1-3. (a) Iziphi izinkinga ezingokwezimali abantu abaningi ababhekene nazo namuhla, futhi abanye bazama ukuzixazulula kanjani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Ikuphi ukukhathazeka okukhona ngokuphathelene nokukhulisa abantwana?

“NSUKU ZONKE, umyeni wami, uJames, wayebuya emsebenzini ekhathele, kodwa umholo wakhe wawanela izidingo zosuku nje kuphela,” kuchaza uMarilyn. * “Ngangifuna ukwenza umthwalo wakhe ube lula ngimsize ukuze sithengele indodana yethu, uJimmy, ezinye zezinto ezinhle izingane ayefunda nazo ezazinazo.” UMarilyn wayefuna nokusiza izihlobo abekelele nekusasa. Abangane bakhe abaningi babethuthele kwamanye amazwe ukuze benze imali eyengeziwe. Kodwa ngesikhathi naye esecabanga ukwenza lokhu, waba nokungabaza. Kungani?

² UMarilyn wayekwesaba ukushiya umndeni wakhe oyigugu kuye nesimiso sabo esingokomoya esihle. Noma kunjalo, wazitshela ukuthi abanye babehambile baya kwamanye amazwe okwesikhashana, futhi imindeni yabo yayibonakala iqhuba kahle ngokomoya. Kodwa wayezibuza ukuthi angamkhulisa kanjani uJimmy ekude naye. Wayengaphumelela yini ekusizeni ukukhulisa indodana yakhe “ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova” esebenzisa i-Internet?—Efe. 6:4.

³ UMarilyn wafuna isiqondiso. Umyeni wakhe wayengafuni ukuba ahambe, nakuba ayethe ngeke amvimbe. Abadala nabanye ebandleni bameluleka ukuba angahambi, kodwa odade abaningana bamkhuthaza ukuba ahambe. Bathi kuye, “Uma uwuthanda  umndeni wakho, uzohamba. Ungaqhubeka ukhonza uJehova.” Naphezu kokungabaza, uMarilyn wavalelisa uJames noJimmy wahamba wayosebenza kwelinye izwe. Wathembisa, “Ngeke ngihambe isikhathi eside.”

4. Kungani abaningi bethuthela kwamanye amazwe, kodwa ngokuvamile ubani ogcina esenakekela izingane zabo?

⁴ UJehova akafuni ukuba izikhonzi zakhe ziphile ngobumpofu, futhi ukuthuthela kwelinye izwe kungenye yezindlela ezindala kakhulu zokubhekana nobumpofu. (IHu. 37:25; IzAga 30:8) Ukuze igweme ukubulawa indlala, inzalamizi uJakobe yathuma amadodana ayo ukuba ayothenga ukudla eGibhithe. * (Gen. 42:1, 2) Namuhla, abaningi abakhetha ukuthuthela kwelinye izwe abashiyi amakhaya abo ngoba belamba. Kodwa, kungenzeka badonsa kanzima ngenxa yezikweletu ezinkulu. Abanye basuke nje befuna ukuphakamisa izinga lokuphila lomndeni. Ukuze bafinyelele imigomo yabo ezweni elinomnotho owohlokayo, abaningi bagcina sebehlala kude nemindeni yabo, ezweni elilodwa noma kwelinye izwe. Ngokuvamile, bashiya izingane ezincane ukuba zinakekelwe umzali oyedwa, ingane yabo esikhulile, abazali babo, ezinye izihlobo noma abangane. Nakuba kubaphatha kabi abathuthela kwamanye amazwe ukushiya umuntu abashade naye noma izingane, iningi labo linomuzwa wokuthi kusuke kungekho elingakwenza.

5, 6. (a) Yini uJesu ayifundisa ngenjabulo nangokulondeka? (b) Iziphi izinto ezingokwenyama uJesu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bazithandazele? (c) UJehova usibusisa ngaziphi izindlela?

⁵ Ngosuku lukaJesu, abantu abaningi babempofu, futhi kungenzeka babenomuzwa wokuthi bangajabula nakakhulu futhi balondeke uma bengaba nemali eyengeziwe. (Marku 14:7) Kodwa uJesu wayefuna ukuba abantu bathembele kwenye indawo. Wayefuna ukuba bathembele eMthonjeni wengcebo ehlala njalo—uJehova. ENtshumayelweni yakhe Yasentabeni, wachaza ukuthi injabulo yangempela nokulondeka akuncikile ezintweni ezingokwenyama, noma emizamweni yethu, kodwa ebuhlotsheni bethu noBaba wethu osezulwini.

⁶ Emthandazweni wakhe oyisibonelo, uJesu wasifundisa ukuba sithandazele izidingo zosuku nosuku, “isinkwa sethu salolu suku,” hhayi ukulondeka ngokwezimali. Wabatshela ngokuqondile ababemlalele: “Yekani ukuzibekelela ingcebo emhlabeni . . . Kunalokho, zibekeleleni ingcebo ezulwini.” (Math. 6:9, 11, 19, 20) Singamethemba uJehova ukuthi uzosibusisa njengoba nje ethembisa. Isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu akukhona kuphela ukuthi uyosamukela; kodwa esikudinga kakhulu ukuba abe nengxenye ebonakalayo ekusinikeni lokho esikudinga ngempela. Ngempela, okuwukuphela kwendlela yokuthola injabulo yangempela nokulondeka ukuthembela kuBaba wethu onakekelayo kunasemalini.—Funda uMathewu 6:24, 25, 31-34.

7. (a) UJehova uwunike bani umsebenzi wokukhulisa izingane? (b) Kungani bobabili abazali kufanele bahileleke kakhulu ekukhuliseni izingane zabo?

⁷ ‘Ukufuna kuqala ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu’ kuhlanganisa nokubheka izibopho zomndeni ngendlela uJehova azibheka ngayo. UMthetho KaMose unalesi simiso esisebenzayo kumaKristu: Abazali kufanele baqeqeshe izingane zabo ngokomoya. (Funda uDuteronomi 6:6, 7.) UNkulunkulu uwabele abazali lo msebenzi, hhayi umkhulu nogogo noma omunye umuntu. INkosi uSolomoni yathi: “Ndodana yami, lalela isiyalo sikayihlo, ungawushiyi umthetho kanyoko.” (IzAga 1:8) UJehova wayehlose ukuba bobabili abazali babe khona ngokoqobo ukuze babe nengxenye ekuqondiseni nasekufundiseni izingane zabo. (IzAga 31:10, 27, 28) Okuningi kwalokho abantwana abakufunda kubazali  babo, ikakhulukazi izinto ezingokomoya, bakuthola ngokuzwa lapho abazali bekhuluma ngoJehova nsuku zonke nangokubona isibonelo sabo.

8, 9. (a) Iluphi ushintsho oluba khona uma umzali engahlali nomndeni wakhe? (b) Imuphi umonakalo ongokomzwelo nongokokuziphatha ongabangelwa ukwehlukana?

⁸ Ngaphambi kokuya kwelinye izwe, abazothutha bayazama ukuqhathanisa izingozi nalokho abasuke bezokudela, kodwa bambalwa abakwazi ukuyibona kusengaphambili yonke imiphumela yokushiya umndeni. (IzAga 22:3) * Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba uMarilyn ehambile, waqala ukuzwa ubuhlungu obungapheli bokuhlukana nomndeni wakhe. Kwaba njalo nangomyeni nendodana yakhe. UJimmy osemncane wayehlale embuza, “Ungishiyeleni mama?” Njengoba izinyanga uMarilyn ayehlele ukuthi uzozihlala ziphenduka iminyaka, waphawula ushintsho oluphazamisayo emndenini wakhe. UJimmy wayeseqala ukuhoxa futhi eseqhelelana naye ngokomzwelo. Elusizi, uyakhumbula, “Uthando lwakhe ngami lwaphela.”

⁹ Lapho abazali nezingane bengahlali ndawonye njengomndeni, bangalimala ngokomzwelo nangokokuziphatha. * Uma izingane zisencane futhi nihlukana isikhathi eside, uba mkhulu nomonakalo. UMarilyn wachazela uJimmy ukuthi wayezidela ngenxa yakhe. Kodwa kuJimmy, kwakusengathi unina umlahlile. Ekuqaleni, kwakumcasula ukungabikho kukanina. Kodwa kamuva, lapho ebuya ezovakasha, kwakumcasula ukuba khona kwakhe. Njengoba kuvamile ezinganeni ezishiyiwe, uJimmy wayenomuzwa wokuthi unina akasenalo ilungelo lokumbekela imithetho nokufuna ukuba amthande.—Funda izAga 29:15.

10. (a) Ukuthumela komzali izipho esikhundleni sokuba khona ngokoqobo kungaba namuphi umphumela ezinganeni? (b) Yini esuke intuleka lapho umzali ezama ukukhulisa izingane ekude?

¹⁰ Nakuba uMarilyn azama ukuvala isikhala sokungabi khona kwakhe ngokuthumela imali nezipho, wabona ukuthi engahlosile, wayeziqhelelanisa nendodana yakhe, eyifundisa ukuba ibeke izinto ezingokwenyama kuqala kunezingokomoya nobuhlobo babo njengomndeni. (IzAga 22:6) UJimmy wayemtshela, “Ungabuyi. Qhubeka uthumela izipho kuphela.” UMarilyn waqala ukubona ukuthi wayengenakukwazi “ukukhulisa” indodana yakhe “ekude” ngokuyibhalela izincwadi, ukuyishayela ucingo noma ngokuxoxa nayo kuyi-Internet. Uyachaza, “Awukwazi  ukwanga noma ukuqabula ingane yakho kuyi-Internet lapho isiyolala.”

11. (a) Ukungahlali ndawonye kombhangqwana ngenxa yomsebenzi wokuziphilisa kuwuthinta kanjani umshado wabo? (b) Udade othile wabona kanjani ukuthi kudingeka abuyele emndenini wakhe?

¹¹ Ubuhlobo bukaMarilyn noJehova nanomyeni wakhe, uJames, nabo babulimala. Ukuzihlanganisa namaKristu nokuya enkonzweni kwase kuyinto ayenza kanye ngesonto noma engenzeki, futhi kwakudingeka alokhu ephebeza umqashi wakhe owayefuna ukulala naye. Njengoba babengakwazi ukuncika komunye nomunye lapho bebhekene nezinkinga, bobabili uMarilyn noJames basondelana kakhulu ngokomzwelo nabanye abantu futhi bacishe baziphatha kabi ngokobulili. UMarilyn wabona ukuthi nakuba yena nomyeni wakhe bengazange baphinge, ngesikhathi bengahlali ndawonye babengakwazi ukulandela isiqondiso seBhayibheli sokwanelisa isidingo esingokomzwelo nesingokobulili somunye nomunye. Babengakwazi ukuhlanganyela izinto abazicabangayo, ukubukana noma ukumoyizelelana, ukuthintana, ukwangana, ‘ukubonisana uthando,’ noma ukunikana ‘okubafanele.’ (IsiHl. 1:2; 1 Kor. 7:3, 5) Babengakwazi nokukhulekela uJehova ngokugcwele ndawonye nendodana yabo. UMarilyn uyakhumbula, “Lapho ngizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi ukuthi kubalulekile ukuba sibe nokukhulekela komkhaya njalo ukuze sisinde ngosuku lukaJehova olukhulu, ngaqonda ukuthi kudingeka ngibuyele ekhaya. Kwakudingeka ngiqale phansi ngakhe ingokomoya lami nokuphila komndeni wami.”

12. Isiphi iseluleko esingokomBhalo esingase sinikwe labo abangahlali nemindeni yabo?

¹² Isinqumo sikaMarilyn sokubuyela ekhaya semukelwa ngezindlela ezingafani. Abadala bebandla lasezweni ayethuthele kulo bamncoma ngokholo nangesibindi sakhe. Kodwa abathile ababengahlali nemindeni yabo nabantu abashade nabo bona abazange bamncome. Kunokuba balandele isibonelo sakhe esihle, bazama ukumyekisa. Bathi, “Kungakabiphi uzobe usubuyile. Nizophila ngani uma ubuyela ekhaya?” Kunokuba akhulume ngale ndlela edumazayo, amaKristu esikanye nawo kufanele asize ‘abesifazane abasebasha ukuba bathande abayeni babo, bathande abantwana babo, basebenze emakhaya,’ abo, hhayi awabanye, “ukuze izwi likaNkulunkulu lingahlanjalazwa.”—Funda uThithu 2:3-5.

13, 14. Kungani kudinga ukholo ukubeka uJehova kuqala kunalokho okulindelwe yimindeni? Bonisa.

¹³ Abaningi abathuthela kwamanye amazwe baye bakhulela emiphakathini ebeka kuqala isiko nezibopho zemindeni, ikakhulukazi abazali, ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye. Ukwenza komKristu ngokuphambene namasiko athandwayo noma izifiso zomndeni ukuze ajabulise uJehova kuyisenzo sokholo ngempela.

 ¹⁴ Cabanga ngendaba kaCarin: “Lapho kuzalwa indodana yami uDon, mina nomyeni wami sasisebenza kwelinye izwe, futhi ngangisanda kuqala ukufunda iBhayibheli. Bonke emndenini wakithi babelindele ukuba ngimthumele ekhaya ayokhuliswa abazali bami kuze kube yilapho sesimi kahle ngokwezimali.” Kodwa lapho uCarin ebambelela ekutheni ufuna ukuzikhulisela uDon, izihlobo zakhe kuhlanganise nomyeni wakhe, bathi uyivila futhi bamhleka. UCarin uthi: “Empeleni, ngaleso sikhathi, ngangingaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi yini engalungile ngokushiya uDon nabazali bami iminyaka embalwa. Kodwa ngangazi ukuthi uJehova uwunike thina umsebenzi wokukhulisa indodana yethu.” Lapho uCarin ephinde ekhulelwa, umyeni wakhe ongakholwa wamcindezela ukuba asikhiphe isisu. Isinqumo esihle ayesenze ngaphambili sasiluqinisile ukholo lwakhe, nakulokhu wama eqinile engakuJehova. Manje yena nomyeni wakhe nezingane zabo bayajabula ngokuthi baye bahlala ndawonye. Ukube uCarin wayeyithumele ekhaya eyodwa noma zombili izingane zakhe ukuba ziyokhuliswa abanye abantu, umphumela wawuyoba ohluke kakhulu.

15, 16. (a) Chaza okuhlangenwe nakho kukadade othile owashiywa abazali esemncane beyosebenza. (b) Kungani anquma ukwenza okuhlukile ngendodakazi yakhe?

¹⁵ UFakazi ogama lakhe linguVicky uyalandisa: “Kwaphela iminyaka ethile ngikhuliswa ugogo, kuyilapho udadewethu omncane ehlala nabazali bami. Ngesikhathi engaqala ukuhlala ngaso nabazali bami, imizwa yami ngabo yayisishintshile. Udadewethu wayekwazi ukukhuluma nabo ngokukhululekile nokubanga futhi enobuhlobo obuseduze nabo. Ngangizizwa ngiqhelelene nabo, futhi ngisho sengimdala, ngakuthola kunzima ukubabonisa imizwa yami yangempela. Mina nodadewethu sibaqinisekisile abazali bethu ukuthi siyobanakekela lapho sebekhulile. Kodwa lokhu ngizokwenza ngenxa nje yokuthi kuyisibopho, kuyilapho udadewethu eyobanakekela ngenxa yothando.”

¹⁶ UVicky uthi: “Manje umama ufuna ngithumele indodakazi yami kuye ukuba ayikhulise, njengoba nje nami angihambisa kugogo. Ngenqaba ngokuhlakanipha. Mina nomyeni wami sifuna ukuzikhulisela ingane yethu ngezindlela zikaJehova. Angifuni nanini ukulimaza ubuhlobo bami nendodakazi yami.” UVicky uye wabona ukuthi ukuphela kwenkambo ephumelelayo ukubeka uJehova nezimiso zakhe kuqala kunemigomo engokwezimali nalokho okulindelwe imindeni. UJesu washo ngokuqondile: “Akekho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili,” uNkulunkulu neNgcebo.—Math. 6:24; Eks. 23:2.

17, 18. (a) Iziphi izinto amaKristu ayohlale ekwazi ukukhetha kuzo? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ UBaba wethu, uJehova, uye wazibophezela ukuthi uzosisiza sithole izinto esizidinga ngempela uma sibeka uMbuso kuqala nokulunga kwakhe ekuphileni kwethu. (Math. 6:33) Ngakho-ke, kuhlale kusemahlombe amaKristu eqiniso ukukhetha azokwenza. UJehova uthembisa ukuthi uyosenzela indlela “yokuphuma” engadingi ukuba sephule izimiso zeBhayibheli, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene naziphi izinselele. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 10:13.) Lapho ‘simlinda ngokulangazela’ uJehova, lapho ‘sethembela kuye’ ngokuthandaza sicele ukuhlakanipha nesiqondiso sakhe nangokulandela imiyalo nezimiso zakhe, khona-ke “uyothatha isinyathelo [sokusisiza].” (IHu. 37:5, 7) Uyoyibusisa imizamo yethu eqotho yokumkhonza njengowukuphela kweNkosi yethu yangempela. Uma simbeka kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, uyokwenza ukuphila kwethu ‘kuphumelele.’—Qhathanisa noGenesise 39:3.

¹⁸ Yini engenziwa ekusizeni ukuba kulungiswe umonakalo odalwe ukungahlali ndawonye? Iziphi izinyathelo ezisebenzayo esingazithatha ukuze sondle imindeni yethu sibe siqhubeka sihlala ndawonye? Singabakhuthaza kanjani ngothando abanye ukuba benze izinqumo ezifanele kule ndaba? Isihloko esilandelayo sizophendula le mibuzo.