1, 2. Yibuphi ubunzima obubonwa yilabo abayabe bephenduka ekhaya bevela kwamanye amazwe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 U-EDUARDO * uthi, “Ngisasebenza phetsheya ngangilomsebenzi omuhle njalo ngangisenza imali enengi. Kodwa lapho oFakazi bakaJehova sebefunda lami iBhayibhili ngaqalisa ukubona ukuthi ngangilomunye umsebenzi oqakatheke kakhulu​—⁠ukunakekela imuli yami ekukhonzeni hatshi ezintweni zokuziphilisa kuphela. Yikho-ke ngaphenduka ekhaya.”​—Efe. 6:4.

² U-Eduardo wayekwazi ukuthi wayezathokozisa uJehova nxa angayahlala lemuli yakhe. Kodwa njengoMarilyn oqanjwe esihlokweni esidlulileyo, u-Eduardo kwakumele aqalise umsebenzi othatha isikhathi eside wokulungisisa ubudlelwano bakhe lemuli yakhe. Kanti njalo kwakunzima ukuthi anakekele umkakhe labantwabakhe elizweni elalilomumo wezomnotho onzima. Pho wayezaphila ngani? Abanye ebandleni babezamnceda njani?

3. Kubaphatha njani abantwana nxa abazali bengahlali labo?

³ U-Eduardo uthi, “Ngakuzwisisa ukuthi ngangitshiye abantwabami ngesikhathi bekudinga kakhulu ukuthi ngibeluleke lokuthi ngibatshengise uthando. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangingekho, ngangingeke  ngibabalele izindaba eziseBhayibhilini, ngikhuleke labo, ngibagone njalo ngidlale labo.” (Dute. 6:7) Izibulo lakhe eliyinkazana, u-Anna lithi: “Ngangihlala ngikhathazekile ngesikhathi ubaba engekho ngekhaya. Esephendukile, sasimazi ngobuso bakhe langelizwi lakhe kuphela. Nxa wayengigona, kwakungani kayisuye.”

4. Kungani kusiba nzima ukuthi ubaba enze umsebenzi wokuba yinhloko yemuli nxa engekho ekhaya?

⁴ Kanti njalo nxa ubaba engahlali lemuli yakhe kuba nzima ukuthi enze umsebenzi wakhe wokuba yinhloko yemuli. Umka-Eduardo okuthiwa nguRuby uthi: “Kwakumele ngenze imisebenzi emibili, ngibe nguMama njalo ngibe nguBaba futhi ngacina sengijayele ukwenza izinqumo zemuli ezinengi. Lapho u-Eduardo ephenduka ekhaya, kwasekumele ngifunde ukuthi ukuba ngumKhristu ozehlisayo kutshoni sibili. Lakhathesi kulezikhathi lapho okuyabe kumele ngikhumbule ukuthi umkami usekhona.” (Efe. 5:22, 23) U-Eduardo uqhubeka esithi: “Amankazana ayesejayele ukuyacela imvumo kunina nxa efuna ukwenza ulutho oluthile. Sananzelela ukuthi thina abazali kwakumele simanyane ukuze sibe yisibonelo kubantwabethu njalo kwakumele ngifunde ukukhokhela ngendlela yobuKhristu.”

5. Omunye ubaba waqalisa njani ukulungisisa umonakalo owabangelwa yikungahlali lemuli yakhe, njalo kwaba lempumela bani?

⁵ U-Eduardo wayezimisele ukwenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze alungisise ubudlelwano bemuli yakhe njalo athuthukise indlela ababekhonza ngayo. Uthi: “Inhloso yami kwakuyikugcizelela iqiniso kubantwabami ngamazwi langezenzo, hatshi ukuthi ngitsho ngomlomo nje ukuthi ngiyamthanda uJehova kodwa ngikutshengise ngezenzo.” (1 Joh. 3:18) UJehova wambusisa yini u-Eduardo ngenxa yokholo lwakhe? U-Anna uthi: “Ukubona konke ayekwenza ukuze abe ngubaba omuhle lokwenza ukuthi siphinde sijayelane, kwenza kwaba lomahluko omkhulu. Sasiziqhenya nxa sasimbona esebenza nzima ukuze athole izibusiso zenkonzo ebandleni. Umhlaba wawufuna ukusisusa eduzane loJehova. Kodwa sabona abazali bethu beliqakathekisa kakhulu iqiniso njalo lathi sazama sibili ukwenza njengabo. Ubaba wasithembisa ukuthi kasoze aphinde asitshiye njalo kasitshiyanga. Aluba wasitshiya mhlawumbe ngabe angikho enhlanganisweni kaJehova namuhla.”

6. Yisiphi isifundo esatholwa ngabanye abazali ngesikhathi sempi?

⁶ Okwenzakala ngesikhathi kulempi emazweni ayebizwa ngokuthi ngama-Balkans kutshengisa ukuthi abantwana baboFakazi bakaJehova ababehlala khonale babethokoza lanxa impilo yayinzima. Kungani? Abazali ababengasayi emsebenzini basebetshona emakhaya abo befunda labantwana, bedlala labo njalo bexoxa labo. Lokhu kusifundisani? Ukuthi abazali bahlale ndawonye labantwababo kuqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula imali kumbe izipho. Njengoba iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lisitsho, bayancedakala nxa abazali bezinika isikhathi sokuba labo njalo bebaqeqetsha.​—Zaga. 22:6.

7, 8. (a) Kuyini okuphanjaniswa ngabanye abazali nxa sebephendukile? (b) Abazali bangabanceda njani abantwana ukuze bangabi belokhu bebazondele?

⁷ Kuyadanisa ukuthi abanye abazali nxa sebephendukile bevela amazweni besebebona abantwababo belokhu bebazondele futhi bengelandaba labo bayabatshingela besithi, “Kungani lingabongi konke lokhu engalenzela khona?” Lanxa kunjalo, okwenza abantwana benze njalo kungabe kubangelwa yikuthi babengahlali ndawonye labazali babo. Umzali angenzani ukuze akulungisise lokhu?

⁸ Cela ukuthi uJehova akuncedise ukuze uwazwisise kuhle amalunga emuli yakho. Ngemva kwalokho, nxa usukhuluma layo, vuma njalo ukwamukele ukuthi lawe waphambanisa. Kunganceda ukuthi uxolise ngenhliziyo yakho yonke. Nxa umkakho labantwana benanzelela ukuthi uzama konke ongakwenza ukuze ulungisise izinto, bazakubona ukuthi uzimisele. Kancane kancane imuli yakho ingacina isikuthanda njalo isikuhlonipha nxa  ungaqhubeka usebenza gadalala njalo ubekezela.

9. Kungani ukunakekela imuli kungamelanga kusenze sigijimisane lenotho?

⁹ Umphostoli uPhawuli walaya ukuthi nxa amaKhristu eseluphele engasenelisi ukuzinakekela, abantwabawo kanye labazukulu kumele “benanise kubazali babo lakubazali babazali babo.” Kodwa uPhawuli waphinda wakhuthaza wonke amaKhristu ukuthi asuthiseke ngezidingo zansuku zonke ezigoqela ukudla, izigqoko kanye lendawo yokuhlala. Akumelanga sikhuthalele ukwenza ukuthi izimpilo zethu zibe phezulu kumbe ukubuthelela imali sisithi senzela kusasa. (Bala u-1 Thimothi 5:4, 8; 6:6-10.) Akudingi ukuthi umKhristu atshone egijimisana lenotho emhlabeni lo osuzadlula ukuze ‘anakekele izihlobo kumbe imuli.’ (1 Joh. 2:15-17) Akumelanga sivumele ukuthi izimuli zethu zehluleke ‘ukubamba ukuphila okuyikuphila okuqotho’ emhlabeni kaNkulunkulu omutsha ngenxa nje ‘yenkohliso yenotho’ kumbe “iminqineko yempilo.”​—Mak. 4:19; Luk. 21:34-36; 1 Tim. 6:19.

10. Singakutshengisa njani ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu endabeni yezikwelede?

¹⁰ UJehova uyakwazi ukuthi siyayidinga imali ukuze siphile. Kodwa imali kayingeke isivikele njalo isenze sijabule ukwedlula ulwazi esiluphiwa nguNkulunkulu. (UmTshu. 7:12; Luk. 12:15) Izikhathi ezinengi, abanengi babuthatha lula ubunzima bokuyasebenza kwamanye amazwe, njalo ukuya kwelinye ilizwe akutsho ukuthi bazathola imali. Iqiniso yikuthi kulezingozi ezinengi kakhulu. Abanengi baphenduka belezikwelede ezesabekayo. Kulokuthi baqhubeke bekhonza uJehova bekhululekile, bacina bekhonza labo ababoleka kubo imali. (Bala iZaga 22:7.) Into engcono kakhulu yikuthi ungazifaki ezikweledeni.

11. Kuyinceda ngani imuli ukulandela lokho ekuvumeleneyo mayelana lokuthi izayisebenzisa njani imali?

¹¹ U-Eduardo wakubona ukuthi kwakumele asebenzise kuhle imali ukuze isinqumo sakhe sokuhlala lemuli yakhe siphumelele. Yena lomkakhe babhala phansi ukuthi babezayisebenzisa njani imali ezintweni eziqakathekileyo ababezidinga sibili. Indlela abasebesebenzisa ngayo imali yantshintsha kakhulu kulalokho imuli yakhe eyayikujayele. Kodwa bonke babambisana njalo kakho owayesebenzisa imali ezintweni ezingaqakathekanga. * U-Eduardo uthi, “Ngokwesibonelo ngakhipha abantwabami ezikolo ezingayisizo zikahulumende njalo ngabahambisa kwezikahulumende ezifundisa kuhle.” Yena lemuli yakhe bathandazela ukuthi athole umsebenzi owawungeke uphambanise indlela abakhonza ngayo. UJehova wayiphendula njani imithandazo yabo?

12, 13. Omunye ubaba wenzani ukuze anakekele imuli yakhe, njalo uJehova wakubusisa njani ukuzimisela kwakhe ukugcina impilo yakhe ilula?

¹² U-Eduardo uthi: “Okweminyaka emibili yokuqala izinto zazinzima kakhulu. Imali esasiyigcinile yayilokhu iphunguka futhi ngangihola encane eyayingeneli ukubhadala izindleko zikhathi zonke njalo ngangihlala ngidiniwe. Kodwa sasisenelisa ukungena imihlangano yonke lokuya enkonzweni sindawonye.” U-Eduardo wahle wazitshela ukuthi wayengeke avume umsebenzi owawuzamenza ehlukane lemuli yakhe okwezinyanga kumbe okweminyaka ethile. Uthi, “Kulokuthi ngenze njalo, ngafundela ukwenza imisebenzi etshiyeneyo ukuze nxa omunye umsebenzi ungatholakali ngenze omunye.”

¹³ Ngenxa yokuthi u-Eduardo wayefuna ukubhadala izikwelede zakhe kancane kancane kwakumele abhadale enye imali ngoba isikwelede sasilokhe singezeleleka. Kodwa lokhu wakubona kungatsho lutho ngoba wayefuna ukuthi asebenze ndawonye lemuli yakhe kukho konke ekuphileni kwabo, okuyinto uJehova afuna abazali bayenze. U-Eduardo uthi, “Khathesi ngenza imali engaphansi kwe-10 phesenti kuleyo engangiyithola emazweni, kodwa asilambi. ‘Ingalo kaJehova kayimfitshane.’  Sahle sacabanga ukuthi siphayone. Okwathokozisayo yikuthi izinto zaba ngcono elizweni njalo kwasokulula kakhulu ukuthola izinto eziqakathekileyo esizidingayo.”​—Isaya. 59:1.

14, 15. Izimuli zingenzani nxa izihlobo zifuna ukuthi ziqakathekise ukudinga imali ukwedlula ukukhonza, njalo ukubambelela kulokho esikukholwayo kungaphetha ngani?

¹⁴ Ezindaweni ezinengi abantu bakubona kungumlandu wabo ukunika izihlobo labangane imali kanye lezipho. U-Eduardo uthi: “Kujayelekile kithi njalo siyakuthanda ukupha.” Kodwa uqhubekela phambili esithi: “Kasikwenzi zikhathi zonke. Engikwenzayo yikuchazela izihlobo zami kuhle ukuthi ngizazipha sibili kodwa ngingavumeli ukuthi lokhu kuphambanise uhlelo lwethu oluphathelane lokukhonza.”

¹⁵ Abanengi abaphenduka ekhaya kanye lalabo abakhetha ukuthi bangatshiyi izimuli zabo nxa benikwe ithuba lokuya kwamanye amazwe bajayele ukubona izihlobo zidana, zibazondela, njalo zibagcona ngoba zikhangelele ukuthi bazincedise. Ezinye zize zibatshele ukuthi abalathando. (Zaga. 19:6, 7) U-Anna indodakazi ka-Eduardo uthi, “Lanxa kunjalo, nxa siqakathekisa ukukhonza kwethu ukwedlula imali, ezinye izihlobo zethu zingacina zikubona sibili ukuthi impilo yethu yobuKhristu iqakatheke kakhulu. Kodwa zingakuzwisisa njani lokhu nxa singacina siphongulandela konke ezikufunayo?”​—Qathanisa lo-1 Phetro 3:1, 2.

16. (a) Umuntu ‘angazikhohlisa’ njani? (Jak. 1:22) (b) UJehova ubusisa izinqumo ezinjani?

¹⁶ Omunye udadewethu owatshiya umkakhe labantwana esiya kwelinye ilizwe elinothileyo wathi esanda kufika khonale watshela abadala wathi: “Salahlekelwa ngokunengi sibili ukuze ngibuye lapha. Umkami kwakumele atshiye ukuba ngumdala. Yikho-ke ngilethemba lokuthi uJehova uzasibusisa sibili isinqumo lesi.” UJehova uhlala ezibusisa izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuthi silokholo kuye, kodwa angasibusisa njani isinqumo esingahambelani lentando yakhe, ikakhulu nxa isinqumo leso sitshengisa ukuthi asiziqakathekisi izibusiso zenkonzo engcwele?​—Bala uHebheru 11:6; 1 Johane 5:13-15.

17. Kungani kumele sithandaze kuJehova singakenzi izinqumo, njalo singakwenza njani lokhu?

¹⁷ Ungaqalisi ngokwenza isinqumo loba wenze olunye ulutho nje, kodwa qala ngokucela ukuthi uJehova akuqondise. Thandaza ukuthi  uNkulunkulu akunike umoya ongcwele, ukuhlakanipha lesiqondiso. (2 Tim. 1:7) Zibuze ukuthi: ‘Ngizimisele yini ukulalela uJehova kukho konke? Ngiyamlalela yini lanxa ngihlukuluzwa?’ Nxa kunjalo, uzimisele yini ukumlalela lanxa kungadingakala ukuthi wenze ukuphila kwakho kube lula? (Luk. 14:33) Khuluma labadala bebandla ukuze bakunike amacebo aseMibhalweni njalo ube lethemba futhi ukholwe ukuthi uJehova uzakuncedisa nxa ulalela iseluleko sakhe. Abadala kabasoze bakwenzele izinqumo kodwa bangakunceda ukuthi ukhethe ngendlela ezakwenza ukuthi uhlale uthokoza.​—2 Khor. 1:24.

18. Umsebenzi wokondla imuli ngokabani, njalo abanye bangancedisa njani?

¹⁸ UJehova unike inhloko yemuli ‘umthwalo’ wokondla imuli nsuku zonke. Kumele sibancome njalo sibathandazele bonke abanakekela omkabo labantwana bendawonye labo, lanxa kungalula njalo izihlobo zifuna ukuthi babatshiye bayedinga imisebenzi kwamanye amazwe. Kanti njalo singatshengisa uthando lobuKhristu lokuthi siyabazwela abafowethu nxa bejunywe yizinto abayabe bengazilindelanga ezigoqela izingozi zemvelo loba ukuhlaselwa ngumkhuhlane. (Gal. 6:2, 5; 1 Phet. 3:8) Ungaphathisa ngemali yini nxa abanye behlelwe yingozi kumbe unganceda yini umKhristu okhonza laye ukuthi athole umsebenzi ozakwenza ukuthi aqhubeke ehlala lemuli yakhe? Ungenza njalo, ungamnceda ukuthi angacabangi kakhulu ngokutshiya imuli yakhe ayedinga umsebenzi kwamanye amazwe.​—Zaga. 3:27, 28; 1 Joh. 3:17.

19, 20. Kungani amaKhristu engasuthiseka ngokwazi ukuthi uJehova uzawancedisa?

¹⁹ IMibhalo isikhuthaza isithi: “Ekuphileni kwenu xwayani ukuthanda imali lisuthiseke ngalokho elilakho, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathi, ‘Kangisoze ngilitshiye; kangisoze ngilidele.’ Ngakho siyatsho ngethemba sithi, ‘INkosi ingumsizi wami; kangiyikwesaba. Umuntu angenzani kimi na?’ ” (Heb. 13:5, 6) Lokhu kukhanya njani ezenzweni zethu?

²⁰ “Omunye ohlala elizweni elisathuthuka njalo oselesikhathi eside engumdala wathi: “Abantu bajayele ukuncoma indlela oFakazi bakaJehova abathokoza ngayo. Bayakunanzelela lokuthi laboFakazi abaswelayo bagqoka kuhle kakhulu njalo bakhangeleka ngcono kakhulu kulabanye abantu.” Lokhu kuhambelana lesithembiso sikaJesu asitsho mayelana lalabo abaqakathekisa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ukwedlula zonke izinto. (Mat. 6:28-30, 33) Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi uYihlo osezulwini uyakuthanda njalo ukufisela okuhle kakhulu, wena kanye lemuli yakho. “Amehlo kaJehova athungatha umhlaba wonke ukuze aqinise labo abanhliziyo zabo zizimisele kuye.” (2 ImiLan. 16:9) Kanti njalo usinike imilayo yakhe elusizo kakhulu, egoqela ukuphila kwemuli kanye lalokho esikudingayo sibili ekuphileni. Nxa singayilandela, siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda njalo siyamethemba. “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu: ukulalela imilayo yakhe. Njalo imilayo yakhe kayinzima.”​—1 Joh. 5:3.

21, 22. Kungani uzimisele ukutshengisa ukuthi uyamethemba sibili uJehova?

²¹ U-Eduardo uthi: “Ngiyakwazi ukuthi angisoze ngasibuyisela isikhathi engasithatha ngisemazweni ngikhatshana lomkami kanye labantwabami kodwa kangizihluphi ngezinto ezadlulayo. Abanengi engangisebenza labo banothile kodwa kabathokozi. Balezinhlupho ezinkulu kakhulu ezimulini zabo. Kodwa eyami imuli iyathokoza kakhulu! Kanti njalo kuyangithokozisa kakhulu ukubona abafowethu elizweni lakithi beqhubeka beqakathekisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ukwedlula zonke izinto empilweni, lanxa beswela. Sonke siyasibona sigcwaliseka sibili isithembiso sikaJesu.”​—Bala uMathewu 6:33.

²² Woba lesibindi! Khetha ukulalela uJehova njalo umethembe. Kungaba kuhle nxa ungazithwalela umthwalo wakho wokufundisa imuli yakho izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza njalo lokhu ukwenze ngenxa yokuthi uthanda uNkulunkulu, umuntu otshade laye kanye labantwabakho. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukubone sibili ukuthi ‘iNkosi ingumsizi wakho.’