1, 2. Ziziphi iingxaki abafika bajamelane nazo abaninzi xa bebesebenza kumazwe asemzini baze bagoduke? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

UEDUARDO * uthi: “Xa ndandikwilizwe lasemzini ndandinomsebenzi obhadlileyo nohlawulayo. Kodwa ndathi ndakufunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova ndabona ukuba ndinembopheleleko ebalulekileyo—ukunyamekela intsapho yam ngokuyondla nokuyinceda ibe nolwalamano noThixo. Ngoko ke, ndagoduka.”—Efe. 6:4.

² UEduardo wayesazi ukuba ukubuyela kwintsapho yakhe kuyamkholisa uYehova. Noko ke, njengoMarilyn ekuthethwe ngaye kwinqaku elandulela eli, uEduardo kwafuneka aqale phantsi ezama ukulungisa ulwalamano lwentsapho yakhe. Kwafuneka ajamelane nengxaki yokondla umfazi nabantwana bakhe kwelo lizwe lakhe lihlwempuzekileyo. Wayeza kuyisingatha njani le ngxaki? Luluphi uncedo awayenokulufumana kwabanye ebandleni?

3. Ukungabikho komzali kubachaphazela njani abantwana?

³ UEduardo uthi: “Ndandiwazi umonakalo endiwenzileyo ngokutyeshela abantwana bam kanye ngexesha ababendifuna ngalo.  Xa kwakufuneka ndibafundele amabali eBhayibhile, ndithandaze nabo, ndibagone ndize ndidlale nabo, ndandingekho.” (Dut. 6:7) Intombi yakhe endala, uAnna uthi: “Kwakundidakumbisa gqitha ukungahlali noTata. Ekuphela kwento esasiyazi ukubuya kwakhe, bubuso nelizwi lakhe. Kwakungabikho kwanto ithi nguTata xa endanga.”

4. Ukungabikho kwendoda ekhaya kuyichaphazela njani ekufezeni imbopheleleko yayo njengentloko-ntsapho?

⁴ Ukungabikho kwendoda ekhaya kuyenza ingakwazi nokunceda intsapho yayo njengentloko-ntsapho. Umfazi kaEduardo, uRuby uthi: “Kwanyanzeleka ukuba ndibe nguMama noTata kangangokuba ndade ndakuqhela ukwenza izigqibo zentsapho. Ukubuya kukaEduardo, kwafuneka ndifunde eyona nto ithethwa kukuzithoba kwabafazi abangamaKristu. Nangoku, kusafuneka ndimane ndizikhumbuza ukuba indoda yam ikhona.” (Efe. 5:22, 23) UEduardo uthi: “Iintombi zam zaziqhele ukuya kunina xa kukho into eziyifunayo. Sinomfazi wam, saqonda ukuba simele sincede abantwana babone ukuba simanyene, ibe kwafuneka ndifunde ukukhokela intsapho ngendlela yobuKristu.”

5. Enye indoda yawulungisa njani umonakalo wokushiya kwayo intsapho, ibe yaba njani imiphumo?

⁵ UEduardo wayezimisele ukwenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze alungise ulwalamano lwakhe nentsapho yakhe nokuze ayincede isondelelane noThixo. “Eyona nto ndandiyifuna kukubethelela inyaniso ebantwaneni bam ngokubamisela umzekelo—kungekhona ngokuthi ndiyamthanda uYehova kodwa ngokubabonisa.” (1 Yoh. 3:18) Ngaba uYehova wayisikelela imigudu kaEduardo? UAnna uthi: “Ukumbona esenza okusemandleni ukuze abe nguTata olungileyo ezama ukusondela kuthi kwasinceda gqitha. Xa sasimbona esebenza nzima ebandleni, saba neqhayiya ngaye. Ihlabathi lalizama ukusahlukanisa noYehova. Kodwa sabona ukuba abazali bethu bazinikele enyanisweni, ngoko nathi sazama ukubaxelisa. UTata wathembisa ukuba akanakuze aphinde asishiye, ibe wayengaxoki. Ukuba wayesishiyile, mhlawumbi ngendingamkhonzi uYehova namhlanje.”

6. Sisiphi isifundo esafundwa ngabanye abazali ngexesha lemfazwe?

⁶ Amanye amava abonisa ukuba, ngexesha lemfazwe kumazwe akwiiBalkan, abantwana bamaNgqina kaYehova ababehlala apho babesoloko bonwabile phezu kwazo nje iinzima zobo bomi bemfazwe. Kwakutheni? Ekubeni abazali babengakwazi ukuya emsebenzini, babehlala ekhaya babafundise, badlale kunye baze bancokole nabo. Isifundisa ntoni loo nto? Eyona nto ifunwa ngabantwana ngaphezu kwemali okanye izipho, kukuhlala nabazali babo. Kanye njengokuba iLizwi likaThixo lisitsho, abantwana bancedakala gqitha xa behoywa baze baqeqeshwe ngabazali babo.—IMize. 22:6.

7, 8. (a) Yiyiphi impazamo edla ngokwenziwa ngabazali ababuyela kwiintsapho zabo? (b) Abazali banokubanceda njani abantwana bayeke ukuba buhlungu?

⁷ Okubuhlungu kukuba, xa bebona ukuba baqunjelwe ngabantwana, abanye abazali ababuyela kwiintsapho zabo baye bathi, “Aninambulelo, ndakugqiba ukuncama izinto ezingaka ngenxa yenu!” Noko ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba eyona nto ibenza buhlungu yileyo kanye yokuhamba kwakhe. Yintoni enokwenziwa ngumzali ukulungisa umonakalo?

⁸ Cela uYehova akuncede ubonise ulwazelelelo ngakumbi kwintsapho yakho. Xa uthetha nentsapho yakho, vuma ukuba ube negalelo kwingxaki ekhoyo. Ukucela uxolo ngokunyanisekileyo kunokukunceda. Xa iqabane lakho nabantwana bebona ukuba wenza konke okusemandleni ukulungisa umonakalo, baya kukubona ukunyaniseka kwakho. Ngokuzimisela nokuba nomonde kwakho, intsapho yakho inokuphinda ikuthande yaye ikuhlonele.

9. Kutheni kungeyomfuneko ukuba sithi phee emva kobutyebi kuba nje sifuna ‘ukulungiselela’ iintsapho zethu?

⁹ Umpostile uPawulos wayalela ukuba xa amaKristu alupheleyo engasakwazi ukuzinyamekela, abantwana nabazukulwana bamele “babuyekeze abazali noomawokhulu babo.” Kodwa uPawulos wahlabela mgama ebongoza onke amaKristu ukuba aneliswe zizinto anazo—ukutya, impahla nekhusi. Simele singahlali sizabalazela ukuphila ubomi obuphucukileyo okanye ukufumana imali kuba sifuna ikamva elinqabisekileyo. (Funda eyoku-1 kuTimoti 5:4, 8; 6:6-10.) Akuyomfuneko ukuba umKristu athi phee emva kobutyebi beli hlabathi liza kudlula ngokukhawuleza, kuba nje efuna ‘ukulungiselela’ intsapho yakhe. (1 Yoh. 2:15-17) Asimele sivumele ‘amandla akhohlisayo obutyebi’ okanye ‘amaxhala obomi’ aphulukanise intsapho yethu ‘nobomi benene’ kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo.—Marko 4:19; Luka 21:34-36; 1 Tim. 6:19.

10. Kutheni kububulumko nje ukukuphepha ukuzifak’ ematyaleni?

¹⁰ UYehova uyazi ukuba siyayidinga imali. Kodwa imali ayikwazi kusikhusela ize isilondoloze njengobulumko bukaThixo. (INtshu. 7:12; Luka 12:15) Abantu badla ngokuzithabatha lula iingxaki zokuya kusebenza phesheya, ibe akukho siqinisekiso sokuba baya kuyifumana naloo mali. Enyanisweni, zinkulu iingxaki ezibangelwa yile mfuduko. Abaninzi bathi bebuya babe sele benamatyala angakumbi. Kunokuba bakhululeke ukuze bakhonze uThixo, baphetha sebengamakhoboka abo bantu babatyala imali. (Funda iMizekeliso 22:7.) Ubulumko kukukuphepha kwasekuqaleni ukuzifak’ ematyaleni.

11. Ukugqiba ngezinto eziza kuthengwa kunokuyinceda njani intsapho inciphise iingxaki zemali?

¹¹ UEduardo wayesazi ukuba ukuze aphumelele kwisigqibo sakhe sokungaphindi ayishiye intsapho yakhe, wayemele akwazi ukuphatha imali. Enomfazi wakhe bagqiba ngezinto eziyimfuneko ngokwenene abaza kuzithenga. Ngoku babeza kuphila ngemali encinane gqitha kuleyo babeyiqhelile. Noko ke, bonke babambisana baza abachitha imali kwizinto ezingeyomfuneko kangako. * UEduardo uthi: “Ngokomzekelo, ndakhupha abantwana bam kwizikolo ezibiza imali eninzi, ndabafaka kwezikarhulumente.” Enentsapho yakhe bathandazela ukuba afumane umsebenzi owawungayi kubaphazamisa ekukhonzeni uThixo. UYehova wayiphendula njani loo mithandazo?

12, 13. Ziziphi izinto eyazenzayo enye indoda ukuze yondle intsapho yayo, ibe uYehova wayisikelela njani imigudu yayo yokuphila ubomi obulula?

¹² UEduardo uthi: “Kwaphela iminyaka emibini sitsala nzima. Imali yayiphela, naloo mvuzwana wam ungakwazi kuzihlawulela zonke iindleko zethu ndabe nam ndiphelile kukudinwa. Kodwa sasikwazi ukuya kunye kuzo zonke iintlanganiso nasentsimini.” UEduardo wayengafuni nokucinga ngemisebenzi ayifumanayo eyayiza kumenza ashiye intsapho yakhe kangangeenyanga okanye iminyaka. Uthi: “Into endayenzayo kukufunda imisebenzi eyahlukeneyo ukuze xa uphelile umsebenzi othile, ndibe ndisenza omnye.”

¹³ Ekubeni uEduardo wenza amalungiselelo okuwahlawula ngezavenge amatyala akhe, kwanyanzeleka ukuba ahlawule inzala engakumbi. Kodwa wakhetha oko kuba wayeza kukwazi ukuhlala ekunye nentsapho yakhe, kanye le nto uYehova alindele ukuba yenziwe ngabazali. Uthi: “Umvuzo endandiwurhola phesheya uwuphinda phinda kalishumi lo wangoku, kodwa asilali singatyanga. ‘Isandla sikaYehova asisifutshane.’ Enyanisweni, sagqiba ekubeni sibe ngoovulindlela. Okumangalisayo kukuba, imeko yezoqoqosho yaba bhetele kwaza kwalula noko ukufumana izinto esizidingayo.”—Isa. 59:1.

14, 15. Yintoni enokunceda iintsapho zijamelane nengcinezelo yokusukelana nemali ngaphezu kokukholisa uThixo, ibe yintoni enokwenzeka xa simisela umzekelo omhle?

¹⁴ Kwiindawo ezininzi, abantu baziva benyanzelekile ukuba baphe izalamane nabahlobo imali nezipho. UEduardo uthi: “Yindlela esikhuliswa ngayo, ibe kusegazini ukupha abanye.” Noko ke, uthi: “Umele ube nomda. Ngobuchule ndiye ndizichazele izalamane zam ukuba ndiza kuzinika oko kusemandleni am kuphela, kodwa andinakwenza into eza kuphazamisa intsapho yam ekunquleni uYehova.”

¹⁵ Abo babuyela emizini yabo nabo bayeka amathuba okuya kusebenza kwamanye amazwe badla ngokuqunjelwa, bagculelwe yaye bazidanise izalamane zabo ezilindele ukondliwa ngabo. Ezinye zibatyhola ngokungabi naluthando. (IMize. 19:6, 7) Intombi kaEduardo uAnna ithi: “Noko ke, xa sibambelela ekukholiseni uThixo kunokusukelana nemali, ezinye izalamane zinokude zikubone ukubaluleka kokuphila ubomi bamaKristu. Kodwa zingayibona njani loo nto xa sinikezela?”—Thelekisa eyoku-1 kaPetros 3:1, 2.

16. (a) Umntu ‘unokuzikhohlisa njani ngokuqiqa okuphosakeleyo’? (Yak. 1:22) (b) Zizigqibo ezinjani azisikelelayo uYehova?

¹⁶ Emva kokufika kwelinye ilizwe elifumileyo eshiye umyeni nabantwana bakhe ngasemva, omnye udade wathi kubadala bebandla: “Kuye kwafuneka sincame izinto ezininzi ukuze ndize apha. Kude kwanyanzeleka ukuba nomyeni wam ayeke ukuba ngumdala. Ndinethemba lokuba uYehova uza kusisikelela ngokuza kwam apha.” Ewe, uYehova usoloko ezisikelela izigqibo ezenziwa ngokholo, kodwa unokusisikelela njani isigqibo esiphikisana nokuthanda kwakhe, ngakumbi xa kude kufuneke ubani ancame amalungelo angcwele ngokungeyomfuneko?—Funda amaHebhere 11:6; eyoku-1 kaYohane 5:13-15.

17. Kutheni simele sicele ulwalathiso lukaYehova ngaphambi kokuba senze izigqibo, ibe sinokukwenza njani oko?

¹⁷ Cela ulwalathiso kuYehova ngaphambi kokuba wenze izigqibo, kungekhona emva kokuba uzenzile. Mcele akuphe umoya wakhe oyingcwele, ubulumko nolwalathiso. (2 Tim. 1:7) Zibuze oku: ‘Ziziphi iimeko endikulungeleyo ukuthobela  uYehova kuzo? Ngaba ndingamthobela xa nditshutshiswa?’ Ukuba kunjalo, ngaba ukulungele ukumthobela kwanaxa oko kuza kuthetha ukuphila ubomi obuphantsi? (Luka 14:33) Cela icebiso kubadala, ube sel’ ubonisa ukholo nentembelo onayo kwisithembiso sikaYehova sokuba uya kukunceda xa umthobela. Abadala abayi kukwenzela zigqibo, nto nje baya kukunceda wenze izigqibo eziya kukonwabisa ekugqibeleni.—2 Kor. 1:24.

18. Ngubani onikwe imbopheleleko yokunyamekela intsapho, ibe yintoni thina esinokuyenza ukunceda?

¹⁸ UYehova uwunike intloko-ntsapho “umthwalo” wamihla le wokunyamekela intsapho. Simele sibancome yaye sibathandazele abo baphumeza imbopheleleko yabo bengakhange bawashiye amaqabane okanye abantwana babo, phezu kwazo nje iingxaki neemvavanyo zokwenjenjalo. Iimeko ezingalindelekanga, njengeentlekele okanye ukufuna unyango ngokungxamisekileyo, zisivulela ithuba lokubonisa uthando esinalo lobuKristu. (Gal. 6:2, 5; 1 Pet. 3:8) Ngaba ungakwazi ukunceda umzalwana wakho ngemali xa esengxakini okanye umncede afumane umsebenzi engadanga washiya intsapho yakhe? Xa usenjenjalo, uya kumnceda angaziva enyanzelekile ukuba ashiye intsapho yakhe aye kusebenza kwelinye ilizwe.—IMize. 3:27, 28; 1 Yoh. 3:17.

19, 20. Kutheni amaKristu enokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uza kuwanyamekela?

¹⁹ IZibhalo zithi: “Musani ukuba ngabathandi bemali, kunoko yanelani zizinto ezikhoyo. Kuba [uThixo] uthe: ‘Andiyi kuze ndikushiye, ndingayi kuze ndikutyeshele.’ Ngoko ke masomelele kakhulu size sithi: ‘UYehova ungumncedi wam; andiyi koyika. Angandenza ntoni na umntu?’” (Heb. 13:5, 6) Oku sinokukwenza njani kubomi bemihla ngemihla?

²⁰ Kwelinye ilizwe elisakhulayo, umzalwana osele enexesha elide engumdala uthi: “Abantu basoloko bethetha ngendlela onwabe ngayo amaNgqina kaYehova. Bayabona ukuba nalawo atsala nzima asoloko enxiba kakuhle ibe nembonakalo yawo iyancomeka kunabanye abantu.” Oku kuvisisana kakuhle nesithembiso awasenzayo uYesu kwabo bafuna uBukumkani kuqala. (Mat. 6:28-30, 33) UYihlo osemazulwini, uYehova uyanithanda yaye ufuna nifumane okona kulungileyo nina nabantwana benu. “Ngokubhekisele kuYehova, amehlo akhe asingasinga emhlabeni wonke ukuba ababonise amandla abo bantliziyo ziphelele kuye.” (2 Kron. 16:9) Usinike imithetho yakhe—kuquka leyo isinceda kubomi bentsapho nasekunyamekeleni iintswelo zethu. Xa siyithobela, sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda yaye sithembele kuye. “Ukumthanda uThixo kuko ukuthi, siyigcine imiyalelo yakhe; kwaye ayinzima imiyalelo yakhe.”—1 Yoh. 5:3.

21, 22. Kutheni uzimisele ukubonisa ukuba uthembele kuYehova?

²¹ UEduardo uthi: “Ndiyazi ukuba andinakuze ndilibuyise ixesha endalichitha ngaphandle kwentsapho yam, kodwa andifuni kuzikhathaza ngobisi oluchithakeleyo. Abaninzi kwabo ndandisebenza nabo bazizityebi ngoku, kodwa abonwabanga. Iintsapho zabo zintyumpantyumpeka kwiingxaki ezinzima. Noko ke, eyethu intsapho yonwabe gqitha! Kundivuyisa gqitha ukubona abanye abazalwana kweli lizwe bebeka uThixo kwindawo yokuqala nakuba betsala nzima. Sonke siyakubona ukuba yinyaniso kwesithembiso sikaYesu.”—Funda uMateyu 6:33.

²² Yomelela! Thobela uYehova uze uthembele kuye. Ukuthanda kwakho uThixo, iqabane lakho lomtshato nabantwana bakho makukuncede uphumeze imbopheleleko onayo kwintsapho yakho. Oko kuya kukunceda ubone ukuba ‘uYehova ungumncedi wakho.’