzama ukufihla isono sabo, beqamba amanga ebadaleni bebandla nxa bebuzwa ngesono abasenzileyo. Abantu abanjalo baqalisa lokuphila besenza angani bakhonza uJehova ngesikhathi esifananayo belomkhuba wokwenza isono esibi kakhulu. Iqiniso yikuthi ukwenza njalo kwenza yonke impilo yomuntu lowo ibe ngamanga. (IHubo 12:2) Abanye batshela abadala ezinye izinto eziliqiniso ngendaba ethile kodwa befihla okunye okubi kakhulu ngendaba leyo. (ImiSebenzi 5:1-11) Ukungabi qotho okunjalo kuvela ekukholweni amanga akhuthazwa nguSathane.​—Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Amanga kaSathane Mayelana Lezono Ezimbi Kakhulu.”

¹² Kuqakathekile lokuthi sibeqotho nxa sibhala siphendula esikubuzwa yinhlanganiso kaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa sibhala umbiko wethu wenkonzo yasensimini, siba leqiniso lokuthi kasibhali amanga. Ngendlela efananayo, nxa sigcwalisa amafomu ezinye izibusiso zenkonzo, kakumelanga sibhale amanga mayelana lempilakahle yethu kumbe ngokunye okuphathelane lathi.​—Bala iZaga 6:16-19.

13. Singahlala njani siqotho nxa sisenza ibhizimusi lesikholwa laye?

¹³ Ukubaqotho kulabo esikholwa labo kugoqela lasezindabeni zebhizimusi. Ngezinye izikhathi, abafowethu labodadewethu abangamaKhristu bangenza ibhizimusi ndawonye. Kumele baqaphele ukuthi izindaba ezinjalo abazikhulumeli eWolu loMbuso kumbe ekutshumayeleni. Ubudlelwano bebhizimusi obukhona bungabe buphakathi komqhatshi loqhatshiweyo. Nxa singaqhatsha abafowethu kumbe odadewethu, kumele sinanzelele ukuthi sibaphatha ngobuqotho, sibabhadale ngesikhathi njalo sibanike imali evunyelweneyo, sibaphe lokumele bakuphiwe njengokutshiwo ngumthetho. (1 KuThimothi 5:18; UJakhobe 5:1-4) Ngendlela efananayo, nxa siqhatshwe ngumfowethu kumbe udadewethu, kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze sithole umholo. (2 KwabaseThesalonika 3:10) Kasikhangeleli ukuthi siphathwe ngendlela etshiyene leyezinye izisebenzi ngenxa yokuthi sikhonza ndawonye,  kube sengathi umqhatshi wethu kumele asiphe isikhathi sokuphumula kumbe asiphe okunye okuthile okungaphiwa ezinye izisebenzi.​—Kwabase-Efesu 6:5-8.

14. Nxa amaKhristu esenza ibhizimusi ndawonye, kumele enzeni okutshengisa ukuhlakanipha njalo kungani kumele enze njalo?

¹⁴ Kuthiwani nxa ukuqala ibhizimusi elingaletha imali enengi kungagoqela ukuboleka imali okungaba yinkinga nxa ingasabhadalwanga? IBhayibhili lilesimiso esincedayo endabeni enjalo: Bhalani konke phansi. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJeremiya ethenga ipulazi, wenza ukuthi kubhalwe amaphepha amabili kulabofakazi abakhangeleyo njalo wenza ukuthi agcinwe ukuze asetshenziswe nxa esedingakala. (UJeremiya 32:9-12; UGenesisi 23:16-20) Nxa sisenza ibhizimusi lesikholwa labo, kuhle ukuthi sibhale konke ephepheni njalo sisayine kulabofakazi. Ukwenza lokhu kakutsho ukuthi kasithembani. Kodwa ukuba lephepha elibhaliweyo kunceda ukuthi kungabi lokungazwanani, ukudana kanye lokuphikisana okungadala ukwehlukana. Noma yiwaphi amaKhristu enza ibhizimusi ndawonye kumele ahlale ekhumbula ukuthi akulabhizimusi eliqakatheke ukwedlula ukumanyana kanye lokuthula ebandleni. *​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:1-8.

15. UJehova uzizwa njani ngokungabi qotho ezindabeni zebhizimusi njalo amaKhristu enza njani ngezindaba zokungathembeki okunjalo okujayelekileyo?

¹⁵ Ubuqotho bomKhristu abupheleli ebandleni kuphela. UPhawuli wathi: “Sifisa ukuhlala ngobuqotho ngezindlela zonke.” (KumaHebheru 13:18) UMdali wethu ulendaba kakhulu lokuthi sibeqotho ezindabeni zebhizimusi esizenza labantu bomhlaba. Ebhukwini leZaga kuphela, kukhulunywa ngezilinganiso zamanga ezinengana. (IZaga 11:1; 20:10, 23) Endulo, kwakujayelekile ukusebenzisa izilinganiso lezikali ezindabeni  zamabhizimusi ukuze kulinganiswe impahla ezithengiweyo kanye lemali esetshenziswe ukuzithenga. Abathengisi ababengaqotho babesebenzisa izilinganiso ezimbili kanye lesikali esingakali kuhle ukuze baqile othengayo. * UJehova uyakuzonda lokho! Ukuze sihlale sisethandweni lwakhe, kumele sizimisele ukubalekela imikhuba yonke enjalo ebhizimusini.

16, 17. Yikuphi okutshengisa ukungabiqotho okwenziwa ngabantu lamuhla, njalo amaKhristu eqiniso azimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁶ Ngenxa yokuthi uSathane ngumbusi womhlaba lo, kasimangaliswa yikungabiqotho kwabantu abanengi lamuhla. Nsukuzonke singalingwa ukuthi singabiqotho. Nxa abantu bebhala amaphepha okudinga umsebenzi, kujayelekile ukuthi basenge lezimithiyo, beqamba amanga ngemfundo abalayo langolwazi abalalo. Nxa abantu bebhala amafomu okungena kwelinye ilizwe, awemithelo, awe-inshuwalensi kanye lamanye amafomu anjalo, banika izimpendulo ezingamanga ukuze bathole abakufunayo. Abantwana besikolo abanengi bayaqila emhlolisweni, kumbe lapho bebhala izindaba zokuzibumbela, bangaya ku-Internet njalo bakope abakuthola lapho, behambisa umsebenzi womunye umuntu angathi yibo abawenzileyo. Nxa abantu bekhuluma leziphathamandla ezikhohlisayo, bandise ukufumbathisa ukuze bathole abakufunayo. Ukuziphatha okunjalo akusimangalisi ngenxa yokuthi abantu abanengi emhlabeni lo ‘bayazithanda, bathanda imali, kabakuthandi okuhle.’​—2 KuThimothi 3:1-5.

¹⁷ AmaKhristu eqiniso azimisele ukungenzi imikhuba yonke enjalo. Okwenza kube nzima ngezinye izikhathi ukubaqotho yikuthi labo abangasebenzisi ubuqotho bakhanya angani bayaphumelela njalo izinto zibahambela kuhle. (IHubo 73:1-8) Kodwa amaKhristu angahlupheka ezindabeni zemali  ngenxa yokuthi afuna ukuhlala eqotho “ngezindlela zonke.” Kuyanceda yini ukuhlala siqotho? Kuyanceda kakhulu! Kungani sisithi kuyanceda? Yiziphi izibusiso ezikhona ngokuziphatha ngobuqotho?

18. Kungani ukwaziwa njengomuntu oqotho kuqakatheke kakhulu?

¹⁸ Kulezinto ezilutshwana empilweni ezingaqakatheka ukwedlula ukwaziwa njengomuntu oqotho, ongathenjwa. (Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Ngiqotho Kangakanani?”) Okuthokozisayo yikuthi sonke siyenelisa ukwaziwa njengabantu abaqotho. Kakuyi ngesiphiwo olaso, inotho olayo, ukubukeka kwakho, indlela okhule ngayo kumbe okunye nje ongelamandla okukulawula. Lanxa kunjalo, inengi liyehluleka ukubaqotho okuyinto eqakatheke kakhulu. Kakwandanga ukuthola abantu abaqotho. (UMikha 7:2) Abanye bangakuhleka ngenxa yokuthi uqotho kodwa abanye bazakuhlonipha futhi bakwethembe. OFakazi bakaJehova abanengi bathole ukuthi ukubaqotho kwabo kubancede kakhulu ezindabeni zemali. Baye bathola imisebenzi ngesikhathi kufunakala izisebenzi eziqotho futhi kabalahlekelwanga yimisebenzi yabo ngesikhathi izisebenzi ezingaqotho zixotshwa umsebenzi.

19. Impilo yokubaqotho ingawuthinta njani umzwangedwa wethu lobuhlobo bethu loJehova?

¹⁹ Lanxa lokho kungenzeka kuwe loba komunye umuntu, uzathola ukuthi ukubaqotho kwenza uthole izibusiso ezinengi kakhulu. Uzaba lesibusiso sokuba lomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo. UPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Sileqiniso ukuthi silomzwangedwa omuhle.” (KumaHebheru 13:18, NW) Okwedlula lokho yikuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyakunanzelela ukubaqotho kwakho njalo uyabathanda abantu abaqotho. (Bala iHubo 15:1, 2; IZaga 22:1.) Ukuba ngumuntu oqotho kukusiza ukuthi uhlale usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu njalo lokho kungumvuzo omkhulu ukwedlula yonke. Kasihloleni isihloko esihambelana lalesi: Indlela uJehova abona ngayo umsebenzi.