1-3. (a) Namhlanjesi abantu baqalana naziphi iintjhijilo zezeemali, begodu abanye babo balinga ukuzirarulula ngayiphi indlela? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Ababelethi batshwenywa yini kangaka endabeni yokukhulisa abantwana?

“UBABAKWAMI uJames, ubuya aqobekile mihle namalanga emsebenzini, kanti nemadlanyana ayirholako ayazisi,” kutjho uMarilyn. * Nakaragako uthi: “Nganyekele ngafuna ukubambisana naye, ngikghone nokuthengela umsanyanethu uJimmy izinto ezihle, afane nabantwana afunda nabo isikolo.” UMarilyn bekafuna nokuqalelela umndeni wakwabo, abeke nemali ezobasiza esikhathini esizako. Phela bebabanengi abangani bakhe abasebenza ngaphetjheya. Kodwana yena yamtjharaganisa indaba yokuya ngaphetjhela le. Kubayini?

² UMarilyn bekasaba ukusukela umndenakhe omuhle kangaka, nehlelo labo lokulotjha uZimu. Kodwana ebekumbophela phasi kukuthi, ingani abanye bayitjhiyile imindenabo baya ngaphetjheya, begodu basaraga kuhle nekulotjheni uZimu. Bese-ke kuthi ebeyimtshwenya khulu, kube ngeyokuthi uzomkhulisa njani uJimmy akude naye. Bekangakghona na ukukhulisela indodanakhe le “esifundisweni nemyalweni weKosi” asebenzisa i-Inthanethi?—Efe. 6:4.

³ UMarilyn bekasitlhoga kwamambala isinqophiso. Nobabakwakhe bekangafuni bona akhambe nanyana bengekhe amvimba nje. Abadala nabanye ebandleni, nabo bebangakhanukeli bona angakhamba, kodwana kunabodade abambalwa ebebamtjhova ngemva.  Bamtjela emehlweni bathi: “Nawuwuthandako umndenakho, uzokuya ngaphetjheya, begodu lokho akutjho ukuthi sewutjhiya noJehova.” Naphezu kokuthi bekabilayela, uMarilyn wathi nakezwa leyo, wasalisa ngakwakhe, waya ngaphetjheya, wabathembisa nokuthi, “angekhe ngikhambe isikhathi eside.”

4. Bafudukiswa yini kangaka abantu, begodu bobani abasala basororha abantwana babantwabo?

⁴ UJehova akafuni abantu bakhe badose emhlweni, kanti-ke nendaba yokufudukela kwelinye ilizwe ngomsebenzi, angekhe satjho bona iyipengu yomtlhago. (Rhu. 37:25; IzA. 30:8) UJakopo wathumela amadodanakhe eGibhide bona ayokuthenga ukudla, ngani ngoba angafuni indlala. * (Gen. 42:1, 2) Abanengi namhlanjesi, imizabo abayitjhiyiswa kukuthi kulanjiwe. Mhlamunye kungebanga lokuthi baphahlwe ziinkolodo. Kanti-ke, abanye lokho bakwenziswa kukuthi bafuna ukuthuthukisa izinga labo lokuphila. Okwenzekako kukuthi, iminqophwabo leyo ingazaliseka nange bangasukela imindenabo, bayokusebenzela kude nayo, kungaba ngaphakathi namkha ngaphandle kwenarha. Uzokufumana nokuthi abantwana bakhona bakhuliswa mzali munye, mhlamunye bakhulisane bona bodwa, namkha bayokukhuliswa bogogo, iinhlobo namkha abangani. Abaziko batjho akusimnandi ukutjhiya umlinganakho nabantwana, kodwana isuke ingekho enye indlela.

5, 6. (a) Wathini uJesu ngethabo nevikeleko lamambala? (b) UJesu wabafundisa ukuthi bathandazele ini abafundi bakhe? (c) Usibusisa njani-ke uJehova?

⁵ Nemihleni kaJesu bebabanengi abantu abadosa emhlweni ngomtlhago, begodu bebadlumbana bona bangathaba bebavikeleke nabangaba nemali. (Mar. 14:7) Kodwana uJesu bekafuna abantu bathembele kuJehova—okunguye omThombo womnotho wesiphelani. ETjumayelwenakhe yeNtabeni, wakhe watjho ukuthi ithabo nevikeleko lamambala akukadzimeleli emnothweni ngitjho nemandleni wethu imbala, kodwana lokho singakuthola kwaphela nasinobungani noBabethu wezulwini.

⁶ Emthandazwenakhe osibonelo, uJesu wasifundisa nokuthi sithandazele izinto esizitlhogako zangamalanga, ‘njengesikwa sethu sangemihla,’ ingasi ivekeleko lezomnotho. Wabatjela indleb’ ukuzwa egade bamlalele wathi: “Ningazibekeli umnotho ephasinapha . . . Kodwana zibekeleni umnotho ezulwini.” (Mat. 6:9, 11, 19, 20) Kufuze simthembe uJehova bona uzosibusisa njengokutjho kwakhe. Isibusiso esivela kuZimu akusiyindaba yokuzanyelwa nje; kodwana siyindlela yokusinikela izinto esizitlhoga kwamambala. Yeke, okukuphela kwendlela esingathola ngayo ithabo nevikeleko lamambala, kukuthi sithembele kuBabethu wezulwini, kunokuthembela emalini.—Funda uMatewu 6:24, 25, 31-34.

7. (a) UJehova uwunikele abobani umthwalo wokukhulisa abantwana? (b) Kubayini bobabili ababelethi kufuze bahlanganyele abantwababo?

⁷ Ukufuna ukulunga kwakaZimu qangi’ kubandakanya nokuziqala ngendlela uJehova aziqala ngayo iimbopho zomndeni. Umthetho owanikelwa uMosi bewumumethe nanasi ikambisolawulo ebeyitjela amaKrestu ukuthi: Ababelethi kufuze bafundise abantwababo imithethokambiso evela kuZimu. (Funda uDuteronomi 6:6, 7.) UZimu batjho umthwalo lo ngewabo bobabili ababelethi, akusi ngewakagogo, umkhulu, namkha omunye umuntu. NeKosi uSolomoni yathi: “Ndodanami, lalela isiyeleliso sakayihlo, ungalahli ifundiso kanyoko.” (IzA. 1:8) Ngokwalokho-ke, uJehova ufuna ababelethi babe khona bobabili endabeni yokufundisa abantwababo. (IzA. 31:10, 27, 28) Phela okunengi kwalokho okufundwa bantwana ebabelethini  babo ezintweni eziphathelene nokulotjha uZimu, kuzokuya ngokuthi ababelethi babo bakhuluma kanengi kangangani ngoJehova ngelanga, bafunde nendleleni ababelethi babo abaphila ngayo.

8, 9. (a) Kuvame ukuba namaphi amatjhuguluko lokha umbelethi nekahlala kude nomndeni? (b) Ukuhlala ngokuhlukana kungabangela muphi umonakalo ngokokuziphatha nangokwamazizo?

⁸ Abantu abasebenzela ngaphandle kwamazwe wekhabo abayithathi ngamawala indaba yokukhamba, kunalokho balinga ukuqala woke amahlangothi wendaba le, kanti-ke abanye bayalemuka nokuthi ukutjhiya imindenabo kuzokubanga amatlhuwo. (IzA. 22:3) * Ngemva kokuthi uMarilyn akhambe, wathoma ukutlhuwa ngokuthi utjhiye umndenakhe. Ingasaphathwa-ke kababakwakhe nendodana. Batjho uJimmy besekahlala ambuza ukuthi, “Wangitjhiyelani?” Njengombana isikhatjhana ebekadlumbana bona sizokuba ziinyanga, sithuwelela ekubeni minyaka, uMarilyn wanyekele walemuka amatjhuguluko nezinto ebeziphazamisa umndenakhe. UJimmy bekangasendandaba naye kangako, begodu lokho kwamenza wakhula atlhuwile. Kwamdanisa khulu lokho uMarilyn nakacabanga ukuthi umntwanakhe akasenandaba naye.

⁹ Ababelethi nabangasahlali njengomndeni nabantwababo, lokho kungawulimaza umndeni ngokwamazizo nangokokuziphatha. * Konakala khulu nengabe umndeni uhlukana abantwana basesebancani. UMarilyn watjela umntwanakhe uJimmy ukuthi koke lokhu bekakwenzela yena. Kodwana uJimmy yena bekazicabangela bona unina umlahlile, kangangobana ekuthomeni bekanyenya nakacabanga ngesenzo sakaninakhesi sokumtjhiya. Kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi nakabuya, wasilingwa nakukuthi ubuyeleni. Njengombana kuvame ukubanjalo ngabanengi abatjhiyiweko, noJimmy naye wazizwa kwanga kibo boke abantu angabalalela abahloniphe, unina ngewamaswaphela.—Funda izAga 29:15.

10. (a) Imali nezipho zingadlala yiphi indima esikhundleni sombelethi? (b) Vane kutjhodani lokha umbelethi nekazakuqunta ukukhulisa umntwanakhe akude naye?

¹⁰ Nanyana uMarilyn bekalinga ukuvala isikhundla sokungabikhona kwakhe ngokuthi athumele imali nezipho, wanyekele walemuka bona ukuhlala kude nomntwanakhe kunjengokumfundisa ukuthi naye nakakhulako, agijimise imali kunezinto ezingokomoya nokutjheja umndeni. (IzA. 22:6) Batjho uJimmy wakhe wamtjela ukuthi ‘angasazitshwenya  nangokubuya, yena akathumele izipho kwaphela.’ Kulapho-ke uMarilyn abona khona bonyana angekhe akhulisa umntwanakhe ngokumdosela umtato nokumtlolela iincwadi ngitjho nangethungelelwano-hlanganiso. Nasekatjho uthi, “Angekhe wamsingatha umntwanakho namkha umcabuze nge-Inthanethi.”

11. (a) Ukuhlala maqalanga newakwakho ngebanga lomsebenzi kuwenzani umtjhado? (b) Omunye udade kwamkhanyela njani ukuthi kufuze abuyele emndeninakhe?

¹¹ Itjhebiswano lakaMarilyn noJehova kunye nobabakwakhe, uJames, beselibogaboga. Besekathontela nemihlanganweni yobuKrestu, nesimini besekaya kanye ngeveke, kwesinye isikhathi bekangalibhadi nokulibhada, ngakwelinye ihlangothi bekufuze alwisane nomqatjhakhe ebekasolo afuna ukulala naye. Ngebanga lokuthi uJames noMarilyn bebangasathululelani iimfuba, imiraro yabo besekufuze bayikhulume nabanye abantu, lokho-ke ebekungabangela ukuhlobonga. UMarilyn kwamkhanyela ukuthi nanyana yena nobabakwakhe bangakhenge bahlolelane, kodwana ukuhlala maqalanga nitjhadile akuvumelani neenkambiso zeBhayibheli zokubhadekelana ngezomseme njengabantu abatjhadileko. Phela besebanganaso nesikhathi sabo babodwa njengesibili, khebahlekisane, baqalane ngemehlweni, bathandane njengokutjhada kwabo. (Ngom. 1:2; 1 Kor. 7:3, 5) Bebangasamkhulekeli nanjengomndeni uJehova. UMarilyn uthi, “Ngathi nangizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi ukuthi ukukhulekela komndeni kuqakatheke kangangani emndenini malungana nokusinda ngelanga lelaka lakaJehova, ngabona ukuthi kufuze ngiye ekhaya, ngiyokuvuselela umndenami nepilo yokulotjha uZimu.”

12. Ngisiphi isikhuthazo seBhayibheli esinganikelwa labo abahlala kude nemindenabo?

¹² Kazi watjharagana-ke uMarilyn nasekufuze athathe isiqunto sokubuyela ekhaya. Abadala bebandleni lakhe langaphetjheya bathi siqunto esihle leso, ngapha abanye ebandlenapho bamtjela okhunye. Kunokuthi bamsekele egadangweni lakhe elihlelo, bebafuna ukumkhipha esiporweni. Batjho bebathi: “Mlise wena, esithe akhambe sizakuthi abuye.” Nasebambuza bathi: “Uzoyithini yemali nasewubuyela ekhaya nje?” Esikhundleni sokuthi sibadanise njalo abantu esikhonza nabo, kuhle sikhuthaze abodade bona bathande “amadodabo nabantwababo . . . baphathe kuhle imizabo . . . ukuze ilizwi lakaZimu lingarhubutjhwa.”—Funda uTitosi 2:3-5.

13, 14. Kubayini kutlhoga isibindi ukulalela uJehova kunokulalela umndeni? Fanekisa.

¹³ Inengi labantu abasukela imindenabo ngebanga lomsebenzi, kukuthi vele likhulele esizindeni esinjalo sokuthwesa ababelethi babo umthwalo wokubakhulisela abantwana. Kanti-ke umKrestu kuzomtlhoga isibindi ukwenza ngokuphambene nekambiso ejayelekileko  leyo emiphakathini, ukwenzela bona athabise uJehova.

¹⁴ Cabanga nganasi indaba kaCarin: “Nengibeletha indodanami uDon, sinobabakwami besisebenza ngaphetjheya, begodu mina bengisanda ukufundelwa iBhayibheli. Banengi egade bathi ngithumele uDon ekhaya kumma, bese thina siragele phambili nomsebenzi bekube kulapho sesijame kuhle khona ngokweemali.” Kodwana uCarin wajama kwelokuthi ufuna ukuzikhulisela umntwanakhe, iinini zakhe nobabakwakhe bamhleka kwavela nelomhlathi, bathi uyavilapha. UCarin unaba ngokuthi: “Khona vele bengingazwisisi ukuthi ikuphi ikinga ngokuthi ngiyokutjhiya uDon ekhaya iminyaka eembalwa, kodwana bengazi ukuthi uJehova uthi umthwalo wokukhulisa umntwana lo ngewethu—ababelethi bakhe.” Wathi nakazithwala kwesibili, ubabakwakhe ongasilikholwa wathi akawurhulule umbungu loyo. Kodwana uCarin wenza njengekuthomeni, wajama kwelokuthi akakazimiseli ukuzwisa uJehova ubuhlungu. Nje banobabakwakhe kunye nabantwababo ababili bazihlalela kamnandi njengomndeni. Ngathana uCarin wase wavumela abantwanaba bona bakhuliswe ngomunye umuntu, ngabe nje izinto azisingendlela ezingayo.

15, 16. (a) Khewusitjele ngendaba yomunye udade owatjhiywa asesemcani. (b) Kubayini akhetha ukwenza okuhlukileko ngendodakazakhe?

¹⁵ UVicky onguFakazi naye batjho: “Ngakhe ngayibamba nogogo iminyaka eembalwa, njengombana umma nobaba bebahlala nodadwethu omncani. Kwathi nasekufuze ngiyokuhlala nabo, besengizizwa ngenye indlela. Udadwethu yena bekakghona ukubathululela isifuba be abasingathe, kangangobana bebatjhidelene kwamambala. Ikingami kukuthi ngakhulela kude nabo, njeke, angitjhaphuluki nanginabo. Nokho, sinodadwethu sabaqinisekisa ngokuthi sizobanakekela nasebaluphele. Kodwana kimi lokho kuzokuba njengomsebenzi nje kwaphela, kukulapho udadwethu yena azabe akwenziswa lithando.

¹⁶ UVicky unaba ngokuthi: “Nje umma ufuna ngimthumelele indodakazami azoyikhulisa, njengombana nami ngakhuliswa ngumamakhe. Kodwana ngalandula. Sinobabakwami sifuna ukumkhulisa ngendlela kaJehova umntwanethu lo. Begodu angifuni ukuzimotjhela ubuhlobo bami nomntwanami, akhule angangazi.” UVicky walemuka bona okukuphela kwendlela ephumelelako, kubeka uJehova qangi kunokugijima ngemva kwemali nokulalela imibono yabantu ngomndeni. UJesu wayibeka yakhanya nekathi: “Akakho ongasebenzela abaphathi ababili,” alotjhe uZimu noMamoni.—Mat. 6:24; Eks. 23:2.

17, 18. (a) AmaKrestu weqiniso ahlala aneendlela zokwenza ngcono ngayiphi indlela? (b) Kuzokuphendulwa miphi imibuzo esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ UBabethu wezulwini, uJehova ubophe umutja ehloko, wazitjela ukuthi uzosisiza ngananyana yini esiyitlhogako nengabe sibeka umBuso nokulunga kwakhe phambili. (Mat. 6:33) AmaKrestu weqiniso ahlala aneendlela zokwenza izinto ngcono. UJehova uthembisa bona uzokwenza ‘indlela’ yokuthi singakweqi okukhulunywa yiBhayibheli, ngitjho nanyana sekuthiwa kubudisi kangangani. (Funda 1 Korinte 10:13.) Nasimlindako uJehova, ‘simethembe’ ngokuthandazela ukuhlakanipha nesinqophiso esivela kuye malungana nokulandela imithetho neenkambisolawulo zakhe, uzosisisiza. (Rhu. 37:5, 7) Uzosibusisa, asiphe namandla wokuthi sikhonze yena yedwa njengeKosi yamambala. Nasibeka yena qangi, uzokwenza iindlela zethu ziphumelele.—Madanisa noGenesisi 39:3.

¹⁸ Indaba yokuhlala ngokuhlukana le ingabalekelwa njani-ke? Kungathathwa maphi amagadango malungana nokondla imindenethu ngaphandle kokuhlala maqalanga nayo? Begodu singabasiza njani abanye ukuthi bakhethe kuhle endabeni le? Imibuzo le izokudenjwa esihlokweni esilandelako.