1, 2. UYesu wabafundisa ntoni abapostile bakhe, yaye kwakutheni ukuze abafundise oko?

KWAKUNGONYAKA wama-32 C.E. UYesu wayekwisithili saseGalili xa kwavela iingxaki. Abanye abapostile bakhe babephikisana ngokuba ngubani oyena mkhulu phakathi kwabo. Umbhali weVangeli uLuka uthi: “Bafikelwa yingcinga yokuba ngubani na oya kuba ngoyena mkhulu kubo. UYesu, eyazi ingcinga yeentliziyo zabo, wathabatha umntwana oselula, wammisa ecaleni kwakhe waza wathi kubo: ‘Nabani na owamkela lo mntwana uselula egameni lam wamkela nam, yaye nabani na owamkela mna wamkela nalowo wandithumayo. Kuba lowo uziphatha njengomncinane phakathi kwenu nonke nguye omkhulu.’” (Luka 9:46-48) Ngomonde, uYesu wabanceda abapostile bakhe bayiqonda imfuneko yokuthobeka.

² Ngaba isifundo sikaYesu sokuziphatha njengomncinane sasivisana nemilinganiselo yamaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala? Okanye ngaba sasichasene nendlela yawo yokwenza izinto? Ithetha ngeemeko zokuphila zelo xesha, iTheological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi: “Kuyo yonke into, kusoloko kusibakho umbuzo wokuba ngubani omkhulu, kuba kuxhalatyelwe into yokuba wonke umntu umele afumane imbeko yakhe.” UYesu wabongoza abapostile bakhe ukuba bohluke kubantu abanjalo.

3. (a) Kuthetha ntoni ukuziphatha njengomncinane, yaye kutheni kunokuba nzima ukuphila ngaloo ndlela? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo malunga nokuhlakulela umoya wokuziphatha njengomncinane?

³ Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “njengomncinane” lithetha umntu othozamileyo, othobekileyo, ongabalulekanga, okanye ongenagunya. UYesu wasebenzisa umntwana oselula ukufundisa abapostile bakhe ngokuthobeka nokuthozama. Eso  sifundo sibalulekile nakumaKristu anamhlanje njengoko sasinjalo nangenkulungwane yokuqala. Sisenokufumanisa kunzima ukuphila njengomncinane ingakumbi kwiimeko ezithile. Ikratshi lisenokusenza sizifunel’ udumo. Umoya wokhuphiswano weli hlabathi siphila kulo unokusenza sizigwagwise sibe ngoophuma silwe okanye sibe namaqhinga. Yintoni enokusinceda ukuba sihlakulele umoya wokuziphatha njengomncinane? Inokwenzeka njani yokuba ‘omncinane phakathi kwethu abe ngomkhulu’? Ziziphi iinkalo zobomi esifanele sizame ukuba nomoya wokuthobeka kuzo?

4, 5. Yintoni enokusenza sihlakulele ukuthobeka? Yenza umzekelo.

⁴ Enye indlela yokuhlakulela ukuthobeka kukucinga ngendlela uYehova amkhulu ngayo kunathi. Enyanisweni, “akugocagocwa ukuqonda kwakhe.” (Isa. 40:28) Ethetha ngeenkalo ezithile zobungangamsha bukaYehova, umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Hayi ubunzulu bobutyebi nobobulumko nobolwazi lukaThixo! Hayi indlela engaphengululeki ngayo imigwebo yakhe nendlela ezingalandeki ngayo iindlela zakhe!” (Roma 11:33) Abantu baye bafunda izinto ezininzi ukususela malunga neminyaka engama 2 000 uPawulos ebhale la mazwi, kodwa asangqineke eyinyaniso. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba sinolwazi olungakanani na, ukwazi ukuba kusekuninzi esinokukufunda ngoYehova, imisebenzi yakhe, kunye neendlela zakhe kumele kusenze sithobeke.

⁵ Ukwazi ukuba kungaphaya kwamandla ethu ukuqonda zonke iindlela zikaYehova kwamnceda uLwazi * wazibona njengomncinane. Esengumfana, uLwazi wayeyithanda indalo. Enomnqweno wokwazi kangangoko anako ngezendalo, wafundela iastrophysics waza emva koko wenza isigqibo esibalulekileyo. Uthi: “Izifundo zam zandinceda ndaqonda ukuba ukufunda ngenzululwazi namhlanje akunakukunceda uyiqonde ngokupheleleyo indalo. Ngoko ndayeka ukufunda ngayo ndaza ndafunda ngezomthetho.” Kungekudala, uLwazi waba ligqwetha lesithili waza kamva waba yijaji. Ekugqibeleni, ekunye nomfazi wakhe bafunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova, bayamkela inyaniso, baza baba ngabakhonzi abazinikeleyo bakaThixo. Nangona wayefunde wayityekeza, yintoni eyanceda uLwazi ukuba aziphathe njengomncinane? Ukhawuleza aphendule esithi: “Kukuqonda ukuba enoba sinolwazi olungakanani na ngoYehova nangendalo, kuninzi esisamele sikufunde.”

6, 7. (a) Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle wokuthobeka uYehova asinike wona? (b) Ukuthobeka kukaThixo kunokumenza njani umntu ukuba ‘abe mkhulu’?

 ⁶ Esinye isizathu esisinceda ukuba sithobeke kukuba uYehova ngokwakhe uye wathobeka. Masikhumbule la mazwi: “Singabasebenzi abangamadlelane kaThixo.” (1 Kor. 3:9) Khawufan’ ucinge! UYehova, uThixo ongenakuthelekiswa nanto ngobukhulu bakhe, usinika ilungelo lokuba sishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo sisebenzisa iLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile. Nakubeni inguYehova okhulisa imbewu esiye sayityala saza sayinkcenkceshela, usivave ngelungelo lokusebenza kunye naye. (1 Kor. 3:6, 7) Ngaba lo mzekelo mhle wokuthobeka uThixo asimisele wona asingowokuxeliswa? Ngokuqinisekileyo umzekelo kaYehova wokuthobeka ufanele usikhuthaze ukuba siziphathe njengabancinane.

⁷ Umzekelo kaThixo wokuthobeka wamchukumisa gqitha umdumisi uDavide. Wathi xa wayeculela uYehova: “Uya kundinika ikhaka lakho losindiso, yaye yintobeko yakho endenza ndibe mkhulu.” (2 Sam. 22:36) UDavide wayeqonda ukuba lonke udumo awayenalo kwaSirayeli, lwalubangelwa kukuzithoba kukaYehova nokunikela kwakhe ingqalelo kuDavide. (INdu. 113:5-7) Kuyafana nakuthi namhlanje. Naziphi na iimpawu esinazo, amandla, kunye nawaphi na amalungelo esinawo, siwanikwe nguYehova. (1 Kor. 4:7) Umntu oziphatha njengomncinane ‘uba mkhulu’ ngaloo ndlela uyaxabiseka njengomkhonzi kaYehova. (Luka 9:48) Makhe sibone indlela okwenzeka ngayo oku.

8. Ukuthobeka kunokuyitshintsha njani indlela esiyijonga ngayo intlangano kaYehova?

⁸ Ukuthobeka kubalulekile ukuze saneliseke kwintlangano kaThixo nokuze sixhase amalungiselelo awenziwa libandla. Ngokomzekelo, uPetra, ngudade oselula okhuliswe ngamaNgqina. Efuna ukwenza izinto ngendlela yakhe, uPetra wayeka ukunxulumana nebandla. Emva kweminyaka emininzi, waqalisa ukunxulumana nebandla kwakhona. Ngoku wonwabile yaye uzimisele ukuxhasa amalungiselelo ebandla. Yintoni emncede watshintsha? Uthi: “Ukuze ndonwabe kwintlangano kaThixo, zimbini iimpawu ekuye kwafuneka ndiziqonde ndize ndizihlakulele, kukuthobeka nokuthozama.”

9. Umntu othobekileyo uvakalelwa njani ngokutya kokomoya esikufumanayo, yaye kutheni oko kumenza axabiseke?

⁹ Umntu othobekileyo uyawaxabisa amalungiselelo kaYehova, kuquka ilungiselelo lokutya kokomoya. Ngenxa yoko, uyifunda rhoqo iBhayibhile yaye ukukhuthalele ukufunda amaphephancwadi iMboniselo noVukani! Njengabo bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova, usenokuyenz’ umkhwa into yokufunda iimpapasho zisentsha ngaphambi kokuzibeka kwithala lakhe leencwadi. Xa sifunda iimpapasho zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni sibonisa ukuthobeka nokuba noxabiso, siyakhula ngokomoya, yaye noYehova uyakwazi ukusisebenzisa ngakumbi kumsebenzi wokushumayela.—Heb. 5:13, 14.

10. Sinokuziphatha njani njengabancinane ebandleni?

¹⁰ Lowo uziphatha njengomncinane uba ‘mkhulu’ nangenye indlela. Bandla ngalinye linamadoda afanelekayo amiselwa ngokhokelo lukaYehova lomoya oyingcwele ukuze akhonze njengabadala. Balungiselela iintlanganiso zebandla, inkonzo yasentsimini namatyelelo okwalusa. Xa siziphatha njengabancinane size sixhase la malungiselelo, siba  negalelo kulonwabo, uxolo, nomanyano lwebandla. (Funda amaHebhere 13:7, 17.) Ukuba ungumdala okanye isicaka solungiselelo, ngaba ubonakalisa ukuthobeka ngokuthi ube noxabiso ngembopheleleko akunike yona?

11, 12. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esiza kusenza sixabiseke kwintlangano kaYehova, yaye ngoba?

¹¹ Lowo uziphatha njengomncinane uba ‘mkhulu,’ okanye uba ngobalulekileyo kwintlangano kaYehova, kuba ukuthobeka kwakhe kumenza alunge aze ngumkhonzi kaThixo osebenziseke. UYesu kwafuneka abakhumbuze abafundi bakhe ukuba baziphathe njengabancinane, kuba abanye babo babesele bephenjelelwe sisimo sengqondo sabantu ababephila ngelo xesha. ULuka 9:46 uthi: “Bafikelwa yingcinga yokuba ngubani na oya kuba ngoyena mkhulu kubo.” Nathi namhlanje, sisenokuqalisa ukucinga ukuba sibhetele kunabazalwana bethu okanye kunabanye abantu. Abantu abaninzi namhlanje baqhutywa likratshi nokuzingca. Ngoko masicezele kude kubantu abanjalo ngokuhlala sithobekile. Xa sisenjenjalo size sibeke ukuthanda kukaThixo kwindawo yokuqala, abazalwana noodade wethu baya kufuna ukuzisondeza kuthi.

¹² Isiluleko sikaYesu sokuba siziphathe njengabancinane, sikhuthaza ngokwenene. Ngaba asimele sizimisele ukuziphatha njengabancinane kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi bethu? Makhe sihlolisise iinkalo ezintathu.

13, 14. Umyeni okanye inkosikazi inokuziphatha njani njengomncinane, yaye oku kunokuwuchaphazela njani umtshato?

¹³ Emtshatweni. Abantu abaninzi namhlanje baxhalabele amalungelo abo, kangangokuba bade bawalwele enoba oko kuza kuchaphazela awabanye abantu. Noko ke, umntu oziphatha njengomncinane, wenza izinto ngokuvumelana nesimo sengqondo esakhuthazwa nguPawulos ukuba sibe naso. Kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseRoma, ubhala athi: “Masisukele izinto ezisingisa eluxolweni nezinto ezakhayo komnye nomnye.” (Roma 14:19) Umntu oziphatha njengomncinane usukela uxolo nabantu bonke ngokukodwa neqabane lakhe lomtshato alithandayo.

¹⁴ Makhe sithethe ngokuzonwabisa. Isibini esitshatileyo sinokuthanda izinto ezingafaniyo xa kufikwa kumba wokuzonwabisa. Mhlawumbi umyeni uthanda ukuziphumlela endlini aze afunde incwadi. Kwelinye icala, inkosikazi inokuthanda kuphunywe kuye kutyiwa okanye kuye kubonwa abahlobo. Ngokuqinisekileyo kungalula ngenkosikazi ukumhlonela umyeni wayo xa ibona ukuba akathanga phithi zizinto zakhe yedwa, kodwa uyazithoba abe nomdla onyanisekileyo kwizinto ezithandwa yiyo. Nomyeni uya kuyithanda aze ayixabise inkosikazi yakhe xa ebona ukuba ayisoloko ifuna kwenziwe izinto ngendlela yayo kodwa iyazenza nezithandwa ngumyeni wayo. Iqhina lomtshato liyomelela xa qabane ngalinye liziphatha njengomncinane.—Funda amaFilipi 2:1-4.

15, 16. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esakhuthazwa nguDavide kwiNdumiso 131, yaye oku kufanele kuyichaphazele njani indlela esiziphatha ngayo ebandleni?

¹⁵ Ebandleni. Abantu abaninzi ehlabathini bafuna izinto ezikhawulezayo. Abanamonde, ukulinda sisilingo kubo. Ukuhlakulela ukuziphatha njengomncinane kusinceda silindele kuYehova. (Funda iNdumiso 131:1-3.) Iingenelo zokuthobela nokulindela kuYehova, kukuziva  ukhuselekile, iintsikelelo, intuthuzelo nolwaneliseko. Yiloo nto uDavide wakhuthaza amaSirayeli ukuba alindele ngomonde kuThixo wawo!

¹⁶ Nawe unokuthuthuzeleka xa uzithoba uze ulindele kuYehova. (INdu. 42:5) Mhlawumbi “unqwenela umsebenzi omhle” yaye ngenxa yoko “uzabalazela isigxina sobuveleli.” (1 Tim. 3:1-7) Kakade ke, ufanele wenze yonke into onokukwazi ukuyenza ukuze uvumele umoya oyingcwele ukwenze ube neempawu ezifunekayo ukuze ube ngumveleli. Kodwa kuthekani ukuba ezakho izinto zithath’ ixesha kunezabanye abantu? Umntu oziphatha njengomncinane, olilinda ngomonde ilungelo lenkonzo, uqhubeka ekhonza uYehova ngovuyo yaye uyasivuyela nasiphi na isabelo asinikwayo.

17, 18. (a) Ziziphi iingenelo esizifumanayo xa sicela uxolo naxa sikulungele ukuxolela abanye? (b) Yintoni ekhuthazwayo kwiMizekeliso 6:1-5?

¹⁷ Xa siqhubana nabanye. Kubantu abaninzi akululanga ukucela uxolo. Noko ke, abakhonzi bakaThixo baziphatha njengabancinane ngokuzivuma iimpazamo zabo baze bacele uxolo. Bakulungele ukuxolela iziphoso zabanye. Nangona ikratshi libangela iyantlukwano nosukuzwano, ukuxolela kuzisa uxolo ebandleni.

¹⁸ Kusenokufuneka ‘sizithobe’ sicele uxolo ngokunyanisekileyo komnye umntu xa singenzanga ngokwesivumelwano ebesisenzile, nto leyo ebangelwa ziimeko ezingaphaya kwamandla ethu. Nangona esenokutyhola omnye umntu, umKristu othobekileyo ujonga iimpazamo zakhe aze akulungele ukuzivuma.—Funda iMizekeliso 6:1-5.

19. Ziziphi izizathu ezifanele zisenze sibe nombulelo ngesiluleko seBhayibhile sokuba siziphathe njengabancinane?

¹⁹ Siyaluxabisa ukhuthazo oluseZibhalweni lokuba siziphathe njengabancinane! Nangona kusenokuba nzima ukuba sibonise olo phawu, ukucinga ngendlela amkhulu ngayo uMdali wethu nendlela athobeke ngayo, kuya kusikhuthaza ukuba siluhlakulele. Ukuba senjenjalo, siya kuzingqina sixabisekile njengabakhonzi bakaYehova. Noko ke, kwanga ngamnye kuthi angaziphatha njengomncinane.