1. UManowa wenzani ngesikhathi esizwa ukuthi usezakuba lomntwana?

YABAMBA owangaphansi indoda isizwa umkayo eyibikela izindaba ezimangalisayo. Phela bobabili babesazi mhlophe isimo salapha ekhaya; umama wayeyinyumba. Kodwa ingilosi kaJehova yayifike kowesifazana yamtshela ukuthi lokho ababengakukhangelelanga yikho kanye okwasekuzakwenzakala: UManowa lomkakhe babezakuba lendodana! Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uManowa wathokoza kakhulu ekuzwa lokhu. Kodwa-ke wayekunanzelela lokuthi wayesezakuba lomthwalo onzima emahlombe akhe. Yena lomkakhe babezayifundisa njani indodana yabo ukuthi ikhule ithanda uNkulunkulu njengoba babehlala elizweni elaligcwele ububi? UManowa ‘wakhuleka kuJehova’ wathi: “Ngiyakucela, umuntu kaNkulunkulu omthumileyo [ingilosi] kabuye futhi azesifundisa ukuthi umfana ozazalwa wondliwa njani.”—Abahlu. 13:1-8.

2. Kugoqelani ukuqeqetsha umntanakho? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Umuntu Oqakatheke Kakhulu Okumele Ufunde Laye IBhayibhili.”)

² Nxa ungumzali, kungenzakala ukuthi uyasizwisisa isicelo sikaManowa.  Lawe ulomsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu wokusiza abantwabakho ukuthi bamazi uJehova futhi bamthande. * (Zaga. 1:8) Ukuze bakwenze lokhu, abazali abangamaKhristu bahlela ukuthi babe loKukhonza Kwemuli okulusizo zikhathi zonke. Kodwa ukuze umzali agcizelele iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini engqondweni yomntwana, akumelanga acine ngokwenza ukukhonza kwemuli maviki wonke, kunengi okumele akwenze. (Bala uDutheronomi 6:6-9.) Ungenzani ukuze uphumelele ukugcizelela iqiniso kubantwabakho? Esihlokweni lesi lakwesilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi abazali bangasilandela njani isibonelo sikaJesu. Lanxa wayengelabantwana, abazali bangafunda endleleni ayeqeqetsha ngayo abalandeli bakhe ngoba wayelothando, ethobekile futhi elokuqedisisa. Ake sibone ukuthi abazali bangamlingisela njani ezintweni lezi ezintathu.

3. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathanda abalandeli bakhe?

³ UJesu wayengadondi ukutshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi uyabathanda. (Bala uJohane 15:9.) Watshengisa lokuthi uyabathanda ngokuhlala elabo izikhathi zonke. (Mak. 6:31, 32; Joh. 2:2; 21:12, 13) Wayesenza ukuthi abafundi bakhe bakhululeke nxa belaye, yikho babengakuthandabuzi ukuthi wayebathanda sibili. Ungayilingisela njani indlela uJesu ayefundisa ngayo?

4. Ungenzani ukuze abantwabakho babone ukuthi uyabathanda? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁴ Batshele abantwabakho ukuthi uyabathanda njalo batshengise lokuthi uyabaqakathekisa kakhulu. (Zaga. 4:3; Tit. 2:4) USamuel ohlala e-Australia uthi: “Ngisesemncane ubaba wayejayele ukungibalela Ibhuku Lami Lezindaba zeBhayibhili nsuku zonke ngingakalali. Wayeyiphendula yonke imibuzo yami, angigone, angiqabuje besengilala. Ngamangala mhla ngisizwa ukuthi ubaba wakhuliswa ngabazali ababengakujayelanga ukuthi umntwana uyagonwa aqabujwe! Lanxa kunjalo, walwisa ukuthi akwenze kimi lokhu ukuze atshengise ukuthi uyangithanda. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi mina laye sibe ngamathe lolimi lokuthi ngihlale ngithokoza futhi ngivikelekile.” Lawe hlala ubatshela abantwabakho ukuthi uyabathanda ukuze bazizwe njengoSamuel. Tshengisa ngezenzo ukuthi uyabathanda. Khuluma labo, udle labo njalo udlale labo.

5, 6. (a) UJesu ubenzani labo abathandayo? (b) Chaza ukuthi ukujezisa okufaneleyo kubanceda njani abantwana ukuthi bazizwe bethandwa.

⁵ UJesu wathi: “Labo engibathandayo ngiyabakhuza ngibajezise.” * (Isam. 3:19) Lanxa abafundi bakhe babephikisana kanengi ngokuthi ngubani owayemkhulu phakathi kwabo, uJesu kazange akhalale ukubafundisa. Kanti njalo kazange aphongubayekela nje lapho besehluleka ukulalela iseluleko sakhe. Wayebakhuza ngomusa langothando, futhi lokhu wayekwenza ngesikhathi esifaneleyo lasendaweni efaneleyo.—Mak. 9:33-37.

⁶ Tshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abantwabakho ngokubajezisa. Kwezinye izikhathi kungaba kuhle ukuchasisela umntwana ukuthi kungani kuqondile kumbe kungaqondanga ukwenza into ethile. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi angehluleka ukukwenza lokho omtshele khona. (Zaga. 22:15) Nxa lokhu kungenzakala, lingisela uJesu. Mjezise ngothando langomusa umntanakho ngokumeluleka ngesineke, ngokumqeqetsha, langokumkhuza ngesikhathi esifaneleyo lasendaweni efaneleyo. Omunye udadewethu waseSouth Africa okuthiwa ngu-Elaine uthi: “Abazali bami babengijezisa. Babesithi bangangitshela ukuthi bazangijezisa nxa ngingona, benze khonokho ababekutshilo. Kodwa kabazange lanini  bangijezise ngolaka kumbe bangangichasiseli ukuthi kungani bengijezisa. Lokhu kwangenza ngabona ukuthi abazali bami bayangithanda. Ngasengikwazi okwakumele ngikwenze lokwakungamelanga ngikwenze.”

7, 8. (a) UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile emithandazweni yakhe? (b) Imithandazo yakho ingabafundisa njani abantwabakho ukuthi bathembele kuNkulunkulu?

⁷ UJesu watsho amazwi la lapho ethandaza okokucina esemhlabeni: “Abha, Baba, konke kungenzakala kuwe. Ake ususe inkezo le kimi. Kodwa kakungabi yintando yami, kodwa kube yintando yakho.” * (Mak. 14:36) Ubona angani abafundi bakhe bezwa njani bemuzwa ethandaza loba besizwa ukuthi watsho amazwi la emthandazweni? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi bathola isifundo kukho. Nxa uJesu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu epheleleyo wazithoba wathandaza kuYise ecela usizo, kumele ukuthi abafundi bakhe labo bafunda ukwenza okufananayo.

⁸ Bafundani abantwabakho emithandazweni yakho? Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukuthandaza kuJehova kawukwenzeli ukuthi ufundise abantwabakho kuphela. Kodwa nxa bekuzwa uthandaza ngokuzithoba, labo bayafunda ukuthembela kuJehova. U-Ana waseBrazil uthi: “Nxa kwakulezinhlupho, njengokugula kukagogo lokhulu, abazali bami babecela kuJehova ukuthi abanike amandla okulwisana lezimo ezinjalo lokuthi abasize benze izinqumo ngokuhlakanipha. Lalapho sekunzima kakhulu, uhlupho babelutshiya ezandleni zikaJehova. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi lami ngifunde ukuthembela kuJehova.” Nxa uthandaza labantwabakho, ungathandazeli bona kuphela. Thandazela lokuthi uJehova akuncedise lawe. Mhlawumbe ungacela ukuthi akusize ukhulume lomqhatshi wakho ukuze akunike isikhathi sokuya emhlanganweni omkhulu. Ungamcela lokuthi akunike isibindi sokutshumayeza umakhelwana wakho loba ukuthi akuncedise ngokunye nje okudingayo.  Zithobe uthembele kuJehova, abantwabakho labo bazafunda ukwenza njalo.

9. (a) UJesu wabafundisa njani abafundi bakhe ukuthi bathobeke njalo basize abanye? (b) Abantwabakho bazafundani nxa bangakubona uzinikela ekusizeni abanye?

⁹ UJesu waqeqetsha abafundi bakhe ngamazwi langezenzo ukuthi bathobeke njalo basize abanye. (Bala uLukha 22:27.) Wafundisa abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi bazinikele ngokupheleleyo ekukhonzeni uJehova lasendleleni abaphatha ngayo abanye. Lawe nxa usenza okufananayo uyabe ufundisa abantwabakho ukuthi labo benze njalo. UDebbie, umama wabantwana ababili uthi: “Ngangingamkhwelezeli umkami ngesikhathi ayesisebenzisa encedisa abanye ebandleni njengoba engumdala. Ngangikwazi ukuthi loba nini lapho imuli yethu eyayimdinga khona, wayesiba khona.” (1 Tim. 3:4, 5) Umkakhe uPranas laye uthi: “Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abantwabethu labo basebekuthanda ukuncedisa emihlanganweni yeziqinti lakweminye imisebenzi yobuKhristu. Babekholisa, bethola abangane abanengi njalo bekuthanda ukuba phakathi kwabazalwane!” Khathesi imuli yonke isisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Nxa ungatshengisa ukuthi uthobekile lokuthi uzinikele ekukhonzeni uJehova, abantwabakho labo bazafunda ukusiza abanye.

10. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi wayelokuqedisisa ngesikhathi ixuku labantu limlandela?

¹⁰ UJesu wayelokuqedisisa ngoba wayengacini ngokubona okusegcekeni kuphela, wayesenelisa lokubona okwakufuqa umuntu ukuthi enze into ethile. Ngokwesibonelo, kwake kwaba lexuku labantu eGalile elalikhanya litshisekela ukumlandela. (Joh. 6:22-24) Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wayesenelisa ukuhlola izinhliziyo, wakubona ukuthi abantu laba babengelandaba kangakho lalokho ayekufundisa, ababelendaba lakho yikudla ayebanike khona. (Joh. 2:25) Wakubona ukuthi babephambanisa wasebakhuza ngesineke, wabatshela lokuthi kungaphi lapho okwakumele balungisise khona.—Bala uJohane 6:25-27.

11. (a) Nika isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi ukuqedisisa kungamnceda njani umzali ukuthi abone ukuthi umntanakhe uyakukholisa yini ukutshumayela. (b) Ungenzani ukuze umntanakho akuthande ukutshumayela futhi akukholise?

¹¹ Lanxa wena ungenelisi ukubona okusenhliziyweni yomntanakho, ungatshengisa ukuthi ulokuqedisisa ngokuhlola ukuthi uyakuthanda yini ukutshumayela. Abazali abanengi baba lokungamakhefu okuncane nxa besekutshumayeleni ukuze abantwababo baphumule njalo bathole okuya ethunjini. Kodwa kungaba kuhle ukuthi uzame ukubona ukuthi kuyini sibisibili okwenza  umntanakho akuthande ukuya ekutshumayeleni. Ungazibuza ukuthi, ‘Umntanami ukholisa ukutshumayela yini kumbe amakhefu?’ Nxa ungananzelela ukuthi umntanakho kakuthandi kangako futhi kakukholisi ukutshumayela, zama ukuhlela laye ukwenza izinto ezizamenza ayikhwabithe inkonzo. Sebenzisa izindlela ezitshiyeneyo ukuze umsize ukuthi laye atshumayele nxa lihamba lonke.

12. (a) UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi ulokuqedisisa lapho exwayisa abalandeli bakhe ngokuziphatha okungahlanzekanga? (b) Kungani isixwayiso sikaJesu sasifike ngesikhathi?

¹² UJesu watshengisa ukuthi ulokuqedisisa langokubona izenzo ezingaqondanga ezazingahugela umuntu esonweni. Ngokwesibonelo, abalandeli bakhe babekwazi ukuthi akuqondanga ukuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini. Kodwa uJesu wabaxwayisa ngezenzo ezazingabangela ukuthi umuntu acine ephinga, wathi: “Lowo okhangela owesifazana amfise usephinge laye enhliziyweni yakhe. Nxa ilihlo lakho lokunene likwenzisa isono likhuphuluze ulikhuphe ulilahlele khatshana.” (Mat. 5:27-29) Amazwi la ayefike ngesikhathi sibili kumaKhristu ayebuswa ngamaRoma. Esinye isazi somlando sithi emidlalweni yaseRoma, “izinto ezazibukelwa ngabantu lababezizwa zazisenyanyeka, futhi izingxenye zemidlalo ezazivusa inkanuko yizo ezazikholiswa ngabantu baze baqakeze.” Ngakho uJesu watshengisa ukuthi ulokuqedisisa lokuthi uyabathanda abalandeli bakhe ngokubaxwayisa ngezinto ezinjalo ezazingabenza behluleke ukuhlala behlanzekile!

13, 14. Ungabavikela njani abantwabakho ekuzilibaziseni ngezinto ezingahlanzekanga?

¹³ Ukuqedisisa kungakunceda ukuthi uvikele abantwabakho ekwenzeni izinto ezingathokozisi uJehova. Lamuhla kakusafanani layizolo, abantwana abanengi sebesengozini yokubukela imifanekiso yabantu abasemacansini kanye lezinye izinto ezingcolileyo besesebancane kakhulu. Liqiniso ukuthi abazali abangamaKhristu bayabatshela abantwababo ukuthi ukuzilibazisa ngezinto ezingahlanzekanga kubi. Kodwa nxa belokuqedisisa bazazwisisa lokuthi kuyini okungenza abantwababo babe lelukuluku lokufuna ukubukela imifanekiso yabantu abasemacansini. Zibuze ukuthi: ‘Kuyini okungenza ukuthi umntanami alingeke ukubukela izinto lezi? Uyakwazi yini ukuthi kungani kuyingozi ukwenza njalo? Ngingumuntu okulula ukukhuluma laye yini ukuze angesabi ukuzocela ukuthi ngimsize nxa eselingeka ukubukela iphonogirafi?’ Lanxa umntanakho esesemncane kakhulu, ungathi kuye: “Nxa ungahlangana lemifanekiso engcolileyo ku-Inthanethi ubusulingeka ukuthi uyibukele, ngicela ubuye uzongitshela. Ungabi lenhloni. Ngifuna ukukunceda.”

¹⁴ Ukuqedisisa kuzakunceda lokuthi ukhethe kuhle ezokuzilibazisa. UPranas esike sakhuluma ngaye uthi: “Umculo, amabhuku kanye lamafilimu okuthandwa yithi abazali yikho okucina kuthandwa ngabantwabethu. Ungalandisa izinto ezinengi, kodwa okusalayo yikuthi abantwabakho bazalingisela khonokho kanye wena okwenzayo.” Nxa abantwabakho bekubona ukhetha ezokuzilibazisa ngonanzelelo, labo bangacina besenza okufananayo.—Rom. 2:21-24.

15, 16. (a) Kungani ungaba leqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu uzakuncedisa ukuthi uqeqetshe umntanakho? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁵ Kwenzakalani lapho uManowa ecela usizo lokukhulisa indodana yakhe? IBhayibhili lithi: “UNkulunkulu wamuzwa uManowa.” (Abahlu. 13:9) Bazali, lani uJehova uzalizwa. Uzayiphendula imithandazo yenu njalo uzalincedisa ukuthi lifundise abantwabenu. Lizaphumelela ukukwenza lokhu nxa lilothando, lithobekile njalo lilokuqedisisa.

¹⁶ Njengoba nje uJehova encedisa abazali ukuthi baqeqetshe abantwababo abasesebancane, angabancedisa lokuthi baqeqetshe asebekhulakhulile abaleminyaka engu-13 kusiya kwengu-19. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi umzali angatshengisa njani ukuthi ulothando, uthobekile njalo ulokuqedisisa njengoJesu nxa eqeqetsha abantwana abakulelibanga ukuthi bakhonze uJehova.