1, 2. Kungani uJehova ejabula lapho ebona imizamo yethu yokwethembeka? Fanekisa.

UMAMA nomfanyana wakhe baphuma esitolo. Kuthi kusenjalo, umfana ame khimilili, ebukeka ethukile. Uphethe ithoyizi elincane alithathe esitolo. Ukhohliwe ukulishiya esitolo noma ukucela unina ukuba amthengele lona. Ethukile, utshela unina. Unina uyamduduza, amthathe babuyele esitolo ukuze abuyisele ithoyizi futhi axolise. Njengoba umfana enza lokhu, inhliziyo kamama ichichima injabulo nokuziqhenya. Ngani?

² Zimbalwa izinto ezijabulisa abazali ngaphezu kokubona ukuthi abantababo bafunda ukubaluleka kokwethembeka. Kungokufanayo nangoBaba wethu osezulwini, ‘uNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHubo 31:5) Njengoba esibona sikhulela ekuvuthweni ngokomoya, kuyamthokozisa ukusibona silwela ukwethembeka. Ngenxa yokuthi sifuna ukumjabulisa nokuhlala othandweni lwakhe, senanela imizwa yomphostoli uPawulu: “Sifisa ukuziphatha ngokwethembeka ezintweni zonke.” (Hebheru 13:18) Ake sigxile ezindaweni ezine eziyinhloko esingase sikuthole kunzima ngokukhethekile ukwethembeka kuzo. Ngemva kwalokho, sizocabangela ezinye zezibusiso zokwethembeka.

3-5. (a) IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisixwayisa kanjani ngezingozi zokuzikhohlisa? (b) Yini eyosisiza ukuba sithembeke kithi ngokwethu?

³ Inselele yethu yokuqala iwukufunda ukwethembeka kithi ngokwethu. Kulula kakhulu ngathi bantu abangaphelele  ukuba sizikhohlise. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu watshela amaKristu aseLawodikeya ukuthi ayezikhohlisile ngokucabanga ukuthi acebile, kodwa eqinisweni ebe ‘empofu, eyizimpumputhe futhi ehamba-ze’ ngokomoya—isimo esidabukisayo ngempela. (IsAmbulo 3:17) Ukuzikhohlisa kwawo kwamane kwenza isimo sawo saba bucayi ngokwengeziwe.

⁴ Ungase ukhumbule nokuthi umfundi uJakobe waxwayisa: “Uma umuntu ezibona sengathi ungumkhulekeli oqotho, kodwa nokho engalulawuli ulimi lwakhe ngokungathi ngetomu, kodwa eqhubeka ekhohlisa inhliziyo yakhe, indlela yalo muntu yokukhulekela iyize.” (Jakobe 1:26) Uma singacabanga ukuthi singalusebenzisa kabi ulimi kodwa futhi siqhubeke sikhulekela uJehova ngendlela eyamukelekayo, siyobe siyazikhohlisa nje kwaphela. Ukukhulekela kwethu uJehova kuyoba yize leze, ukudlala ngesikhathi. Yini engasinqanda kule nkambo edabukisayo?

⁵ Esahlukweni esifanayo, uJakobe ufanisa iqiniso lezwi likaNkulunkulu nesibuko. Useluleka ukuba sizibuke emthethweni ophelele kaNkulunkulu futhi senze nokulungisa okudingekile. (Jakobe 1:23-25) IBhayibheli lingasisiza ukuba sithembeke kithi ngokwethu futhi sibone nalokho okudingeka sikwenze ukuze sithuthuke. (IsiLilo 3:40; Hagayi 1:5) Singathandaza nakuJehova simcele ukuba asihlole, asisize sibone futhi silungise noma yikuphi ukushiyeka kwethu okungathí sina. (IHubo 139:23, 24) Ukungathembeki kuwukushiyeka okucashile futhi kudingeka sikubheke ngendlela uBaba wethu osezulwini akubheka ngayo. IzAga 3:32 zithi: “Umuntu okhohlisayo uyinto enengekayo kuJehova, kodwa Yena usondelana nabaqotho.” UJehova angasisiza ukuba sizizwe ngendlela azizwa ngayo futhi sizibheke ngendlela asibheka ngayo. Khumbula ukuthi uPawulu wathi: “Sifisa ukuziphatha ngokwethembeka.” Asisoze saphelela manje, kodwa sifisa futhi sifuna ngobuqotho ukwethembeka.

6. Kungani abantu abashadile kudingeka bathembeke komunye nomunye, futhi yiziphi izingozi abazigwemayo ngokwenza kanjalo?

⁶ Ukwethembeka kufanele kube isici esivelele somkhaya wamaKristu. Ngakho indoda nomkayo kumelwe bakhulumisane ngokukhululekile nangokwethembeka. Emshadweni wamaKristu ayikho indawo yemikhuba elimazayo nengahlanzekile njengokubonisa isithakazelo sothando kumuntu ongashadile naye, ukuba nomakhwapheni kuyi-Internet, noma ukubukela izithombe zobulili ezingcolile nganoma iyiphi injongo. Amanye amaKristu ashadile aye ahileleka ekuziphatheni okubi okunjalo, abafihlela abashade nabo. Ukwenza kanjalo kuwukungathembeki. Phawula amazwi enkosi ethembekile uDavide: “Angizange ngihlale nabantu abangebona abeqiniso; futhi angingeni nalabo abafihla lokho abayikho.” (IHubo 26:4) Uma ushadile, ungalokothi wenze izinto ezingase zikulinge ukuba ufihlele oshade naye lokho oyikho!

7, 8. Yiziphi izibonelo zeBhayibheli ezingasiza abantwana bafunde ukubaluleka kokwethembeka?

⁷ Lapho befundisa abantababo ukubaluleka kokwethembeka, abazali benza ngokuhlakanipha ngokusebenzisa izibonelo zeBhayibheli. Kunezibonelo zokungathembeki ezifana no-Akhani, owantshontsha futhi wazama ukufihla ukuthi untshontshile; uGehazi, owaqamba amanga ukuze azitholele imali; noJuda, owantshontsha futhi waqamba amanga ukuze alimaze  uJesu.—Joshuwa 6:17-19; 7:11-25; 2 AmaKhosi 5:14-16, 20-27; Mathewu 26:14, 15; Johane 12:6.

⁸ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kunezibonelo ezinhle ezifana noJakobe, owanxusa amadodana akhe ukuba abuyisele emuva imali ayeyithole ezikhwameni zawo ngoba enomuzwa wokuthi kungenzeka yayingene ngephutha; uJefta nendodakazi yakhe eyenza ngokuvumelana nesifungo sikayise nakuba kwakuyosho ukuzidela okukhulu ngayo; noJesu, owaziveza ngesibindi ukuthi ungubani phambi kwequlu elalomele igazi, ukuze kugcwaliseke isiprofetho futhi avikele abangane bakhe. (Genesise 43:12; AbaHluleli 11:30-40; Johane 18:3-11) Lezi zibonelo ezimbalwa zinikeza abazali amazwibela engcebo eseZwini likaNkulunkulu engabasiza ukuba bafundise abantababo ukuba bathande futhi bazise ukwethembeka.

9. Yini abazali okufanele bayigweme uma befuna ukubekela izingane zabo isibonelo sokwethembeka, futhi kungani sibalulekile?

⁹ Lezi zibonelo zibeka isibopho esibalulekile kubazali. Umphostoli uPawulu wabuza: “Ingabe wena ofundisa omunye, awuzifundisi wena? Wena, oshumayela uthi ‘Ungebi,’ ingabe uyeba?” (Roma 2:21) Abanye abazali badida izingane zabo ngokuzifundisa ngokwethembeka bebe kwabona benza izenzo zokungathembeki. Bangase bathethelele ukweba izinto ezincane nokusho amazwi akhohlisayo ngezaba ezifana nokuthi “Bayazi ukuthi abantu bazozithatha vele lezi zinto” noma “Bekungamanga nje angasho lutho.” Kodwa eqinisweni, ukweba ukweba, kungakhathaliseki inani lento eyebiwe futhi ukuqamba amanga ukuqamba amanga, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kukhulunywa ngani noma mancane kangakanani amanga aqanjiwe. * (Luka 16:10) Izingane ziyashesha ukubona ubuzenzisi futhi bungase buzilimaze kakhulu. (Efesu 6:4) Nokho, lapho zifunda ukwethembeka esibonelweni sabazali bazo, nazo zingase zikhule zikhazimulise uJehova kuleli zwe elingathembekile.—IzAga 22:6.

10. Mayelana nokukhulumisana ngokwethembeka nesikholwa nabo, yini okufanele siyiqaphele?

¹⁰ Ukuhlangana namanye amaKristu kusinika amathuba amaningi okuhlakulela ukwethembeka. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 12, kudingeka siqaphe indlela esisisebenzisa ngayo isipho sokukhuluma, ikakhulukazi phakathi kwabafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya. Ingxoxo evamile ingashintsha kalula ibe inhlebo elimazayo, ngisho nokunyundela! Uma sidlulisa indaba esingaqiniseki ngayo, kungenzeka ukuthi sisiza ekubhebhethekiseni amanga, ngakho kungcono kakhulu ukuqapha ulimi lwethu. (IzAga 10:19) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kungenzeka ukuthi kunendaba esaziyo ukuthi iyiqiniso, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi kufanele sikhulume ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ingase ingasithinti thina leyo ndaba, noma kungabonisi umusa ukukhuluma ngayo. (1 Thesalonika 4:11) Abanye abantu babiza ukuba luhlaza kwabo ngokuthi ukwethembeka, kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi amazwi ethu kufanele ajabulise futhi abe nomusa.—Kolose 4:6.

11, 12. (a) Abanye abenza izinto ezimbi ngokungathí sina, benza izinkinga zibe zimbi nakakhulu ngaziphi izindlela? (b) Yimaphi amanga akhuthazwa uSathane ngezono ezingathí sina, futhi singamelana kanjani nawo? (c) Singazibonisa kanjani sithembekile enhlanganweni kaJehova?

¹¹ Kubaluleke ngokukhethekile ukuba sethembeke  kwabaholayo ebandleni. Abanye abenza izinto ezimbi ngokungathí sina benza inkinga ibe yimbi nakakhulu ngokuzama ukugqiba isono sabo futhi baqambe amanga kubadala bebandla lapho bebuzwa ngakho. Abanjalo baze baqale nokuphila ukuphila okumbaxambili, benze sengathi bakhonza uJehova bebe bephishekela inkambo yokona embi kakhulu. Empeleni, inkambo enjalo iphendula konke ukuphila komuntu kube amanga. (IHubo 12:2) Abanye ababatsheli konke abadala, bafihla amaqiniso abalulekile. (IzEnzo 5:1-11) Ngokuvamile ukungathembeki okunjalo kubangelwa ukukholelwa amanga akhuthazwa uSathane.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Amanga KaSathane Ngezono Ezingathí Sina,” emakhasini 164-5.

¹² Kubalulekile futhi nokwethembeka enhlanganweni kaJehova lapho sinikeza izimpendulo ezibhalwa phansi. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho sibhala umbiko wenkonzo yasensimini, siyaqikelela ukuba singaqambi amanga. Ngokufanayo, lapho sigcwalisa isicelo esiphathelene nelungelo elithile lenkonzo, akufanele neze siqambe amanga ngesimo sempilo yethu noma nganoma yiziphi ezinye izici eziphathelene nathi.—IzAga 6:16-19.

13. Singahlala kanjani sithembekile uma sisebhizinisini nesikholwa naye?

¹³ Ukwethembeka kwethu kwesikholwa nabo kudlulela nasezindabeni zebhizinisi. Ngezinye izikhathi, abazalwane nodade abangamaKristu bangase babe sebhizinisini ndawonye. Kufanele baqikelele ukuthi abahlanganisi izindaba zebhizinisi nokukhulekela abakuqhuba eHholo LoMbuso noma ensimini. Kungenzeka ukuthi ebhizinisini omunye ungumqashi omunye ungumqashwa. Uma siqashe abazalwane noma odade, siyoqikelela ukuthi sibaphatha ngokwethembeka, sibaholele ngesikhathi, sibaholele imali esivumelane ngayo, sibanike nezinzuzo esivumelane ngazo noma ezifunwa umthetho. (1 Thimothewu 5:18; Jakobe 5:1-4) Ngokufanayo, uma siqashwe umzalwane noma udade, sisebenza ngokuzikhandla ukuze sithole umholo osifanele. (2 Thesalonika  3:10) Asilindeli ukuphathwa ngendlela ehlukile ngenxa yokuthi singabazalwane, njengokungathi umqashi wethu usikweleta isikhathi sokungabi khona emsebenzini, izinzuzo ezithile, noma okunye okungatholwa ezinye izisebenzi.—Efesu 6:5-8.

14. Lapho amaKristu ebambisene ebhizinisini, yisiphi isinyathelo esihlakaniphile okumelwe asithathe, futhi ngani?

¹⁴ Kuthiwani uma ebhizinisini lethu sibambisene ngandlela-thile, mhlawumbe ngokutshala imali noma ngokuyitshelekisa? IBhayibheli linikeza isimiso esibalulekile nesiwusizo: Bhalani konke phansi! Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJeremiya ethenga insimu, wenza ikhophi yetayitela phambi kofakazi, futhi wayibeka endaweni ephephile ukuze abhekisele kuyo esikhathini esizayo. (Jeremiya 32:9-12; bheka noGenesise 23:16-20.) Lapho sisebhizinisini nesikholwa nabo, ukubhala phansi yonke imininingwane ngokucophelela, kube kukhona nofakazi, bese kuyasayinwa, akusho ukuthi anithembani. Kunalokho, kusiza ekugwemeni ukungaboni ngaso linye, ukuphoxeka ngisho nokuxabana okungase kube khona. Noma yimaphi amaKristu asebhizinisini ndawonye kufanele akhumbule ukuthi akukho bhizinisi elifanelekela ukubeka engozini ubunye nokuthula kwebandla. *—1 Korinte 6:1-8.

15. UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngemikhuba yokungathembeki ebhizinisini, futhi amaKristu ayibheka kanjani imikhuba enjalo eyandile?

¹⁵ Ukwethembeka komKristu akugcini ebandleni. UPawulu wathi: “Sifisa ukuziphatha ngokwethembeka ezintweni zonke.” (Hebheru 13:18) Lapho kuziwa ezintweni esizenza nsuku zonke, uMdali wethu ukulindele kakhulu ukwethembeka. Encwadini yezAga iyodwa, kubhekiselwa ezikalini ezikhohlisayo izikhathi ezine. (IzAga 11:1; 16:11; 20:10, 23) Endulo,  kwakuvame ukusetshenziswa izikali nezisindo lapho kuhwebelwana ukuze kulinganiswe isisindo sempahla ethengwayo kanye nemali okuthengwa ngayo. Abathengisi abangathembekile babesebenzisa izisindo ezimbili nesikali esingaqondile ukuze bakhohlise futhi baqole abathengi. * UJehova uyayizonda imikhuba enjalo! Ukuze sihlale othandweni lwakhe, siyigwema ngokuphelele yonke imikhuba yokungathembeki ebhizinisini.

16, 17. Yiziphi izinhlobo zokungathembeki ezandile ezweni lanamuhla, futhi yini amaKristu eqiniso azimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁶ Ngenxa yokuthi uSathane ungumbusi waleli zwe, akusimangazi ukuthi ukungathembeki kugcwele yonke indawo. Nsuku zonke singase sibhekane nezilingo zokuba singathembeki. Lapho abantu bebhala isicelo somsebenzi (i-Curriculum Vitae), bavamile ukuqamba amanga nokweqisa, bathi bafunde izifundo abangazifundanga, futhi bathi benze izinto abangazenzanga. Lapho abantu begcwalisa amafomu okuya kwamanye amazwe, entela, omshuwalense namanye afuze lawa, ngokuvamile baqamba amanga ukuze bathole abakufunayo. Abafundi abaningi bayakopela lapho behlolwa, noma, lapho bebhala umsebenzi wesikole bangase baye kuyi-Internet bantshontshe umsebenzi womunye umuntu bathi owabo. Lapho futhi abantu besebenzelana nezikhulu ezikhohlakele, ngokuvamile bayazifumbathisa ukuze bathole abakufunayo. Sikulindele lokhu kuleli zwe elinabaningi kangaka “abazithandayo, abathanda imali, . . . abangenalo uthando lokuhle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.

¹⁷ AmaKristu eqiniso azimisele ukungahlanganyeli kunoma imuphi kule mikhuba. Okwenza ukwethembeka kube inselele ngezinye izikhathi ukuthi abantu abenza ukungathembeki babonakala bephumelela futhi bechuma nokuchuma ezweni lanamuhla. (IHubo 73:1-8) Kanti amaKristu wona  angase aphundleke ngokwezimali ngoba efisa ukuhlala ethembekile “ezintweni zonke.” Ingabe kukufanele lokho kuzidela? Impela! Kodwa kungani? Yiziphi izibusiso zokuziphatha ngokwethembeka?

18. Kungani idumela lokuba othembekile libaluleke kakhulu?

¹⁸ Zimbalwa izinto oyoke uzithole ekuphileni ezibaluleke ukwedlula idumela lokuba umuntu othembekile nonokwethenjelwa. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ngithembeke Kangakanani?” ekhasini 167.) Cabanga nangalokhu—noma ubani angazakhela idumela elinjalo! Aliyi ngesiphiwo, ingcebo, ukubukeka, isizinda, noma okunye okungaphezu kwamandla akho. Noma kunjalo, abaningi bayehluleka ukuthola leli gugu eliyidumela elihle. Linqabile. (Mika 7:2) Abanye bangase bahlekise ngawe ngoba uthembekile, kodwa abanye bayokwazisa, futhi bayokuvuza ngokukwethemba nokukuhlonipha. OFakazi BakaJehova abaningi baye bathola nokuthi ukwethembeka kwabo kubazuzisile ngokwezimali. Lapho izisebenzi ezingathembekile zixoshwa, bona abazange baxoshwe, noma baye bathola umsebenzi lapho kudingeka ngokuphuthumayo izisebenzi ezithembekile.

19. Inkambo yokwethembeka ingawuthinta kanjani unembeza wethu nobuhlobo bethu noJehova?

¹⁹ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuyenzeka kuwe lokho noma cha, uyothola ukuthi ukwethembeka kuletha izibusiso ezinkulu nangokwengeziwe. Uyobusiswa ngokuba nonembeza ohlanzekile. UPawulu wabhala: “Sithemba ukuthi sinonembeza othembekile.” (Hebheru 13:18) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uBaba wethu wasezulwini onothando ngeke angaliqapheli idumela lakho, futhi uyabathanda abantu abathembekile. (IHubo 15:1, 2; IzAga 22:1) Yebo, ukwethembeka kukusiza ukuba uhlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, futhi awukho omunye umvuzo esiwufunayo ongaphezu kwalowo. Manje ake sixoxe ngendaba ehlobene nalokhu: Umbono kaJehova ngomsebenzi.